Shampoo and conditioner for dry damaged hair

Finding the best shampoo for dry hair can be stressful. I get it, there are a lot of formulas out there to choose from and whilst they all claim to pump moisture back into patched strands, some bottles are laden with alcohol and silicones that - spoiler - can be even more drying and damaging in the long run...

It's always a good idea to first address why your hair is dry... If you're using heat tools day in day out (and haven't invested in a quality heat protection spray), it's likely that your hair is damaged and therefore in desperate need of conditioning. Bleach is another enemy, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. When we lighten our strands we destroy the protective cuticle and strip away the natural oils. Not only does this leave the hair brittle and weak, it also allows moisture to escape making it super dry.

Sure, finding the best hair oil or deep treatment can help, but do not underestimate the power of a great shampoo. When searching for a hydrating hero, there are a few things you should be considering. Firstly, it helps if it is sulphate free. Sulphates are a normal cleansing agent in soaps, shampoos and body washes. Their job is to remove a build-up of grease and dirt, but if used in too high a quantity, the process can be a little harsh and get rid of all the natural oils, causing more dryness.

As a fellow dry hair sufferer myself, I understand the struggle that comes with wasting your money on kinda crappy shampoo - it just sits in the corner of your shower gathering dust/limescale. So, with that in mind, I decided to try out some of the UK's most popular shampoos for dry hair - each of the formulas have been specifically designed to nourish strands.

From Aussie's cult Miracle Moist shampoo, to Redken's famous All Soft Mega Shampoo, these are the internet's most talked-about formulas. But which ones are worth the £££? Here's what happened...

The foundation for a reparative hair care regimen starts with how you wash it. A reliable shampoo creates a clean slate for your conditioning and styling products, allowing you to get the most out of your routine. However, a quick stroll down your local beauty supply store’s hair care aisle is enough to leave your head (and hair) spinning. Luckily, we’ve made it easy to sift through Hair.com’s portfolio of the best shampoos for damaged hair. Read on to discover the reparative and strengthening formulas that will guarantee your shower shelfie racks up as many likes as your revived mane.

Can damaged hair truly be repaired?

Unlike resilient skin that bounces back after an injury, hair has no regenerative abilities (like a nervous system or living tissues), so it can’t heal itself from damage inflicted by chemical or mechanical stressors. Unfortunately, once the damage is done, there’s not much that can reverse it in the most literal sense.

Good hair day by @haileyscarlson.

How can I repair my extremely damaged hair?

Armed with a proper hair care routine, you can strengthen your existing hair and minimize the chance of future damage. Frequently trimming split ends (about every four to six weeks), deep conditioning hair, and swearing off heat styling are all small steps you can take towards rejuvenating your locks. We also suggest being extra gentle when styling hair and avoiding harsh hair accessories like tight elastics or extremely taut hairstyles, which can put tension on already sensitized strands.

Can shampoo fix damaged hair?

As mentioned, only a significant haircut (or a full-on buzz cut, for that matter) can truly banish split ends and limit new breakage. Still, the right shampoo can certainly mask the appearance of damage and reduce its recurrence. Stronger hair starts in the shower, so picking a shampoo for damaged hair can make all the difference.

When searching for the best shampoo for damaged hair, look for formulas with strengthening ingredients like proteins. If your goal is to find the best shampoo for dry, damaged hair, we recommend keeping an eye out for nourishing and moisturizing ingredients like oils and ceramides to keep dry strands hydrated and healthy. After all, moisturized strands are your first defense against irreparable damage like split ends and breakage.

What shampoo is best for damaged hair?

Keep scrolling to discover 19 formulas to repair damaged hair, no matter the underlying cause. Be warned: You may want to try more than one!

Our 19 Best Shampoos for Damaged Hair to Buy Now

Best for All Hair Types

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Redken

Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate Free Shampoo for Damaged Hair

All-in-one concentrated shampoo for damaged hair

Old price New price $30.00

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Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate Free Shampoo For Damaged Hair

Powered by an acidic formula and a high level of bonding ingredients, Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate Free Shampoo For Damaged Hair helps to intensely condition, repair strength, and recreate weakened bonds on all types and textures of damaged hair.

If your locks are extremely damaged, consider pre-treating the shampoo with the line’s Intensive Treatment. Since hair stretches up to 50 percent when wet, shampooing can add more tension to already-weakened strands. The Intensive Treatment fortifies hair to prepare it for washing, lessening the likelihood of further damage.

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L'Oréal Professionnel

Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo

A hydrating shampoo to instantly nourish damaged and weakened hair.

Old price New price $38.00

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L’Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo

Made with strengthening proteins and superfood quinoa, L’Oréal Professionnel’s Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo cleanses strands, restructures them with every use, and leaves them with a lightweight touch.

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Shu Uemura

Ultimate Reset Shampoo

Gently cleanses hair. Strengthens. Restores hair. Lightweight.

Old price New price $49.00

One size available

10 fl oz

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Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ultimate Reset Shampoo

Shu Uemura Art of Hair’s Ultimate Reset Shampoo is proof that repairing shampoos don’t need to be heavy. Formulated in extremely small, fine droplets, it relies on co-emulsion to gently remove impurities while fortifying and beautifying the hair with a combination of powerful restoring ingredients. The result: Deeply repaired hair that isn’t weighed down.

Best for Men

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Kérastase

Genesis Homme Bain De Masse Epaississant Shampoo

Daily instant thickening and strengthening shampoo system for men with weakened, thinning hair.

Old price New price $38.00

One size available

8.5 fl oz

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Kérastase Genesis Homme Bain de Masse Épaississant Shampoo

Boasting creatine and ginger root to fortify existing thin hair and protect against damage, Kérastase’s Genesis Homme Bain de Masse Epaississant Shampoo leaves weakened hair cleaner, stronger, smoother, and more hydrated than before.

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Kérastase

Genesis Homme Bain De Force Quotidien Shampoo

Daily deep-cleansing and strengthening shampoo for men with weakened hair prone to thinning.

Old price New price $38.00

One size available

8.5 fl oz

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Kérastase Genesis Homme Bain de Force Quotidien Shampoo

For men hit with the double whammy of weakened and thinning hair, look no further than Kérastase’s Genesis Homme Bain de Force Quotidien Shampoo. Besides fortifying thin, weak hair and preventing future damage, this shampoo works to purify the scalp to create an optimal environment for healthier hair growth.

Best for Blonde-Treated Hair

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L'Oréal Professionnel

Blondifier Illuminating Shampoo

A nourishing shampoo to illuminate and restore blonde hair.

Old price New price $38.00

One size available

16.9 fl oz

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L’Oréal Professionnel Blondifier Illuminating Shampoo

Thanks to the bleach required to reach our blond bombshell dreams, it’s no surprise this hair hue requires some heavy-duty repairing action. L’Oréal Professionnel’s Blondifier Illuminating Shampoo provides nourishment and helps smooth strands that have been damaged in the coloring process—courtesy of acai polyphenols.

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Matrix

Total Results Unbreak My Blonde Sulfate-Free Strengthening Shampoo

A sulfate-free shampoo that revives sensitized blonde hair.

Old price New price $22.00

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Matrix Total Results Unbreak My Blonde Sulfate-Free Strengthening Shampoo

Seeing breakage from chemical damage? Consider picking up Matrix’s Total Results Unbreak My Blonde Sulfate-Free Strengthening Shampoo to reinforce weakened bonds and revive sensitized hair. It’s also suitable for all types of lightened hair—even brunettes with blonde highlights.

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Pureology

Strength Cure Best Blonde Purple Shampoo

A sulfate-free strengthening and toning shampoo for damaged, lightened hair.

Old price New price $35.00

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Pureology Strength Cure Best Blonde Purple Shampoo

Pureology’s Strength Cure Best Blonde Purple Shampoo is proof that we can really have it all in a shampoo for damaged hair! This anti-brass purple shampoo works to brighten, tone, and fortify damaged and lightened color-treated hair.

Best for Color-Treated Hair

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Redken

Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo

A recovery shampoo for damaged, ultra-sensitive bleached hair

Old price New price $46.00

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Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo

If bleached hair could talk, we’d have no doubt it’d be begging for Redken’s Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo, a great option if you’re looking for the best shampoo for dry, damaged hair. It contains cica and the brand’s Gentle Conditioning Complex to add softness, suppleness, and shine to dry, brittle, color-treated hair.

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Kérastase

Bain Riche Chroma Respect Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Rich sulfate-free shampoo with lactic acid for medium to thick damaged, color-treated hair.

Old price New price $38.00

One size available

8.5 fl oz

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Kérastase Bain Riche Chroma Respect Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Medium to thick, damaged hair requires a richer, more intense lather, like Kérastase’s Bain Riche Chroma Respect Sulfate-Free Shampoo. This sulfate-free shampoo features breakthrough technology that infuses centella asiatica, a flowering plant with soothing and recovering properties, with lactic acid to help gently exfoliate and seal the hair’s surface.

Best for Breakage

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Matrix

Total Results Instacure Anti-Breakage Shampoo

Anti-breakage shampoo that works to smooth, repair and reduce breakage in dry, damaged, brittle hair.

Old price New price $22.00

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Matrix Total Results Instacure Anti-Breakage Shampoo

Infused with liquid proteins to strengthen and reduce breakage, Matrix’s Total Results Instacure Anti-Breakage Shampoo removes buildup, priming hair to receive the formula’s reparative ingredients to ensure stronger, more resilient hair.

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Redken

Extreme Length Shampoo with Biotin

A biotin-formulated shampoo that helps to reduce breakage in damaged hair.

Old price New price $24.00

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Redken Extreme Length with Biotin

If split ends prevent you from reaching your ideal length, Redken’s Extreme Length with Biotin may be the antidote. While nothing can make hair grow faster (except for precious time, of course), this biotin-infused shampoo can strengthen the strands you have to help you achieve the length of your dreams.

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Kérastase

Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo

An everyday shampoo to strengthen and reconstruct weak, brittle or damaged hair.

Old price New price $35.00

One size available

8.5 fl oz

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Kérastase Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo

You don’t need a miracle to cure brittle strands; you just need to keep Kérastase’s Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo stocked on your shower’s shelf. This strengthening shampoo hydrates and reconstructs your hair, making it shiny and smooth with controlled split ends.

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Kérastase

Resistance Bain Extentioniste Shampoo

A length-strengthening shampoo for weakened and damaged hair.

Old price New price $38.00

One size available

8.5 fl oz

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Kérastase Resistance Bain Extentioniste Shampoo

The breakage from frayed, damaged hair can make a highly-anticipated grow-out feel like a century. Kérastase’s Resistance Bain Extentioniste Shampoo transforms the strands you already have by recovering the hair fiber's to perfect condition, sealing the cuticle from root to ends, and ensuring a healthy scalp.

Best for Strengthening

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Pureology

Strength Cure Shampoo

A gentle, sulfate free shampoo that fortifies and strengthens damaged, color-treated hair.

Old price New price $9.00

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Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo

Just one wash with Pureology’s Strength Cure Shampoo and distressed, color-treated hair will be asking for it by name. This sulfate-free shampoo provides a gentle, rich lather that fortifies and repairs damaged hair, while Pureology’s Antifade Complex® ensures that the vibrancy and shine of your salon color remains intact.

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Biolage Professional

Advanced Fiber Strong Shampoo for Fragile Hair

A restoring shampoo that strengthens fragile hair.

Old price New price $35.00

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Biolage Professional Advanced Fiber Strong Shampoo for Fragile Hair

Fragile hair that’s difficult to manage will find a companion in Biolage Professional’s Advanced Fiber Strong Shampoo for Fragile Hair. Made with bamboo and ceramides, it gently cleanses hair and fills gaps in the hair cuticle. Hair will be healthier, more resistant to damage, and protected against future breakage and split ends.

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Redken

Extreme Strengthening Shampoo for Damaged Hair

A rich hair-strengthening shampoo for damaged hair and split ends.

Old price New price $24.00

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Redken Extreme Strengthening Shampoo For Damaged Hair

Redken’s Extreme Strengthening Shampoo For Damaged Hair is a game-changer for damaged locks thanks to its RCT Protein Complex, which helps fill in weakened parts of the hair. How it works: The smart delivery system has three proteins that attract to where the hair needs it most, delivering custom nourishment to the root, the core, and the tip. Don’t believe us? See the results for yourself in this review!

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Biolage Professional

Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Sulfate-Free Shampoo

A Keratin strengthening shampoo for overprocessed hair.

Old price New price $23.00

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Biolage Professional Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Keratin is the protein that keeps your mane strong and healthy, but heat and chemical damage can break it down. To the rescue: Biolage Professional’s Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Sulfate-Free Shampoo. Its pro-keratin and silk provide targeted reinforcement and moisture balance to hair for shiny, healthy-looking hair with increased elasticity.

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Shu Uemura

Silk Bloom Strengthening Shampoo

A hair strengthening shampoo for damaged hair.

Old price New price $49.00

One size available

10 fl oz

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Shu Uemura Art of Hair Silk Bloom Strengthening Shampoo

Let the beauty of your tresses shine through with Shu Uemura Art of Hair’s Silk Bloom Strengthening Shampoo. With the help of vitamin E, ceramides, and nourishing argan oil, this shampoo repairs the hair fiber, reinforcing the fiber’s structure and resilience. Plus, it’s safe on color-treated hair.

What shampoo is best for dry hair and damaged?

What is the best way to treat dry damaged hair?