The Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos, According to Hairstylists

Stephanie Louis, the owner of Brooklyn’s Stylebox Salon, emphatically recommends Verb Ghost as a universal sulfate-free shampoo that “works for EVERYBODY.” (Emphasis hers.) She adds that “it’s probably the best shampoo we’ve ever worked with” because, “no matter the hair texture or type, it detangles with ease, moisturizes immediately, and doesn’t leave hair feeling heavy with product.” Louis also told us this versatile shampoo won’t bleed out color if you’re using it on color-treated hair. She’s not the only one who loves it — Verb Ghost is among the best-rated shampoos at Sephora, according to some 900 hyperenthusiastic reviewers, one of whom wrote that “it feels almost magical when it lathers.” This is a not-insignificant detail because, as we noted above, sulfates are often what makes shampoos foam up, so it can be harder to find a sulfate-free one with lathering properties, let alone “almost magical” ones. (Another Sephora reviewer raved that Verb Ghost “basically gave me shampoo-commercial hair.”) Louis’s emphatic endorsement of Verb as a sulfate-free shampoo safe for any hair type, coupled with the Sephora reviewers’ praise for it (and its reasonable price tag), helped it earn its place at the top of this list. “It’s really amazing, top-shelf stuff,” Louis promises.

Louis says this sulfate-free shampoo carried by most drugstores is the one to grab if you’re doing a quick CVS or Duane Reade run. She notes that “even though it says it is for ‘extremely dry, brittle hair,’ it really is for any hair type.” Plus, she says the Shea Moisture shampoo can double as a conditioner in a pinch: “It’s really good at leaving the hair super-moisturized even without conditioner.” If you’re looking for something that delivers even more hydration, you could try Shea Moisture’s sulfate-free Protein Strong Treatment, which Strategist contributor Shammara Lawrence says her dry curls “drink up.” (Lawrence also told us she notices that she sheds less hair after using it.)

While Hagel told us you really need to wash your hair only once or twice a week, some people may find it hard to give up their daily habit. If that sounds like you, this Davines shampoo formulated for all hair types is the only one on the list specifically formulated to be gentle enough to use seven days a week. “Davines shampoos are a favorite of mine,” says Jordan, who notes that they are also organic. “They use disodium laureth sulfosuccinate as their surfactant, which is considered to be very safe for humans because the molecules are larger than other surfactants and can’t penetrate the skin.”

According to our beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst, “Since its launch a few months ago, Bread has instantly become a favorite of ‘lazy naturals,’ people with curly hair who want a simplified, low-maintenance approach to hair care.” The shampoo is also a favorite of Erica Smith, a beauty writer for our sister site the Cut. “It gets you the thorough cleanse of a shampoo, with the gentle, hydrating feeling of co-washing, which I love,” Smith says. “It left my 3C curls completely content: clean but not crispy; moisturized but not weighed down; soft, while still embracing all my natural frizz.”

“For a double-process, I love this classic shampoo,” says Emaly Baum, the colorist at Suite Caroline who took our writer Rio Viera-Newton from brunette to blonde. She calls it a simple, everyday shampoo that will not dry double-processed hair out. The formula contains fortifying Amazonian nut oils, coconut, and shea butter, resulting in a product that Baum says is “nourishing and won’t strip your color.”

Hagel first told us about Aveda’s Invati line when we asked about the best products to treat thinning hair. She uses the brand’s three-part system (shampoo, conditioner, and scalp spray) to treat her own thinning hair, but explains that you can buy just the shampoo if you’re looking for a sulfate-free option specifically for thinner hair. Hagel says it’s a particularly good idea to go sulfate-free if you’ve got thinning hair because harsh sulfates won’t help the already sensitive state of your strands.

If your hair-length goals are inspired by Rapunzel, Gregorio Ruggeri of Salon Ruggeri says the sulfate-free Act+Acre Cold Processed Hair Cleanse “helps nurture the growing process” because the formula includes rosemary, which stimulates circulation in the scalp and promotes healthy hair follicles. The product also contains vetiver, lavender, and amaranth oil, all of which strengthen and moisturize hair strands. Together, he says its ingredients promote the growth of strong hair from root to tip, so you’re less likely to experience breakage.

Those dealing with excess oil should look for a sulfate-free rebalancing shampoo to help make their hair look (and feel) less greasy. This one from Davines comes recommended by two experts: Pickthorn Salon owner Chelsey Pickthorn and hairstylist Matt King, the director of education at Manhattan’s Fox and Jane salon, who calls it “a great option for people who are looking to handle an oily scalp without drying out their hair.”

If you’re looking for a sulfate-free shampoo that will seriously hydrate brittle strands, Louis says “this is an amazing product.” She notes that it’s totally worth the price because “nothing beats this at clearing up dandruff and introducing moisture back to the hair shaft. It has that refreshing tingling feeling, plus it leaves your hair feeling super-duper clean.” It’s not the first time we’ve heard good things about Eufora shampoo — Angela Taormino of Union Beauty Salon named Eufora’s Curl’n Enhancing Shampoo as her favorite to use on fine curly hair, and Louis praises Eufora’s Volumizing Shampoo as her go-to product for strengthening thinning hair.

Louis says this product is like her favorite Verb Ghost shampoo “but for tightly curled hair.” When hair is super-curly, you usually have to rely on a conditioner to do the “heavy lifting” of detangling, she explains. But “you won’t have to worry about that if you use this incredibly effective product” she says. Like the Verb Ghost, this shampoo is also color-safe.