These are the sulphate-free shampoos we love for silky-soft, glossy locks...
The inimitable feeling of freshly washed hair is hard to beat.
But increasingly, sulphates – the cleansing agents found in many shampoo formulas – are being hauled into the spotlight, fuelled by our collective pursuit of truly luscious locks.
Before you banish them into beauty taboo territory, let's delve a little deeper into the common shampoo ingredient.
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BEST SULPHATE-FREE SHAMPOOS AT A GLANCE
Best for smoothing frizz: Drybar's Liquid Glass Smoothing Shampoo, £25.00
Best for calculated volume: Hair by Sam McKnight's Cool Girl Volume Cleanse, £28.00
Best affordable all-rounder: Wella's Elements Renewing Shampoo, £12.50
Best for an invigorating scalp cleanse: Aveda's Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo, £28.50
Best for sustainability and easy travel: L'Occitane's Gentle & Balance Solid Shampoo, £10.50
What is sulphate-free shampoo?
Sulphates work as foaming agents within most shampoos, breaking down oil, dirt, product build-up and creating that all-important lather. Two of the most widely used types are sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth ether sulphate (SLES).
But that gratifying feeling of utter cleanliness comes at a cost. When not combined with moisture-rich ingredients, sulphates can be quite unforgiving, even "stripping away natural moisture from the hair and scalp causing dehydration, colour fade and scalp irritation", according to session stylist and haircare brand Centred's co-founder Kieran Tudor.
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"Providing the sulphate-free shampoo is formulated using more gentle cleansing agents, the main benefits are that your hair will be less dehydrated, retaining its natural lipids with more shine and vitality," he explains.
Anyone can benefit from making the switch, but particularly if your hair is coloured, naturally dry, curly, frizz-prone or a combination of such, avoiding sulphates could be very rewarding. Kieran points out that even those with extensions could benefit from sulphate-free formulas since the cleansing agents used are generally much gentler, and so would be "ideal for protecting the extension bonds and keeping the hair hydrated".
How we chose:
- Performance and personal testimony: The sulphate-free beauty buys chosen below are products that I ('s resident beauty obsessive Orin Carlin) personally really rate. For context, my frizz-prone hair is long, naturally curly and frightfully dry. Lucky me. Deep in my haircare soul, I'm pretty low-maintenance, but with the nature of my job, I'm constantly testing new products so it's really key that my first wash (I subscribe to the double cleanse method) removes all build-up and then for my second wash I usually go for a moisture-rich, smoothing formula.
- Sulphate-free: The shampoos I've selected are all devoid of sulphates, but united in the fact that they are each high-performing, excellent products in their own right.
Best Sulphate-Free Shampoos
Cool Girl Volume Cleanse
Hair by Sam McKnight
Hair type:
Fragile, thirsty, dehydrated or damaged.
Key benefits...
- Formulated with Voluminis, a thickening active
- Contains Pro-Vitamin B5 for a hydrated, balanced scalp
Every time I try a different product from the Hair by Sam McKnight range, I feel I'm bringing a serious slice of salon energy into my otherwise unremarkable bathroom. Along with the rest of the line, Cool Girl Cleanse is predictably excellent (and smells divine). I have masses of hair, to the point where I actively avoid anything promising volume. But the formula doesn't simply multiply what you've got, instead it delivers a gentle voluptuousness in the areas in which you need it.
£28.00 AT CULT BEAUTY
No Frizz Shampoo
Living Proof
Hair type:
Frizz-prone hair or naturally curly, seeking smoothness.
Key benefits...
- Hair feels lovely and refreshed, but not 'squeaky clean'
- Noticeably less frizz, lasting up to several days
I always treat frizz-banishing products with an air of suspicion. Will you seriously live up to your lofty claims? Living Proof's No Frizz Shampoo is pretty bang on. Sulphate-free shampoos are so well developed these days, and this luxuriant lather is testament to the fact. My hair felt extremely clean, but not with that false squeakiness that many budget smoothing shampoos impart. It is formulated using a blend of slip modifiers to reduce surface friction and my hair was visibly less frizzy (not utterly devoid) for days, especially in combination with heated styling tools.
£29.00 AT SEPHORA
Liquid Glass Smoothing Shampoo
Drybar
Hair type:
All types, in particular frizz-prone or naturally curly, seeking smoothness.
Key benefits...
- Major shine
- Hair has a super-satisfying, smooth quality
Now is truly first-rate. Drybar's Liquid Glass Shampoo is a blissful, moisture-rich blend that lathers easily and delivers major shine. It is formulated with vegan keratin to help smooth and nourish each strand, but my hair didn't feel like it was weighed down, I still had body and movement. The inclusion of neroli oil targets frizz and I was taken aback by the level of glossiness. Plus, I'm not usually big on coconut, but the scent is reassuringly subdued, not at all synthetic-smelling. My one gripe? It's a total nightmare to get out of the bottle. Like I actually nearly did myself a shower injury trying to coax out the product.
£25.00 AT CULT BEAUTY
Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Shampoo
Bumble and Bumble
Hair type:
Dry, damaged or coloured.
Key benefits...
- Shafts are soft and silky to the touch
- Detangling ability - hair is extremely easy to brush or comb after use
If dryness is your primary hair woe, you need Bumble and Bumble's Invisible Oil Shampoo in your life. The formula is packed with six oils (coconut, argan, macadamia nut, sweet almond, safflower seed and grapeseed), designed to deliver a shot of moisture. It certainly minimised frizz, but didn't get rid of it entirely. Instead, its hero quality is how soft and silky it makes your hair feel, without leaving any residue. (I always find it annoying how some moisturising shampoos leave the hair around my roots looking flat and limp.) This would be great for when you need rich nourishment, but lack the time for a leave-in mask.
£27.00 AT LOOKFANTASTIC
Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo
Aveda
Hair type:
All hair types, especially useful for those seeking a balanced scalp.
Key benefits...
- Pleasant, cooling effect
- Deep, yet gentle, cleanse
I'm still on the fence about exfoliating scrubs. On the one hand I like the gratifying feeling of abrasion against my scalp, but I'm impatient and find the grains a bit of a pest to wash out thoroughly. Plant-based performance-driven Aveda is excellent across the board, I trust it implicitly. But in particular its Scalp Solutions formula presents the perfect happy medium. To be clear, it is not a scrub. Instead, the citrusy scent is bright and uplifting, and it's the best shampoo I've found so far for leaving my hair feeling immaculate (but not 'squeaky clean') and my scalp soothed and balanced.
£28.50 AT CULT BEAUTY
Daily Calma Shampoo
Centred
Hair type:
Dry, damaged, thick and low porosity, colour-processed hair.
Key benefits...
- Hair feels shiny and supple
- Lathers easily
Centred's Daily Calma Shampoo was specifically formulated using a coconut-derived cleansing agent, far gentler other sulphate options. My hair is constantly dry, and I found that it left my upper and mid lengths comfortably satiated. (My ends could always do with special measures, the accompanying conditioner is great for knife-through-butter silkiness.) The aloe vera, chamomile and orange blossom scent is pleasant and inoffensive: a nice, mid-priced all-rounder.
£22.00 AT NATURISIMO
Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo
Bouclème
Hair type:
Wavy, curly, coily, particularly if you have a dry or flaky scalp.
Key benefits...
- Satisfying cooling effect
- Thorough cleanse, while also allowing for curl definition
Curl specialist Bouclème's Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo is a great option if you are drawn towards the pleasing feeling of gentle abrasion. It contains hydrogenated castor oil beads to shift dead skin cells and product build-up. A good tip is to use it in conjunction with a massage tool to fully remove the grainy texture. The invigorating minty scent feels cohesive, and I liked that my curls felt bouncy and nurtured (unlike that annoying half-wave purgatory that you sometimes get) after use.
£29.00 AT CULT BEAUTY
Shampooing Crème Moelle de Bambou
Leonor Greyl
Hair type:
Long, dry, thick and frizzy.
Key benefits...
- Long hair can be brushed or combed seamlessly afterwards
- Gorgeous, powdery scent
Leonor Greyl is a haircare brand that actually wasn't on my radar before researching this piece. Oh my goodness am I looking forward to rectifying the situation. Its Shampooing Crème Moelle de Bambou is a brilliant detangler and my hair looked smooth, but not flat - my roots still had an element of welcome texture. Scent is always less important than performance, but if you like 'mature' perfumes, you will likely love the powdery, aldehydic aroma - I've been opening the cap just for a whiff even when I'm not about to wash my hair.
£33.50 AT SEPHORA
Gentle & Balance Solid Shampoo
L'Occitane
Hair type:
All hair types, particularly those with sensitive or irritated scalps.
Key benefits:
- Sustainable, solid format
- Nice, fragrant lather
In previous years, shampoo bars fell flat, inferior to their liquid counterparts and incapable of producing a decent lather. They have come on leaps and bounds, and L'Occitane's versions (they do three: one reparative, one purifying and one especially gentle) are great if you're trying to avoid plastic or travel with guaranteed no leakage. Building it up to a lather was quick and fuss-free, and of course you have its sustainable credentials. Make sure you rinse it thoroughly or you run the risk of leaving the shower with product residue, but overall I thought it was testament to how solid shampoos have improved drastically.
£10.50 AT L'OCCITANE
Elements Renewing Shampoo
Wella Professionals
Hair type:
Dull.
Key benefits...
- Visible shine
- Reasonable price point
If you're looking to save rather than splurge, Wella Professionals' Elements Renewing Shampoo is a great mid-priced option. The floral scent is bright and energising, and the vitamin E-rich formula made my hair appear glossy and fresh, but it without that irritating slipperiness that comes with some other formulas.
£12.60 AT LOOKFANTASTIC
Smooth Shampoo
Virtue
Hair type:
Medium to thick, frizz-prone.
Key benefits:
- Refines the hair, makes it more manageable
- Unique Alpha Keratin 60ku technology to target damage
Relative newcomer to the haircare world Virtue has made a serious impact in the space of just over six years - I love its Refresh Dry Shampoo as a last-minute volumiser. Its Smooth Shampoo is great, coating strands with its patented Alpha Keratin 60ku, a whole keratin protein, born from regenerative medicine. It works by binding directly to areas of damage and encouraging repair. My hair did feel lovely and smooth after use, but, crucially, not weighed down or limp.
£38.00 AT CULT BEAUTY
Hard Water Shampoo
Hello Klean
Hair type:
Dry, brittle and dull.
Key benefits...
- Insane level of foam
- Specifically formulated to target the effects of hard water
Mineral and product build-up can leave your hair feeling dry and looking lifeless. The very purpose of independent beauty brand Hello Klean is to help you offset the specific beauty woes linked to hard water. Especially when used in conjunction with the conditioner, I found my hair looked more energised and bouncy. The Hard Water Shampoo is formulated with bamboo charcoal to draw out minerals and metals in the shaft - don't let the dark colour alarm you - and oat protein for softness. It also produced a of foam. I haven't quite recovered.
£18.00 AT CULT BEAUTY
Why you should trust me:
Orin Carlin is Hello! Fashion’s SEO Content Writer. Promising to leave no stone unturned in the name of fashion and beauty journalism, she is the proud creator of our ‘Try The Trend’ series. With a particular interest in formula innovation, microtrends, royal and bridal beauty, perfume, rituals, treatments, fashion history and vintage icons, she can either be found interviewing major industry names (previous subjects include Georgia May Jagger, Mary Greenwell and Sam McKnight) or scouring the internet for must-have pieces. It's not just a job; it's a personal quest to unearth noteworthy pieces that resonate with style and beauty enthusiasts.
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