Trust Me: These Are the 26 Best Affordable Shampoos for Healthy, Shiny Hair

"One affordable shampoo that has made a great difference to my hair is L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Gloss Shampoo," says Who What Wear beauty editor Eleanor Vousden. "I love using the entire range (especially the gloss treatment) but the shampoo has helped give my dull lengths a a glassy shine which rivals more expensive shampoos that I've tried."

Pros: Sulphate free

Cons: Not suitable for sensitive scalps

Key ingredients: Glycolic acid

If you’re constantly trying to smooth out frizz and flyaways, try this shampoo that contains Australian hemp seed extract to help with that. The formula is pretty clarifying and works well for greasy roots and straighter textures.

Pros: Calms frizz

Cons: Some users find it drying

Key ingredients: Hemp seed extract

This shampoo aims to re-create the effects of a smoothing Brazilian blow-dry at home with a keratin infusion to help smooth the hair cuticle for silky hair.

Pros: Benefits improve with every use

Cons: Contains SLS

Key ingredients: Keratin

"I used to rely on a whole host of shine-boosting products to give my hair a glass-like finish," says freelance beauty editor Grace Day. "Then I discovered this shampoo, and it's all I need. It cleanses well but doesn’t strip moisture, and the argan oil aids in adding shine and sealing in hydration."

Pros: Repairs damaged hair

Cons: Frequently sold out

Key ingredients: Argan oil, vitamin E

Protecting colour isn’t just about using gentler cleansers. To keep colour fresh, you have to protect it from UVA and UVB rays, which is exactly what this shampoo does when used alongside the range’s conditioner and masque.

Pros: UV filters prevent colour from fading

Cons: Not suitable for those with coconut allergy

Key ingredients: Red peony

This shampoo is formulated especially for finer hair textures and is great for soothing sensitive scalps. The lavender is calming, and the lack of silicone in the ingredients list means your hair will feel like its natural texture when it dries rather than weighed down with product.

Pros: Vegan

Cons: Highly fragranced

Key ingredients: Coconut oil

"Shiny, silky hair has been a huge trend for the past few years," says hairstylist Luke Hersheson. "The Lustreplex Shine-Enhancer in [this] shampoo gives even the most damaged of hair a significant improvement, making it feel soft and look glossy and polished."

Pros: 91% of users agreed hair appears shinier after 2 weeks’ use

Cons: Highly fragranced

Key ingredients: Rice protein, quinoa

Whether you’ve dyed your hair or it’s your natural hue, this will help to keep the tone far from brassy. Plus, fermented pink camellia oil nourishes without weighing down the hair fibre.

Pros: Sulphate free

Cons: Highly fragranced

Key ingredients: Pink camellia oil

If your grey or platinum-blonde hair is looking slightly yellowish, then this will knock out any unwanted tones and leave your strands looking bright.

Pros: Works for grey, white, or light blonde hair

Cons: Contains SLS

Key ingredients: Magnesium

This formula really works for thick and curly hair. It doesn’t strip moisture, and the shea butter and coconut oil propping up the ingredients list help to create shiny, healthy-looking curls.

Pros: Sulphate free

Cons: Can feel heavy on fine hair

Key ingredients: Silk protein, coconut oil

For those who struggle with volume, this shampoo cleanses away any product residue that can weigh hair down. The texture is lightweight too, so once dried (if followed with the Volume Boost Bodifying Conditioner), your hair will look bouncier.

Pros: Adds volume

Cons: Can irritate sensitive scalps

Key ingredients: Vitamin E

"It's so important that your hair wash regime includes a clarifying shampoo or weekly treatment," says senior colourist at Live True London, Stephane Ferreira. "This is my pick. It helps to remove excess dirt and product, leaving hair shiny and fresh and providing a solid foundation for styling."

Pros: Suitable for all hair types

Cons: Not suitable for daily use

Key ingredients: Activated charcoal

Aloe vera juice, coconut water, shea butter, macadamia and coconut oil are all at play in this formula for a silky-soft finish once rinsed out.

Pros: Vegan

Cons: Contains SLS

Key ingredients: Can feel heavy on fine hair

If you have super-bleached blonde hair, this shampoo will impart a soft pearl tone. Trust me—your locks will have a beautiful, rich sheen post-drying. 

Pros: Adds a pearly sheen

Cons: Works best on pink hair

Key ingredients: Amino acids

Of the range from super stylist George Northwood, this is the most crowd-pleasing shampoo that works for most hair types. Ingredients include fermented minerals and sugar beet, which help with strengthening and moisture retention for all-round healthy hair.

Pros: Helps to reduce frizz

Cons: Contains SLS

Key ingredients: Fermented minerals

When it comes to hair growth, focusing on root stimulation will help to get things moving, which is why this formula includes coffee seed extract and pea sprout extract—both of which are known to stimulate and aid growth. 

Pros: Helps to stimulate hair growth

Cons: Some users find it drying

Key ingredients: Caffeine, seaweed

For coily hair, this is a good option as a clarifying wash that doesn’t completely strip the hair of moisture thanks to the shea butter.

Pros: Formulated specifically for natural hair

Cons: Some users find it drying

Key ingredients: Shea butter

This shampoo is for anyone who has anything from a slight wave to a coil. When rinsed, my hair feels noticeably softer and my curls look defined.

Pros: Specifically formulated for curly hair

Cons: Some users experience a dry and itchy scalp

Key ingredients: Shea butter, castor oil

Finer, more delicate hair types will find that this shampoo helps to strengthen thanks to biotin in the formula, while argan oil coats the hair, leaving it silky smooth. 

Pros: Sulphate free

Cons: Hard to lather

Key ingredients: Argan oil, lemon oil

Using a lot of styling products on Afro hair can lead to mammoth build-up come washday. This shampoo makes light work of cleansing away grime and build-up, so it’s a great clarifying option to have on hand.

Pros: Great for greasy hair

Cons: Needs thorough rinsing for proper removal

Key ingredients: Rose water, micellar water

Looking for something eco-friendly and gentle? This co-wash bar does have a low lather for cleansing but is incredibly softening, too.

Pros: Great for travelling

Cons: Not great for knots and tangles

Key ingredients: Avocado, olive oil

A tangle-free washday doesn’t have to be just a dream with this shampoo. Seriously, it really does aid in detangling thick, coily hair after washing.

Pros: Hydrates dry hair

Cons: Some users find it leaves roots greasy

Key ingredients: Coconut

For tightly coiled hair or Afro-textured hair in locs, using this bar lathered up slightly gives a mild but effective clean for the hair and scalp.

Pros: Improves scalp health

Cons: Needs thorough rinsing

Key ingredients: Nettle, lavender

This co-wash is a true shampoo-and-conditioner hybrid with a light lather but extreme moisturising benefits thanks to the Jamaican black castor oil.

Pros: Hydrates dry hair

Cons: Some users may still need to use a separate conditioner

Key ingredients: Castor oil

Created by legendary hair stylist Adam Reed, Arkive Headcare offers up salon-standard formulations at affordable prices—and the shampoos are some of the best around. This one would suit basically any hair type thanks to its blend of baobab protein and betaine which removes product build-up and grease while nourishing and hydrating the hair itself. Plus, it smells absolutely incredible.

Pros: Leaves hair delicately fragranced

Cons: Some users found it cause scalp irritation

Key ingredients: Baobab protein, betaine

"This is a brilliant option for tight curls and Afro hair," says hairstylist Melissa Timperley. "It cleanses with a gentle coconut-derived fatty acid while provitamin B conditions and shines."

Pros: Light gel texture

Cons: Available in limited places

Key ingredients: Coconut, provitamin B, chamomile

This is really nourishing on parched lengths.

If dryness is your primary concern, then this conditioner quenches straw-like lengths with hydration.

So nourishing for curls and coils.

Brunette hair can be prone to brashness, but this conditioner helps to counteract colour from fading.