Choosing the right shampoo or conditioner for you isn't as easy as picking one off the shelf. Many haircare products are targeted for different people, different hair types, and different skin types.
Those with hair that tends to get oily between washes will want to use a different cleanser than those whose hair dries out. Anyone who gets chemical hair treatments will want a special shampoo to help them take care of brittle or breakage-prone hair and restore their hair health. If you’re prone to dandruff, you’ll want a shampoo that is especially moisturizing, and if your hair is thin, you may want a shampoo made to promote hair growth and thicken the hair you already have.
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The same is true for Black men. Black men typically have more textured hair than others, and can be prone to dryness with resulting breakages. Professionally-formulated shampoos made for dry, brittle, or highly-textured hair exist, and they can really change how you feel about your hair.
Hair that is properly taken care of is worlds away from hair that you wash with whatever you first see on the shelf. We've done some research into the shampoos Black men find work best for their hair and we'd love to share it with you.
If you're a black man looking for a new shampoo, you need to consider Blu Atlas Shampoo. This shampoo has been carefully formulated to take care of all hair types, but is especially good for the curly hair of Black men.
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Blu Atlas Shampoo has been created to be as gentle as possible; additives like saw palmetto and vegan biotin help to revitalize unhappy hair, rehydrating it and locking in moisture deep within each strand. The result is strong and healthy-looking hair with a soothed and healthy scalp to match.
The surfactants used in this shampoo are created from coconut, so you know that what you're putting on your body and in your hair is natural and healthy. Blu Atlas Shampoo comes in two scents to suit anyone's preferences. If you like fruits, then the apricot and coconut version is a good place to start, otherwise you can stick with the tried-and-true classic fragrance.
Regardless of your choice, Blu Atlas Shampoo is made with 99% natural ingredients, no artificial fragrances, and is completely vegan and cruelty-free.
2. SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Shampoo
One of the best shampoos for Black men in 2023 would have to be SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Shampoo. SheaMoisture has been creating amazing hair care products for all types of hair for years now, and their Curl and Shine Shampoo is easily a top-rated product.
This shampoo is made specifically for those with curly hair, formulated to tone down the frizz, hydrate the roots, and help hair shine. The rich coconut oil in this shampoo will help soften and moisturize your hair, nourishing your roots and scalp to promote healthy hair growth.
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Formulated with natural ingredients and produced using cruelty-free methods, this shampoo is a winner in our books. SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Shampoo is packed with intense emollients to attract hydrating water and lock it into each and every strand. The result is happy and healthy hair that looks great and feels even better.
3. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo
Tea tree oil is one of the more distinct scents used in hair care products, and it's no surprise given how good it smells. Couple that with the incredible hair-boosting effects it can have and the result is a winning combination.
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Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo has harnessed the goodness of tea tree oil to bring you a top-tier shampoo that will meet all your hair care needs. Apart from the great scent, tea tree works brilliantly as a cleanser additive, helping to rid your hair of impurities that can build up over time or throughout the day.
The folks at Paul Mitchell have also added in natural peppermint and lavender to bring some life to your shower. These essential oils will invigorate your scalp and hair alike.
The color-safe formula is especially good for those with dense or curly hair. It features a proprietary blend of natural ingredients that helps to improve hair manageability while cleansing thoroughly but gently. If you're partial to tea tree oil, then Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo is definitely worth a try.
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4. Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo
Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo may become your new favorite shampoo, regardless of what kind of hair you have. The versatile formula constructed by Adwoa Beauty is beneficial for all hair types, but is especially effective at dealing with hair that tends to dry out.
If you find you often struggle with a dry scalp, dry hair, or dandruff, then Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo may be the product to try. While many shampoos will dry out your curls, this shampoo will have the opposite effect. The secret formula for this luxurious shampoo includes a blend of high-quality essential oils that have been carefully selected to stimulate your scalp, promoting hair growth and hair health at the same time.
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Extracts from the aloe leaf are combined with essential oils and gentle cleansing agents, helping to cleanse your hair of impurities without stripping it of its moisturizing oils. Buildup from hair products stands no chance against Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo. The rich lather helps to wash away everything extra, leaving just the essentials you need for healthy hair.
You can count on Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo to help detangle as well—each ingredient helps to make your hair shiny and smooth. The organic and vegan formula is entirely cruelty-free too, so you can look good and feel good at the same time.
5. Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo
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Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo is one of the top shampoos for Black men in 2023, and the list of benefits makes it pretty clear why. Color-safe, moisturizing, reparative, and free from silicones and sulfates are qualities that make this premium shampoo stand out among the rest.
This shampoo can help give your coily curls the care they need, helping to rejuvenate and repair simultaneously. Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate Shampoo will nourish your dry or damaged hair and scalp; the rich and creamy shea butter, coconut milk, and essential macadamia oil work together to naturally invigorate and stimulate.
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This shampoo is color-safe, so if you've dyed or treated your hair you can rest easy knowing the hue of your luscious locks isn't at risk of fading. The vegan, silicone-free and sulfate-free formula will take the best care of your hair, each natural ingredient doing its part.
One thing that sets Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo apart is that it doesn’t use deionized water as the base, like many other brands do. Maui Moisture opts to use hydrating aloe vera juice instead as the primary ingredient.
We recommend using Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate Shampoo with its partner conditioner—and if you're extra bougie, you can use the leave-in detangler as well.
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6. Pura D’Or Original Gold Label Anti Hair-Thinning Shampoo
Thin hair can be a real problem, but it doesn't need to be. Pura D’Or Original Gold Label Anti Hair-Thinning Shampoo is here to save the day. Pura D'Or has stumbled onto a winning formula—their anti-thinning shampoo is a mainstay in the houses of many curly-haired men across the country.
When dealing with thin hair, you have to start at the root of the problem: the scalp. This shampoo's premium formula works to invigorate the scalp with a special blend of natural extracts and nutrients that your hair needs to thrive.
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Biotin, pumpkin seed oil, black cumin seed oil, nettle, and many other plant-based ingredients help to boost the volume of your hair, allowing it to look thicker after just the first wash. Gentle yet effective, Pura D’Or Original Gold Label Anti Hair-Thinning Shampoo puts science to work for you, ensuring you grow the healthiest hair care possible. Even better, it does all this with a hypoallergenic and cruelty-free formula.
7. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Weak or brittle hair can be pretty demoralizing to deal with, but Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-free Shampoo may just be the answer you're looking for. This fortifying anti-breakage shampoo is packed with hair-boosting ingredients that will protect and nurture brittle or breakage-prone hair.
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Extra-dense but brittle hair is no match for this coconut-derived and sulfate-free shampoo. Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-free Shampoo is gentle enough to be used every day without stripping your hair of any of its protective oils, but will still leave your hair feeling fresh and clean.
The proprietary blend of special ingredients, like monoi oil, is what sets Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-free Shampoo apart from the others. Monoi oil is Tahiti's secret to stronger and thicker hair, from the tip of each strand all the way down to the roots.
Tahitian flowers are gathered just before they bloom and placed into coconut oil, where they gradually open up and release their potent extracts. As the oils of the flowers and the coconut blend, monoi oil is created. If you have thin, brittle, or curly hair, Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-free Shampoo is definitely worth a try.
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8. Brickell Men's Products Daily Strengthening Shampoo
Brickell Men's Products is one of those brands that doesn't seem to make a wrong step. Brickell has been creating skin care and hair care products for men for years—their offerings are now sold in over 20 different countries. Their range of premium products for men is created with natural ingredients to take the very best care of your hair, especially if it's curly.
Peppermint and tea tree extracts will help stimulate your scalp, encouraging hair growth that is both thick and strong, but also shiny and healthier-looking. These essential oils also help control dandruff while making each hot shower a luxurious experience.
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Natural ingredients are what make Brickell Men's Products Daily Strengthening Shampoo special, like aloe vera, provitamin B5, vitamin E, and amino acids. Each ingredient was carefully chosen to be effective and beneficial for your hair. With 97% of its ingredients coming from natural sources, and 83% being entirely organic, it's hard to pass up thisShampoo.
9. Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Curly or thick hair can sometimes come with the unwanted problem of dandruff; but having thick, curly hair doesn't mean you have to settle. Enter Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo—the clinically-proven formula is found to be up to 10 times more effective than other anti-dandruff shampoos. Nizoral is so powerful it can control the most severe cases of dandruff, and you only need to use it twice a week.
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Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is the only over-the-counter shampoo that includes 1% ketoconazole, a powerful dandruff-fighting additive that will sort out any dry scalp issues in a snap. This shampoo can also help prevent dandruff-related hair loss, leaving you with a full head of shiny and healthy-looking hair. You can even use it on color-treated or chemically-treated hair.
10. TRESemmé | Flawless Curls Shampoo
TRESemmé is one of the most well-liked hair care brands out there; their many years of experience are apparent in their high-quality and great-smelling products. TRESemmé Flawless Curls Shampoo is no exception to the TRESemmé rule.
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TRESemmé has formulated a shampoo made specifically for those with curly hair, made to tame frizz and detangle in one go. Flawless Curls Shampoo delivers moisture into each and every strand of hair, locking in the hydration to help keep your hair happy and healthy—and your curls looking soft.
Coconut essence provides your hair with essential amino acids and ceramide, effectively smoothing cuticles and rough hair. The exclusive blend of oils from avocado, coconut, and Argania spinosa kernel will treat your curls right, regardless of how stubborn they might be. TRESemmé Flawless Curls Shampoo is completely free of silicones, sulfates, parabens, and dyes, and is created using cruelty-free methods.
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11. Head and Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo
Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo by Head & Shoulders is a great shampoo to use if you have curly hair, and especially so if you also suffer from occasional dandruff. Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo has been expertly formulated to provide relief for dry or itchy scalps while simultaneously taking great care of very curly hair.
This shampoo is recommended by the My Black is Beautiful Association, so you know it's a great choice for the curly hair that many African-Americans have.
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Start your day off right with the luxurious scent of Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo—the rich lather helps to cleanse your hair of built up grime and pollutants that accumulate during everyday life. This shampoo may as well be made for you. The expert formula helps to tame and nourish relaxed, kinky, or coily hair types.
12. Baebody Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
Baebody Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is a deep cleansing shampoo that will remove all the built up pollutants and impurities that accumulate during a day in the big city. Tea tree oil will invigorate both your senses and your hair, stimulating strong and healthy growth right from the roots.
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Your scalp will also thank you—the hydrating tea tree oil helps to soothe upset skin, encourage the production of healthy, hair-protecting oils, and smells amazing while doing so. Dandruff stands no chance against tea tree oil, so if you struggle with a dry or itchy scalp then Baebody Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is a good option to try out.
You can combine this hydrating and strengthening shampoo with Baebody's conditioner, cleanser, or serum to get the best results possible.
13. Baxter of California Daily Fortifying Shampoo for Men
Baxter of California may be a lesser-known brand, but if you have curly hair they are a must-try. Their Daily Fortifying Shampoo provides the best care of your hair, and does so with an exceedingly enjoyable scent. Coconut extract, invigorating mint, and hydrating wheat proteins are all included in the special formula made specifically for those with curly or dry hair.
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Baxter of California's Daily Fortifying Shampoo for Men is completely free of harmful sulfates and parabens, and uses only ethically-sourced ingredients. This shampoo has a strengthening system that helps fortify hair follicles, giving you strong and gorgeous hair that will look great all day long.
14. Maple Holistics Degrease Shampoo
Oily hair isn't any fun, and washing your hair too often can cause your scalp to produce more and more oil. When you wash with a harsh shampoo you can strip your hair of its natural oils, prompting your scalp to quickly produce oil to protect your hair.
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Maple Holistics Degrease Shampoo won't cause that problem. The wise folks at Maple Holistics focus on using natural ingredients that are kind to the environment and kind to your skin and hair. Their Degrease Shampoo will gently cleanse your hair of excess oils, leaving behind enough to protect and nurture your hair, while making it silky smooth and soft to the touch.
You’ll wash away impurities and buildup from your daily life, and this color-safe shampoo will leave your hair and scalp feeling clean and refreshed.
15. Creme of Nature Acai Berry and Keratin Strengthening Shampoo
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If you’ve read much about hair, you'll know that it is made up mostly of keratin. This fact hasn't gone unnoticed by the people at Creme of Nature. They formulated a natural strengthening shampoo fortified with keratin that can restore brittle hair to its former glory.
Creme of Nature Acai Berry and Keratin Strengthening Shampoo is especially good for those with curly hair. The keratin helps to prevent snagging, allowing your hair to sit naturally and not get tangled up as you move about your day.
They have also added acai berry to activate and stimulate your scalp, encouraging healthy hair growth while smelling great at the same time. This shampoo is also gentle enough for daily use, so if you like a quick wash every morning, this is the shampoo for you.
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16. Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Sulfate-Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo
Cantu Shea Butter Sulfate-Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo isn't one to pass up if you're a Black man with curly hair. Cantu's Shea Butter Shampoo will cleanse and refresh your locks, washing away any pollutants that accumulate throughout the day, leaving your hair and scalp as happy as can be.
Cantu Shea Butter Sulfate-Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo is made for wavy, curly, and coiled hair, so you can jump in the shower knowing this product is made specifically for you. The premium formula for Cantu's shampoo doesn't include any harmful ingredients like mineral oils, sulfates, parabens, or silicones, and is 100% free from animal testing.
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17. OGX Renewing Moroccan Shampoo
OGX Renewing Moroccan Shampoo is a sulfate-free shampoo that revives damaged or tired hair, working on each strand from follicle to tip. The unique blend of argan oil and natural extracts penetrate deep into the hair, restoring healthy hydration to give your hair new life.
OGX Renewing Moroccan Shampoo is especially good for curly hair—the argan oil helps to keep hair healthy and bouncy without weighing it down with unnecessary additives. Your hair will be shiny and smooth after the very first wash, and it only gets better from there. OGX's sulfate-free formula isn't tested on animals either, so it's good for you and good for the world.
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18. Matrix A Curl Can Dream Shampoo
Thick, dense curls can sometimes be hard to manage, but they don't need to be—thanks to Matrix. Matrix A Curl Can Dream Shampoo is designed for tight or dense curls that have the tendency to get tangled up or accumulate excess oils.
Formulated with no silicones, parabens, mineral oils, or paraffins, this curl-specific shampoo is the perfect answer to hair that can be difficult to tame. The secret ingredient is manuka honey extract, a special honey made only from manuka flowers. This honey is unique in its hydrating and lubricating properties, locking moisture into your hair while allowing it to flow freely and preventing tangles. If you haven't tried Matrix A Curl Can Dream Shampoo yet, now is the time to give it a go.
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19. Melanin Haircare African Black Soap Reviving Shampoo
Just based on the name you'll know that Melanin Haircare African Black Soap Reviving Shampoo is the perfect product for your curly hair. This clarifying shampoo is rich in minerals, packed full of moisturizing shea and cocoa butter, and loaded with other hair-nourishing ingredients like argan oil and pro-vitamin B5.
Melanin Haircare has also included anti-inflammatory oils like tea tree, rosemary, peppermint, and black cumin seed. These oils will nourish your hair and scalp alike—the anti-inflammatory properties calm and soothe the scalp as it works to support growing strong and healthy hair.
Invigorating turmeric root helps to soothe the scalp, preventing dandruff or dry scalp, while detoxifying your hair. Melanin Haircare African Black Soap Reviving Shampoo is one of the best possible shampoos for Black men in 2023, so what are you waiting for?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pick the best shampoo for me?
Like we mentioned above, Black men have hair that is different from many other hair types, so it's a good idea to pick a shampoo that is suited to your hair. Do you find that your hair tends to get oily very quickly? Or is it more often getting dry and brittle between washes? You may even find you experience a combination of the two.
Other than function, scent is a good thing to pay attention to. There are a wide range of scents to choose from, and it’s a good idea to select a shampoo that gets you excited for your morning or evening shower.
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The above list goes over some of the best shampoos for Black men in 2023, so you should have a browse through it and see what you think. You'll probably find a few good products that are perfectly suited to you and your hair.
How often should I wash my hair?
The answer to this question is going to vary a bit depending on your individual circumstances. Oily hair may need to be washed a bit more often than dry hair, but it also depends on what products you use and how much sweat and dirt accumulates in your hair throughout the day.
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As a general rule, it's a good idea to wash your hair once or twice a week, while allowing for some variance based on your specific situation. If you wash often, be sure to use a shampoo from our list that won't strip your hair of its essential and protective oils. Choose one that has added essential oils like tea tree or black cumin seed. Pumpkin seed oil will also do in a pinch.
Does Black hair need special shampoo?
Yes and no. While many shampoos may do a good enough job on the curly hair many Black people have, there are products that are specifically made for each type of hair. Be sure to avoid shampoos that include sulfates or other similar chemicals, as they can damage your hair and strip it of its oils, leaving your hair brittle and your scalp dry. The above list is a great place to start if you're looking for a new shampoo to try out.
