This may be the most wonderful time of the year for skiers, snowboarders, and everyone who loves to cozy up to a warm fireplace while watching the snow fall outside. But for our hair, the drier cold air outside can be anything but wonderful.
Thankfully, in today’s market, high-quality shampoos aren't limited to high-end luxury items. Believe it or not, you can find also find shampoos with safe ingredients in your local drug store for a fraction of the cost! To help you get a good deal on a great shampoo to help your hair survive the winter, we've put together a list of the best drugstore shampoos to buy from Walmart to keep your hair looking great and healthy no matter how low the temperature drops outside when that next Arctic Blast storm rolls into town.
Best for thick hair
SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Shine Shampoo
SheaMoisture really goes the distance with premium fair trade and cruelty-free ingredients - such as shea butter and coconut oil - and it's specially formulated to cleanse and hydrate thick and curly hair. Not only is this shampoo ethically and sustainably produced, but it's also perfect for helping your hair replenish moisture that harsh winter weather can take away without making your hair feel greasy.
Best for dry hair
OGX Hydrating + Tea Tree Mint Nourishing & Invigorating Daily Shampoo
Nourishing Australian tea tree oil and peppermint oil join forces to help restore moisture to dry strands, help your hair feel as soft as ever, and leave you with a pleasant but not overpowering scent. It’s sulfate and paraben-free and it won’t weigh your hair down, yet it will leave your hair feeling exceptionally clean and fresh without breaking your bank.
Best for scalp care
Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Scalp Therapy Shampoo
If you've ever wondered if it's possible to find professional grade hair care products at your local neighborhood "big box" store, then wonder no more. Paul Mitchell now has a full Clean Beauty line of products made with all vegan and mostly natural ingredients, and we're particularly impressed with their Scalp Therapy shampoo. It gently cleanses and refreshes your hair while also soothing your scalp, and it will leave your head looking, feeling, and smelling awesome!
Best sulfate-free formula
Aveeno Scalp Soothing Fresh Greens Blend Shampoo
Aveeno’s shampoos have always been good at getting rid of ingredients that can weigh down hair, but now Aveeno has bested itself with this "farm-to-shower inspired" Fresh Greens Blend Shampoo. This
Best for dandruff
Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, Classic Clean
Head & Shoulders is a classic dandruff shampoo brought into the modern world. It’s paraben-free, and it uses one percent Pyrithione zinc to reduce flakes and ease itchiness. Almond oil, tea tree oil, and lemon extract clarify the scalp and help restore overall softness and shine. It protects from heat, stress, and sweat, and it leaves behind a classic scent.
Best for color-treated hair
L'Oreal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Moisture Shampoo
This one is our favorite drugstore shampoo for color-treated hair: Keep your color looking great with this sulfate-free option. Moisture helps lock in color by preventing dryness, and the sulfate-free formula reduces stripping along the hair shaft, giving you more life out of your color. It’s also paraben-free, salt-free, and vegan.
Best for frizzy hair
John Frieda Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth Shampoo
John Frieda has long been known to help with frizzy hair, but this new Frizz Ease formula goes above and beyond with pure coconut oil to help your hair's look and texture while also improving your hair's health. It’s color-safe and curl-enhancing, and it can help you build up your resistance to dry, damaged, frizzy hair if you pair it with the Frizz Ease conditioner and primer.
Best for healing damaged hair
OGX Extra Strength Damage Remedy + Coconut Miracle Oil Repairing Daily Shampoo
Another entry from OGX, their Coconut Miracle Oil shampoo might very well feel miraculous thanks to its use of coconut oil, vanilla bean extract, and essence of tiare to help return luster, shine, and softness to damaged hair. Not only will this paraben-free and sulfate-free formula help your hair heal, but it will also leave your hair smelling absolutely incredible.
Best for sensitive scalp and hair
Healthy Scalp Gentle & Soft Shampoo
If other shampoos leave for hair feeling stripped, damaged, lifeless, and/or dull, then you might want to give this Neutrogena formula a try. It's made with micellar water to to help remove dirt, sebum, and debris, yet it's also specially formulated and pH balanced for sensitive scalp and hair to give an ultra gentle hair that lifts up your hair instead of stripping it down and out.
Pura D'Or Original Gold Label Anti-Thinning Biotin Shampoo
Pura D’or contains biotin, argan oil, and a proprietary herbal blend designed to reduce hair breakage and plump hair strands. It helps protect thinning hair from environmental stressors and improves the health of the scalp while strengthening the hair shaft. It contains no mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, or artificial colorants, and it's vegan and cruelty-free.
Best for: that fresh salon feeling
Nexxus Therappe Moisturizing Daily Shampoo with Protein Infusion, 16.5 fl oz
The Nexxus brand is used in salons around the country -- and for good reason. Besides having a long-lasting great smell, this luxurious shampoo is infused with elastin protein to make your hair stronger and more durable. It's also infused with green caviar, because everyone deserves to feel a little fancy during their getting ready routine. Walmart usually carries their "bonus size" for a really great price -- far cheaper than you would find at most drug stores. Don't forget to grab the matching conditioner, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Fragrance is a personal preference, so we suggest smelling shampoos if you get the chance. If you can't, then look at the ingredient list and see if any are among your favorite scents. Fragrance can also be linked to some serious toxic exposure, so keep that in mind as you search out the strongest smelling option.
Depending on your hair type, you may need conditioner to make your locks more manageable. Thick, coarse, or curly hair often benefits. Fine or oily hair may only look limp with conditioner. The best drugstore shampoo and conditioner combination is formulated for your particular hair type.
You need to understand your scalp and hair type. Figure out if your scalp is dry, oily, sensitive, or damaged. Know if you have fine or coarse hair, wavy or straight, damaged or color-treated, or anything that could tell you what type of formulation to get.
If you have sensitive hair, you might want to try a paraben- and sulfate-free shampoo with no artificial colors. These things strip the natural oils from your hair and scalp, causing a host of issues, and can irritate the scalp. It’s best to go as natural as you can while choosing the right type of
Your local drugstore has many options for caring for your hair type. You can find something to bring back the shine, health, and softness without special ordering something from your stylist or worrying about finding your shampoo when you run out. These are reasonably affordable and offer health and life for your hair.
We hope this helps you find the right shampoo, even when you're in a rush and you have to find something at Walmart quickly. For more helpful grooming tips, check out our comprehensive guide for great skincare at any age, the nine best mustache waxes for better facial hair, and the best self-care products you can give yourself. Take care, and we'll meet here (well, virtually) again soon.
