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Store (and online) shelves couldn't be more overloaded with shiny haircare and styling product bottles touting all sorts of benefits: volumizing, moisturizing, smoothing, straightening, hold, heat protecting, thickening... the list goes on seemingly forever. If you don't know where to begin, you're in the right place.
Thankfully Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists test hundreds of hair products every year, from shampoos and conditioners to deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners and stylers, including hair serums, mousses, hairsprays, dry shampoos and more. Each product undergoes a rigorous testing process, including evaluation in the Lab using technical instruments and at home by real life consumer testers to determine which really work.
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So, what should you use in your routine? According to GH Beauty Lab testing, here is a definitive list of the #1 best hair products and brands that are proven to work for all hair types and textures, from wavy and curly to thin, dry, frizzy, damaged and beyond. Find your perfect match below!
InnerJoi Strengthen Shampoo and Conditioner
This plant oil–infused Joico pair excelled across the board in GH Beauty Lab assessment, simultaneously strengthening and volumizing hair. The GH Beauty Award winner scored best for thorough cleansing, making hair feel stronger and more manageable, adding fullness and being gentle on color. “My hair is so much healthier after using these,” a tester noted. (Two also reported that the shampoo took long to rinse.)
Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
At less than $5, this light, refreshing Dove shampoo (used with the matching conditioner) was by far the tester favorite in the GH Beauty Lab’s test of hydrating shampoos and conditioners, with 100% stating that they would continue using it. “The effects were wondrous,” a fan raved. “My hair was fantastic — brushable, silky and flowing.” In Lab evaluations, the formulas rated best for leaving hair fully cleansed and easy to style, but didn't have as strong conditioning properties.
Densifique Bodifying Shampoo and Conditioner
A salon splurge that’s worth it, Kérastase’s indulgent formula with its conditioner tied for best in the GH Beauty Lab’s volumizing shampoo test for thickening strands using ingredients like peptides and hyaluronic acid. Testers “loved” this fine-hair “holy grail” that “truly worked” for “all-day body.” These won for thickening strands and making styles fuller compared with other shampoos and conditioners, data revealed, and also earned top points for weightlessness. (One drawback: A few testers thought the twist-off caps were tricky to use.)
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RELATED: Best Hair Thickening Shampoos
Acidic Color Gloss Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner
Keep your hair color vibrant longer by sudsing with this Redken set, which won the GH Beauty Lab’s test of shampoo and conditioner for colored hair. They earned the best score for stopping hair color from fading in the Lab’s rigorous test simulating a month of wear. The formulas also came out on top for making color look shiny, richer and more vibrant. (Know that the conditioner can be tricky to dispense from the bottle, though.) A full 100% of users agreed that these left their hair clean and soft. “I loved everything about these,” one raved.
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RELATED: Best Shampoos for Colored Hair
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Elvive Hyaluron Plump Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
The skin-hydrating ingredient hyaluronic acid, used to draw in moisture, is infused into these L’Oréal Paris shampoo and conditioner formulas, which won a GH Beauty Award. The pair earned top marks for fully cleansing strands and making hair look less damaged. They also ranked highest for their lasting “sophisticated” scent. “Works wonders: Strands feel super soft and bouncy and look shiny,” a tester commented, although one didn't like the products' "sticky" texture.
Ultralight Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner
This protein-infused Nexxus duo, a GH Beauty Award winner, tames unruly hair and fends off frizz starting in the shower. In a study on hair samples in 98% humidity, strands had significantly less frizz up to 72 hours after system application. “The amount of smoothness and shine was noticeable from the first use,” a tester reported. Another said she wished the formulas were more conditioning for her colored hair, however.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-In Treatment
The creamy Redken shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner trio, winner of a GH Beauty Award, works together to protect and strengthen bonds in hair, shielding against damage. In a study, the set reduced visible split ends by 82%, and 93% of testers said their hair felt moisturized immediately, according to Beauty Lab data analysis. “My hair was absolutely gorgeous,” “results were transforming and long-lasting” and “I can’t live without these," testers remarked.
Phytocolor Permanent Hair Color
This ammonia-free DIY dye kit from Phyto outperformed the rest in the GH Beauty Lab’s at-home hair color test. It was the tester favorite, with 100% of users agreeing that it gave rich and even color. The boxed color was also best in many other aspects: simple preparation, not being messy, matching the color on the box, lasting and leaving hair feeling soft. (One downside is that the shade selection isn't as extensive as other brands.) A tester called it “the easiest-to-apply, longest-lasting color I’ve used.”
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RELATED: Best At-Home Hair Color
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Miracle Leave-In Product
It’s A 10 Haircare’s leave-in spray with strengthening silk amino acids has earned its cult classic status (and a GH Beauty Award) thanks to multiple benefits in one: detangling, softening, smoothing, protecting and shine-enhancing. The formula is effective at keeping hair smooth yet has a light texture, Beauty Lab experts found. One drawback: It can be difficult to dispense. “I love that this eliminates the need to use so many products and even provides heat protection for styling,” a tester remarked.
RELATED: Best Leave-In Conditioner
Discipline Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray
Kérastase, a winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s anti-frizz styling products test, proved to be a strong frizz fighter in a lightweight liquid spray. A worth-it splurge, the mist stopped frizz on testers for a full day and on hair swatches in the Lab humidity chamber, and it didn’t feel tacky on hair. “This single bottle worked better than the three-product combination I was using,” a tester said. “It smoothed out my frizz and broken ends without leaving any film or crunch behind.” More than half of users raved about its “pretty” floral scent.
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RELATED: Best Anti-Frizz Products
Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
Living Proof won the Beauty Lab’s dry shampoo test, faking freshly washed hair and maintaining styles for up to five days. In Lab assessment, an impressive 100% of users found that it left hair looking clean. (Be aware that some noticed a slight white residue, so brush through hair to distribute the product.) “The most effective I’ve ever tried,” a fan marveled.
RELATED: Best Dry Shampoos
Instant Lift Thickening Spray
Inject long-lasting body and fullness into fine or flat hair by misting this GH Beauty Lab thickening spray test winner from hairstylist Kristin Ess. Ninety-one percent of users agreed that it made hair look instantly voluminous, and it was tops for thickening. (Note that the nozzle may squirt out product in droplets rather than spray.) “Fantastic volume that lasted two days!” a tester raved.
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RELATED: Best Hair Thickening Products
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Curl Mousse
A GH Beauty Award winner, this airy Pattern Beauty foam created for textured hair infuses strands with bounce, fullness and shape. Our professional hairstylist panel rated it best at defining and holding curls in place and for enhancing hair’s movement. (The only drawback noted was the floral fragrance, which one expert evaluator called "very strong.") "It didn’t make hair feel crunchy,” and “really accentuates your natural curl pattern while keeping it volumized and less frizzy,” two remarked.
YouthLock Blowout Crème
Slick on GH Beauty Award-winning Joico before heat styling hair to ensure flawless “smooth and healthy-looking” results. A hairstylist panel gave the “light” formula with heat protective properties top points for achieving the desired look and giving movement with no residue. (One pro did mention that less is more when applying this, as too much could feel heavy.)
RELATED: Best Heat Protectants
Food For Soft Multi-Use Hair Oil Serum
A serum-oil hybrid, Matrix’s GH Beauty Award-winning formula can be used on either damp or dry hair to soften and add shine. A hairstylist panel gave the “lightweight” liquid high marks on several factors: effortless application, making hair softer and shinier, enhancing movement and creating the ideal look. One expert evaluator commented that it could weigh down fine hair, so use sparingly.
One Step 5-in-1 Hair Texture Mist
A few spritzes of this airy TRESemmé mist, a GH Beauty Award winner, give strands fullness, movement and texture as well as light hold. “It lifted and held layers in place while keeping flexibility and bounce in the hair,” a GH Beauty Lab expert said. Wizemann added: “It’s the rare spray that doesn’t make hair stiff.” (Know that some users noted it made their hair look fuzzy.)
RELATED: Best Texturizing Sprays
Strictly Curls Define & Hold Flex Gel
Marc Anthony True Professional’s gel gives spirals of all kinds shape and hold without any telltale goo, which earned it a GH Beauty Award. The formula received high marks from our hairstylist panel for defining curls well, having good hold and not leaving residue on hair. “It helped cut down on frizz” and “kept curls in place all day,” two experts commented, although one found the "fresh" scent unpleasant.
Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water
A GH Beauty Award winner, this innovative L’Oréal Paris liquid treatment with wheat protein imparts weightless silkiness and shine to even damaged hair in seconds. 83% of GH Beauty Lab testers found that it made strands feel silkier; 88% reported that it didn’t weigh hair down. (It doesn't have as strong of conditioning effects, though.) “I couldn’t believe how incredibly shiny and smooth my hair was,” one said.
HydraSplash Hydrating Gelee Masque
Give parched strands a “drink” of moisture without the weight thanks to Joico’s top-performing hair mask which comes in an innovative gel form. Enriched with keratin and glycerin, it gave users with fine to medium hair strong conditioning, smoothness, manageability and movement yet no heavy look or feel. Even mask-wary fans raved that it was “magic” and “a miracle.” Those with thicker or textured hair may require a richer formula, however.
Recovery Conditioner Mask for Wavy Hair
One size does not fit all when it comes to deep conditioners: Enter this GH Beauty Award-winning Function of Beauty Pro mask, created for wavy hair. (There are also versions for straight, curly and coily hair types with formulas tailored to each, from a lighter gel to a rich cream).
Multiple Beauty Lab experts are fans, including one non-mask user who was converted by this and another who found it made her waves look defined without styling products. “My fine, limp hair was silky, soft and manageable, yet had natural bounce,” raved GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. (Note that while some users liked the scent, others described it as too "strong" and "perfumey.")
RELATED: Best Wavy Hair Products
Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
K18’s science-backed peptide hair treatment effectively strengthens chemically damaged hair, earning it a GH Beauty Award. GH Beauty Lab pros were impressed by performance data showing that the leave-in formula restored 82% of the strength of overbleached hair samples with two uses. Note that it is expensive for a small amount of product.
RELATED: How to Fix Damaged Hair
Bio:Renew Argan Oil & Aloe Repair Hair Oil Mist
Shake up this featherlight Herbal Essences dual-phase mist (a cocktail of nourishing aloe juice, vitamin B5 and argan oil), then spritz all over your strands — damp or dry. The GH Beauty Award winner detangles, softens, smooths and protects against damage at once. While many users loved the "fresh, floral" scent, others though it was too "strong." “My hair felt so silky, yet there was none of the greasiness or heaviness like I’ve experienced with other oils,” a tester noted.
RELATED: Best Hair Oils
InnerJoi Hydrate Detangler
Detangle and silken strands at the same time with this “light” Joico mist made with fortifying vegetable protein, a GH Beauty Award winner. Our hairstylist panel gave it perfect scores on many attributes, including ease of application and making hair feel softer and look shinier yet leaving it with movement. Use sparingly on fine hair, though, as it could weigh strands down. “In two sprays, I could brush out any hair type and texture,” one tester commented. “Hair appeared more moisturized, healthy and shiny.”
Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Crème
A steal at under $10, John Frieda’s styling cream has risen to cult classic status among GH Beauty Lab experts for its water-light feel and multi-purpose benefits. It can be used on damp or dry hair to soften and smooth, touch up flyaways, and reshape waves and curls. (The formula also works as an air-dry cream.) “I have kept this product stashed at my desk for years — I always grab it to quickly make my hair look polished and healthy,” GH’s beauty director says. Know that the formula may not be rich enough for those with coily textured or very thick hair.
Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier Firm Hold Hairspray
John Frieda's hairspray was a winner of the GH Beauty Lab's test for delivering serious staying power but zero helmet head. It earned top points for holding curls in place in the Lab's humidity-chamber test and for not weighing down strands or flaking. Users were split on the fragrance, though: Some praised it, while others thought it smelled too fake. "Not hard or sticky," a tester said. "It didn't feel like I was wearing hairspray," yet "I've had no flyaway hairs at all," another marveled.
Root Lift
Zero in on flat, lifeless roots with Fekkai’s protein-laced mist, which gives strands a lift in seconds. The GH Beauty Award winner earned the top scores for lifting hair and adding volume without heaviness in evaluations by our hairstylist panel. "Not sticky,” and “hair felt thicker and bouncier,” two expert evaluators reported. Note that the bottle should be shaken before applying for best results.
Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax
Glide this handy (and GH Beauty Award-winning) wax stick from Nexxus, made with conditioning coconut oil, onto flyaways to keep them from straying. “This instantly tamps down baby hairs yet doesn’t have a hard or sticky feel — it works especially well to smooth the hairline for updos like buns and ponytails,” a tester noted. A few users did notice flaking, so apply lightly.
Prêt-à-Powder
Small package, big hair: This Bumble and bumble powder dry shampoo pumped up the volume of and prolonged the life of testers' styles in GH Beauty Lab evaluations. It gave hair more volume than any other dry shampoo tested — without leaving a heavy, powdery residue, reports showed. (A caveat: a few testers did complain that it dulled their hair.) "My hair felt thicker," one revealed. "It looked newly shampooed," another said.
RELATED: How to Get Thicker Hair
Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up
Extend the time between salon visits or DIY dye jobs with Clairol’s permanent color root fix kit, in a wide 28-hue range. With a brush included for easy application, it blended seamlessly with users’ current color and gave 100% gray coverage, testing showed. Some users noted the color didn't last as long for them, though.
RELATED: Best Root Touch-Ups
How we test hair products
The GH Beauty Lab has a decades-long history of testing haircare, styling and hair color products both on consumer testers and in the Lab using technical instruments. Beauty Lab scientists send label-masked products to a panel of thousands of readers across the country, who then use them in their hair routine and evaluate them on factors ranging from performance to packaging, texture and scent.
In the GH Beauty Lab, scientists utilize state-of-the-art tools to scientifically measure product efficacy, including the following:
The Swatch Wash Station controls the temperature and flow rate of water to keep these factors constant to test shampoos, conditioners and hair dyes.
The Bossa Nova Shuffle (left) measures hair volume changes to test anti-frizz or volumizing properties of formulas.
The Instron machine measures the force needed to comb through wet hair, determining a product's conditioning properties.
The Q-Lab QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester is used when testing hair color-related products to mimic hair exposure to UV light.
The VeriVide DigiEye system measures color change in dyed hair samples using to determine how much each faded over time.
The Environmental Chamber, which exposes hair to high levels of humidity, is used to test frizz-fighting formulas.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
GH Beauty Director April Franzino has over 15 years of experience in researching, writing and editing hair content. To write this guide, she collaborated with Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists to report on their hair product test results across categories.
GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek has spent more than a decade testing haircare products, styling products and tools, and hair color at the GH Institute. She provided an expert review for this piece.
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