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Shampoo Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best Shampoo. See our ratings criteria

For recommendations of best Shampoo, see our Fast Answers page, which summarizes what these reviews say. A longer summary and analysis appears in our Full Story report for Shampoo. Our Where to Buy page contains information on retailers and Shampoo prices.

Shampoo Reviews Reviewed

Review Ratings

Citation

CS Credibility Rating

Shampoo Ratings
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1.  Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me Hair Care Formulations

Paula Begoun


Sept. 30, 2004
reviews rating In this book, Paula Begoun evaluates over 4,000 hair-care products from more than 130 manufacturer lines, with in-depth analysis of ingredients and many consumer tips. The best shampoos are broken down into multiple categories by price and type, and include products from high-end salons like Bumble and Bumble, as well as low-end drugstore options like Suave. Begoun points out that nearly every line has good and bad products, and the consumer should evaluate each one based on the ingredients. While this book is still very useful, it is now about four years old so the latest shampoos are not reviewed here.
2.  Choice.com.au Shampoo

Editors of Choice.com.au


July 2006
reviews rating In this product test from Choice magazine, the Australian version of Consumer Reports, 500 home testers took part in a blind trial of 41 shampoos. Shampoos were tested for overall "clean-feel" and fragrance. Salon shampoos proved to be no better than supermarket brands; in fact, the top three brands were from the supermarket. The top choice is the Fruitrience Raspberry and Pink Grapefruit Enriched. Dove Revitalising and Garnier Fructis Fortifying tied for second place. Three products tied for third place, including Kerastase Bain Satin Nutritive 1, which is the most expensive shampoo tested. Not all of the shampoos included in the test are available in the United States, but most are.
3.  Good Housekeeping.com Secrets to Longer-Lasting Haircolor

Editors of Good Housekeeping


Oct. 2007
reviews rating This article discusses ways to protect or extend your hair color. There are shampoos that deposit semi-permanent color and shampoos that protect color from fading. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute spent 500 hours testing 24 shampoos. Top-rated for all hair colors is L'Oreal Professionnel Colorist Collection Shampoo, a depositing shampoo. Four non-depositing or protective shampoos are also winners. The flaw in this review is that testers did not include any normal shampoos to test how much of a difference the color-protecting shampoos make.
Shampoo Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
 
Review Ratings Citation CS Credibility Rating Shampoo Ratings
Comments on Reviews
4.  Which.co.uk Shampoo

Editors of Which.co.uk


Mar. 2003
reviews rating The editors of Which? test 22 shampoos on hair that is dry, damaged or color-treated. All of the tested shampoos cleaned hair, but the testers found that shampoos for normal hair worked just as well as shampoos that made special claims for dry, damaged or color-treated hair. They also found that the cheaper shampoos did better than two more expensive salon shampoos. Although this is a British website, a lot of familiar brands are included in testing, including Clairol Herbal Essences, Dove, Pantene, VO5, Paul Mitchell and Redken.
5.  Consumer Reports Head games: Some shampoo claims are just a lot of lather

Editors of Consumer Reports


Sept. 2000
reviews rating Editors test 57 different shampoos, washing 1700 ponytails of straight hair. Testers matched the hair type with the shampoo claim (i.e. dyed hair with shampoo claiming to retain color) to test its effectiveness, and also test for flyaway hair and ease of combing. Recommendations are broken down according to hair type: dry, color-treated and fine. Unfortunately, some formulas have now been discontinued and newer shampoos are not taken into account.
Shampoo Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
 
Review Ratings Citation CS Credibility Rating Shampoo Ratings
Comments on Reviews
6.  Marie Claire Splurge vs. Steal

Elizabeth Flahive


Dec. 2007
reviews rating This article briefly describes several shampoos ranging in price from $1 for VO5 Vita Burst Volumizing Shampoo to the $60 Alterna Ten Shampoo, which contains caviar. Other inexpensive shampoos are Suave Professionals Healthy Curls Shampoo and Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo. For colored hair the suggestion is Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo for Color Treated Hair. These shampoos are not compared or tested so it difficult to know how Ms. Flahive chose the shampoos.
7.  Allure Best of Beauty Award Winners - Hair

Editors of Allure


Feb. 2008
reviews rating The editors list several beauty products that are the best in their categories for 2007. In the shampoo category for fine hair the choice is Fekkai MORE Scalp-Purifying Shampoo. For dry hair it is Redken All Soft Shampoo. For normal hair try L'Oréal Paris VIVE Pro Nutri Gloss Shampoo, and for color-treated hair the choice is L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Vitamino Shampoo. There are no descriptions of these products, and we are not told why these shampoos are being recommended over others.
8.  Good Housekeeping.com Hair Products that Help

Kimberly Daly


Dec. 2006
reviews rating These are products from "top celebrity stylists" that give you "an A-list look." Each brand gets a brief history of the stylist/owner, an overview of the types of products available and where to buy them, and a top pick from that brand. However, there's no information on whether these products were tested, so it's unclear why the four shampoos mentioned are being recommended.
9.  Health Hair Care for Over 40s

Michele Bender


Apr. 2007
reviews rating In this article, several hair-care products for people over 40 are suggested. These anti-aging shampoos are supposedly gentle on the hair. Michele Bender loves Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Shampoo and Dove Pro Age Shampoo, both of which she said made her hair thicker. While manufacturers claim these shampoos make hair look younger, experts say that any shampoo for dry or damaged hair will work just as well.
10.  About.com Must-Have Shampoos for All Hair Types

Julyne Derrick


Not Dated
reviews rating Julyne Derrick is the Guide to Beauty at About.com. She recommends Kerastase shampoos and lists the product for each hair type- dry, color-treated, normal, curly and oily. Her hair stylist in New York City says this is the best product to use. "Some of New York's most exclusive salons use Kerastase on their clients," Ms. Derrick writes. She admits she has tried "much of the line" and agrees with the experts. But no reason is given as to why Kerastase is a "must."
Shampoo Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
 
Review Ratings Citation CS Credibility Rating Shampoo Ratings
Comments on Reviews
11.  Essence Magazine Hottest Hair & Makeup Products in Texas and Alabama

Editors of Essence


Nov. 2007
reviews rating This brief article discusses the best-selling cosmetics and hair-care products in Texas and Alabama. Nexxus Therappe is the top selling shampoo. No testing is cited.
12.  Redbook Beauty Giggles

Editors of Redbook


Nov. 2007
reviews rating The editors choose several beauty products that use "witty wordplays." For shampoos the choice is Miss Treated Shine Enhancing Shampoo from Kiss My Face. No testing is cited, and no shampoos are recommended particularly.
13.  Vegetarian Times Scents of the Season

Brandy Colbert


Nov./Dec 2007
reviews rating Brandy Colbert recommends beauty products that have aromas associated with the holiday season such as myrrh, peppermint, vanilla and frankincense. The shampoo to try is the Peppermint Revitalizing Shampoo by Avalon Organics. "Expect the peppermint in this invigorating shampoo to leave your scalp clean and tingly," writes Ms. Colbert. No testing is cited.
14.  Redbook Your Pretty Life

Editors of Redbook


Oct. 2007
reviews rating Because blue is the "coolest color of the season," editors choose several beauty products related to the color blue. The editors write, "The color and scent of Head & Shoulders HydraZinc Ocean Lift Shampoo, $5, reminds us of a day at the beach, but the benefit is more like a mild winter forecast: no flakes."
15.  Flare Leaders of the Pack

Editors of Flare


Sept. 2007
reviews rating In this list of "top beauty innovations" for 2007, the top shampoos are the Sunsilk Color Collection shampoos, which are "cheap and chic." These semi-permanent hair coloring shampoos cling to hair and are made for "faux blonds and brunettes."
16.  Town & Country Editor's Choice – A Smart, Safe Shampoo

Nina J. Judar


Oct. 2006
reviews rating This review discusses the Phytoprogenium Shampoo from Phyto. Nina Judar likes the recyclable aluminum packaging. The Phytoprogenium Shampoo is also "the first ever to be made with Progénium, an 'intelligent' ingredient that nourishes the scalp's good bacteria and keeps the bad kind in check."
17.  iVillage.com Top 10 Ratings: Shampoos

Editors of iVillage.com


Not Dated
reviews rating This article is very odd. It appears to be the culmination of a reader survey, but it's not really explained. A list of shampoos is accompanied by some brief reviews, many of which are polar opposites.
18.  Good Housekeeping.com The Simple Secret to Great Hair

Holly Crawford


Oct. 2004
reviews rating This Q and A article answers basic questions about shampooing, such as “How often should I wash my hair?” (it depends on hair type) and “Can I use too much shampoo?” (not if you rinse thoroughly). A few recommendations are made by Holly Crawford, including Dove Volumizing Color Shampoo and Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo.
19.  Consumer Reports The scoop on suds

Editors of Consumer Reports


Jan. 2004
reviews rating Editors at Consumer Reports identify popular shampoo ingredients and what they are intended to do. However, editors stop short of recommending any products and no shampoo brands are mentioned at all.
20.  Amazon.com Shampoos

Contributors to Amazon.com


As of Feb. 2008
reviews rating Amazon.com doesn't sell that many mainstream shampoos, so the scope is limited. But, readers are invited to rate what is sold on the site. Philosophy Cinnamon Buns get the most comments of any shampoo – 67 reviews and 4.5 out of five stars. This is a shampoo, body wash and bubble bath in one. Solid Shampoo by LUSH gets 27 reviews and a perfect score; this shampoo resembles bar soap.
21.  Prevention.com Double Duty Beauty

Rebekah George


May 2006
reviews rating Here are several editors' choices that are "cosmetic combos that save you cash, clutter, and time." The one shampoo recommended is by Philosophy which "cleanses and conditions hair and body." These products were not tested, nor do we learn why they were selected.
22.  Drugstore.com Shampoos

Contributors to Drugstore.com


As of Feb. 2008
reviews rating Although navigation is difficult, readers can post reviews of products sold at Drugstore.com, including shampoo. This online store sells a wide variety of specialty shampoo, so it's a good place for reviews on natural or dry-scalp formulas.
23.  Epinions Shampoo

Contributors to Epinions


As of Feb. 2008
reviews rating Epinions is a good place to find consumer reviews before buying. At the time of our visit, most shampoos receive just a handful of reviews although a few get more comments, with many rated five stars. Redken All Soft Shampoo gets a perfect score from 23 owners. Head & Shoulders Intensive Treatment, Aussie Real Volume Shampoo and Pantene Smooth and Sleek are among the highest rated and receive the most comments.

Shampoo Reviews