Best Overall

Vegamour GRO+ Advanced Replenishing Shampoo

View on Vegamour.com

Key Ingredients: Cannabidiol | Amount: 1.7, 8 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The Vegamour Gro+ Advanced Replenishing Shampoo impressed us the most out of all the hair growth shampoos we tested. This skincare-inspired shampoo gently exfoliates the scalp to help remove buildup and cleanses strands without stripping them. Our tester, Roselynn, used this shampoo consistently for six weeks, following the brand’s instructions, which say to leave it on for a minute to let the active ingredient (cannabidiol, aka CBD) do its thing. CBD can potentially help with hair loss by soothing scalp inflammation and regulating oil production.

Roselynn’s hair grew about a half-inch more than usual. She loved that her hair felt softer after using this shampoo, and the mild herbal scent was nice. Since this shampoo is sulfate-free, you won’t get the rich, sudsy lather you may expect from other shampoos.

Roselynn, tester with bleached hair: “My hair does seem fuller because of the volume, and the new growth on my hairline also shows that it may help with hair thinning.”

Best for Thinning Hair

BondiBoost HG Shampoo

$27

$23 at Amazon$27 at Sephora$27 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, Saw Palmetto, rosemary oil | Amount: 10.14, 16.9 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For anyone looking for a shampoo that helps hair grow, but also strengthens and fortifies hair without an intense formula, you’re in the right place. BondiBoost’s shampoo for thinning hair has a gentle, plant-derived formula that encourages hair growth. Between aloe vera and saw palmetto extract, this vegan formula cleanses and hydrates the hair without stripping it of its natural oils. It’s also safe for chemical or color-treated hair.

Our tester enjoyed her experience testing this BondiBoost shampoo. She credited the ingredient list, including the rosemary oil that stimulates hair growth and the brand’s Redensyl and Procapil, also known as “nature’s minoxidil,” with boosting hair growth. She also appreciated the refreshing, minty fragrance. If you’re looking for the best shampoo and conditioner for hair growth, add in the brand’s HG Conditioner.

Nellah, tester with fine hair: “My hair definitely feels softer and looks fuller, and I’m not having as much fallout. The longer I use it, the better my hair feels.”

Best Drugstore

Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo

$12

$9 at Amazon$10 at TargetView on Walmart

Key Ingredients: Active fruit protein | Amount: 12.5, 22, 33.8 oz | Sulfate-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Garnier is known for its affordable products and fresh fruity scents, so it’s no surprise that the brand made the list as our favorite drugstore shampoo to help hair grow. While the results weren’t as drastic as those of some others, the Grow Strong Shampoo did seem to thicken strands, encourage baby hairs to grow, and ultimately help prevent breakage. Apple extract and niacinamide work together to fortify hair for stronger and shinier strands. 

Our tester, Cathie, noticed fewer hairs in the shower drain after testing this formula. Her scalp and hair felt clean after washing, and they rinsed out easily without leaving behind any buildup. Overall, the foamy lather, classic apple scent, and massive pump bottle won her over.

Cathie, tester with wavy hair (not pictured): “I saw fewer hairs in the drain, and even when air-drying, my hair seemed less dry with little to no flyaways.”

Best for Damaged Hair

Oribe Hair Alchemy Shampoo

$52

$50 at Amazon$150 at SephoraView on Dermstore

Key Ingredients: Chia seed, fermented bamboo, plant protein | Amount: 2.5, 8.5, 34 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Who doesn’t love the look of a blowout or the feeling of running a curling wand through your hair to create the perfect beachy waves? Well, your hair might not. If your strands are feeling brittle or damaged, they deserve a little TLC. Enter: Oribe’s Hair Alchemy Shampoo, a strengthening formula that promises to fortify weak, damaged hair with a protective layer forming around each hair to reduce breakage and prevent fallout. 

Our tester, Maggie, shared that after six weeks, her hair was smoother and shinier with fewer flyaways and more body. She also liked the subtle floral scent. The sulfate-free formula wasn’t irritating, but it did require more product to get a substantial lather.

Maggie, tester with straight hair: “This is a very gentle product on the scalp. It caused no irritation and had a nice, fresh scent.”

Best for Scalp Health

Nécessaire Rosemary Shampoo

$30

$27 at Amazon$30 at SephoraView on Credo Beauty

Key Ingredients: Pure rosemary oil, ceramides, plant proteins | Amount: 8.4 oz | Sulfate-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Necessaire may be best known for its body scrubs, but rest assured—they have your scalp covered, too. The brand’s Rosemary Shampoo is designed to address hair thinning at its source, targeting scalp health and hair follicle restoration with its formula. According to Halpin, rosemary oil promotes growth, stimulates the scalp, and improves circulation. This ingredient, combined with proteins and ceramides, works together to repair the scalp and nourish strands.

After over a month of testing, former Associate Editor Caitlyn Martyn noticed her scalp itchiness had subsided. In addition to a healthier scalp, she also mentioned her hair felt softer, stronger, and easier to manage, which is a win in our book. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, the herbal scent of this shampoo may not be the best product for you.

Caitlyn Martyn, former associate editor with fine hair (not pictured): “I used this shampoo with its complementary conditioner for over a month and noticed that my scalp felt less itchy than usual (a huge win), and my thin hair felt stronger, softer, and was generally easier to style.”

Best Thickening

Miriam Quevedo Black Baccara Shampoo

$50 at Bloomingdales$50 at Bluemercury.comView on Neiman Marcus

Key Ingredients: Black baccara rose, rose stem cells, growth factors, bond filler | Amount: 8.5 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This pick is a great restorative shampoo for hair growth and thickness from Miriam Quevedo. It contains a multi-bond strengthener that helps reverse hair fiber damage caused by chemical, thermal, or environmental factors. After six weeks of lathering with this shampoo, our tester Diana’s hair appeared thicker and fuller. It seemed to help speed up hair growth slightly, but not necessarily curb shedding or spark new growth. She found that it strengthened her hair, so things like blow-drying, brushing, and wearing a tight ponytail took less of a toll than before she started using this shampoo. Additionally, it had a light rose water scent, which made lathering up feel a little luxurious. Even though this shampoo contains keratin, one thing she wished she saw greater results for was smoothing flyaways or adding shine, so be prepared with some styling products after washing if you’re after that salon-worthy shine.

Diana, tester with frizzy hair: “My hair did appear slightly thicker and a little fuller. My hair was growing at what I think is it’s normal rate, but it seemed a little longer than I had thought it would be by the end of the testing period.”

Best Strengthening

Kérastase Densifique Shampoo

$46 at Amazon$46 at SephoraView on Kerastase-usa.com

Key Ingredients: Peptides, ceramides, salicylic acid | Amount: 8.5 oz | Sulfate-Free: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Kérastase Densifique Shampoo promises to visibly thicken your hair while strengthening it from root to tip. Our tester, Paden, experienced this firsthand and shared that the formula infused her typically flat and oily strands with noticeable density. The results were evident even after one use, and she found her hair had more natural-looking volume than before testing.  

The formula is powered by hyaluronic acid, which plumps hair and helps prevent breakage, and peptides that penetrate the hair cuticle to strengthen it. In addition to adding volume and thickness, it also did its job in terms of daily cleansing and removing scalp buildup. The fragrance has notes of bergamot, pink mint, musk, and cedar in it, so if you’re scent-sensitive, you may not find this to be a fit.

Paden, tester with fine hair: “My hair felt and looked much fuller—my hairdresser even commented on how thick it felt. She was able to add layers that she ordinarily would not have been able to.”

Best for Natural Hair

Alodia Nourish & Hydrate Creme Shampoo

$16

$15 at Amazon$15 at Target$15 at Walmart

Key Ingredients: Peppermint oil, avocado oil, bakuchiol seed oil | Amount: 8 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with natural hair often prefer the Nourishing Creme Shampoo from Alódia as it is less likely to weaken hair fibers. Our tester, Kimberly, tried it on her thick, curly hair and noticed an increase in baby hairs and a decrease in shedding and hair loss by the end of the testing period. This formula contains bakuchiol seed oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to a healthier scalp, as well as avocado oil to nourish and protect strands. She said her hair also felt fuller, smoother, and shinier.

It has a subtle astringent feeling (likely due to the peppermint oil) without being overly harsh. Peppermint oil helps minimize itching and flaking while stimulating the scalp to encourage hair growth. This sulfate-free, low-lather shampoo may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and we didn’t notice a huge difference in flyaway prevention.

Kimberly, tester with curly hair: “My hair seems slightly fuller, smoother, and shinier after using the shampoo. It doesn’t feel like the shampoo was overly drying to my hair, which is great.”

Best for Dry Hair

Luseta Beauty Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo

$19

$15 at AmazonView on Lusetabeauty.com

Key Ingredients: Castor oil | Amount: 16.9, 33.8 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This hydrating shampoo from Luseta nourishes dry, coarse strands to promote new hair growth and prevent breakage, thanks to ingredients like castor oil and shea butter. It doesn’t claim to lengthen hair overnight—instead, it supports an overall healthy scalp and hair, which we experienced when we tried it for ourselves. 

After the testing period, our tester Sukhman’s hair felt somewhat denser and a bit stronger. If you have dry hair, the moisturizing formula will replenish it without leaving a residue. Since the consistency is thick compared to other shampoos we tested, it can be challenging to spread evenly throughout the hair and create a good lather, but it rinses without any issues. This is a sulfate-free formula, so if you have color-treated hair, you can rest easy knowing you won’t experience any dulling of color.

Sukhman, tester with curly hair: “Overall, my hair felt a little denser and shinier. Using this shampoo helped make my hair healthier, and that’s all I can really ask for as I continue my hair growth journey.”

Best Bar

Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar for Hair Growth

$20

$13 at AmazonView on UltaView on Mykitsch.com

Key Ingredients: Rice water protein, amino acids | Amount: 3.2 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

More people are seeing the benefits of bar shampoo, including its travel-friendly nature and the fact that it uses less plastic than traditional shampoos. As the name suggests, this shampoo bar by Kitsch contains rice water protein. This ingredient can help repair damaged hair follicles and prevent split ends, resulting in longer, healthier hair over time. 

We didn’t notice much rapid growth, but our tester, Lisa, had undeniably smoother, shinier, and easier-to-manage hair after six weeks of using the bar. She shared that her hair felt clean, refreshed, and incredibly soft—what more could you ask for? It also lathered well, considering that it’s a solid bar. And it never left behind a residue—a common complaint with bar shampoos.

Lisa, tester with dry hair: “My hair always felt soft, clean, and refreshed after each wash. My scalp also felt less dry.”

Best for Density

Briogeo Destined For Density Shampoo

$32

$31 at Amazon$32 at Sephora$32 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Biotin, zinc, caffeine | Amount: 10.1, 16.9 oz | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Known to speed up the hair growth cycle, caffeine is one of the active ingredients in this shampoo. Like other hair-thickening products, this shampoo is also formulated with biotin and zinc to strengthen and smooth, all while visibly adding volume to flat hair. 

Our tester tried this formula and noted the silky feeling upon application. She praised the lightweight formula for still delivering hair that appeared thicker and healthier, with bonus points for how quickly it lathered up. She enjoyed the subtle scent as well. After a month’s use, she reported thicker hair, less shedding, and a healthier scalp. Don’t expect instant results from this shampoo, though, as it takes some time to take effect.

Jaclyn, tester with thinning hair: “This product gave me my hair back. It transformed my thinning, drying hair to its bombshell glory days.”