Best Overall

Ethique Clarifying Shampoo Bar for Oily Scalp and Hair

$15 at AmazonView on Ethique.comView on Herbspro.com

Hair Type: Oily | Key Ingredients: Castor oil, glycerine | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 3.88 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

This one worked beautifully on oilier hair, which can benefit from a good clarifying wash at least once a week to mitigate buildup. Most notably, it lathered incredibly well (even with just a little water) and left hair shinier and easier to detangle and style, which isn’t always the case with shampoo bars. Our tester said it offered a deep clean, removing excess oil and product buildup. It wasn’t overly stripping or drying, though if your strands are drier, you may want to opt for another winner on this list.

Saleam, tester with coily hair: “My hair felt nourished after using the bar. It worked pretty well with my hair type. It has a faint citrus scent. The smell is light and not at all overpowering.”

Best for Color-Treated Hair

Kitsch Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar

$14 at AmazonView on UltaView on Mykitsch.com

Hair Type: Oily, fine | Key Ingredients: Castor oil| Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 3.2 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

Many shampoo bars are notorious for being very drying, which is part of what made this winner so noteworthy. We could feel it adding moisture with every use; credit the namesake ingredient, castor oil, and hydrating glycerin. (Hot tip: It worked even better and left hair even softer when paired with the brand’s accompanying conditioner bar.)

It lathered up well both in the hands and when rubbed directly onto the hair. However, if your hair is thicker, you may want to lather, rinse, and repeat to fully feel like the shampoo bar has adequately cleansed your strands.

Sophia, tester with loose waves: “One benefit that this has that I’ve never had with other shampoo bar is that you can feel it condition your hair. No stripping away oils!”

Best Budget

J.R. Liggett’s All-Natural Shampoo Bar

$13

$13 at AmazonView on IHerbView on Jrliggett.com

Hair Type: All | Key Ingredients: Olive, coconut, and castor oil | Sulfate-Free: Yes| Size: 3.5 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

Here’s proof that you don’t need to drop serious cash for a great shampoo bar. It works for all hair types and is formulated with coconut oil, aloe vera, almond oil, mango butter, vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin E to nourish and moisturize the hair as it cleanses. Also great: one bar equals 24 ounces of liquid shampoo, so a little goes a very long way.

We were impressed by how sturdy and solid this one was as well as how long it lasted. It also cleanses extremely well, removing excess buildup from the hair and scalp. It lathers nicely but it’s a bit tricky to distribute the lather evenly. It is, however, very easy to rinse out completely cleanly with no residue left behind. Big plus: Second-day hair looked as good as the first day, so we could extend the time between washes.

Keyaira, tester with curly hair: “My favorite thing was that it rinsed totally clean. There are a ton of shampoos that require aggressive rinsing but this slipped right out of my curls.”

Best for Curls

Good Juju Dry / Curly Hair Shampoo Bar

View on Hellogoodjuju.comView on Thedetoxmarket.comView on Beauty-heroes.com

Hair Type: Curly | Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter| Sulfate-Free: No| Size: 2.5 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

This one was a huge hit for our curly-haired tester, who raved about how well it removed sweat, product, and excess oil. It lathered nicely and rinsed out well, with no residue left behind. And, since it’s packed with hydrating oils (coconut, rice bran, just to name a few), it also leaves hair feeling incredibly soft.

We awarded bonus points to the formula for being color-safe. It also has an earthy, slightly musky scent that’s absolutely delightful. We just wish the size of the bar itself were a bit bigger.

Samantha, tester with curly hair: “When I dye my hair, it typically feels stripped and dry for a few days until some moisture and oil can accumulate in the hair, but I believe the oils in this product helped to nourish and hydrate my hair, without even having to apply a whole heap of conditioner after shampooing like I normally do.”

Best Clarifying

Notice Hair Co. Stimulator Shampoo Bar

$16

$12 at AmazonView on Noticehairco.comView on Grove.co

Hair Type: Oily, fine | Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, essential oils| Sulfate-Free: No| Size: 2.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If an oily, greasy scalp is your primary hair care concern, this is the bar to try. We were most impressed by how well it removed excess oil (and leftover product buildup), without ever feeling like it was too drying. And while the bar is a bit smaller, it lasted quite a while. But FYI, it can take quite a bit of time to work this into a full-on lather that you can easily distribute through the hair.

Toral, tester with straight hair: “My scalp felt very clean after using this shampoo bar. It removed excess buildup and oiliness. And, since using the shampoo bar, I’ve noticed my scalp feels less oily.”

Best for Taming Frizz

Davines LOVE Shampoo Bar

$29 at AmazonView on Davines.com

Hair Type: Coarse, frizzy | Key Ingredients: Minuta olive extract| Sulfate-Free: Yes| Size: 3.53 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re a sucker for any and every beauty product that smells good (we feel you), add this bar to your shopping list. We found the floral scent so pleasant, even if it can be a bit on the stronger side. Fragrance aside, this bar works extremely well. It lathered up quickly; it only took slightly more time than traditional, liquid shampoo. (There is a bit of a learning curve to getting it evenly distributed through our hair, but that was a minor drawback for us.)

The formula left hair feeling super soft and totally clean. Big plus: the bar looked like it had been barely used after our monthlong testing period.

Allison, tester with fine, color-treated hair: “I’ve used this brand’s liquid shampoo previously and was pleased to discover that the bar produced the same results once I became accustomed to using it. My hair felt soft and clean after every use.”

Best for Volume

The Earthling Co. Shampoo Bar

$19

$16 at AmazonView on WalmartView on Theearthlingco.com

Hair Type: All | Key Ingredients: Marshmallow root, elderberry fruit extract, jojoba seed oil | Size: 3 oz| Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re into a great lather, you’ll enjoy using this shampoo bar. All of our testers were very impressed with how easily it lathered up, similar to shampoos that come packaged in a bottle. The formula (which boasts hydrating ingredients like glycerin and vitamin B5) won’t over-dry or strip strands. It’s also crafted to strengthen the hair and increase thickness, thanks to its marshmallow root extract and elderberry ingredients. If you’re a fan of scents, there’s plenty to try out, ranging from citrus sun to cool breeze to sweet sandalwood, and there’s an unscented bar, too.

Mikey, tester with straight hair: “Since using this shampoo bar, my hair’s overall condition has improved. I feel that the bar really nourished my hair and also hydrated it quite effectively, too. The scent is very light and not overpowering at all.”