Best Overall

Biolage Scalp Sync Clarifying Shampoo

$45 at Amazon$45 at Ulta

Hair Type: Fine to thick | Size: 13.5 oz | Cruelty-free: Yes

You really can’t go wrong with this shampoo—it helps manage oil, is great for daily use, and it doesn’t leave hair feeling super dry or stripped. Our tester’s hair typically becomes oily within 24 hours of a wash, but with this formula, she noticed a significant improvement in the amount of oil it generated in a day. She regularly attends hot pilates classes, which leaves her hair sweaty on top of oil buildup, and this became her go-to shampoo for after workouts. 

In addition to cleansing, this shampoo also gently exfoliates the scalp to ensure it gets rid of all of the buildup that collects (think dry shampoo, styling products, and sweat). After using it, our tester said her scalp felt super clean, but not irritatingly so, her strands didn’t feel stripped, and she even had a little extra volume. All in all, we’re big fans of this shampoo. 

Madison Barber, writer with an oily scalp and dry ends: “It worked super well to remove oiliness and sweat from workout classes and any dry shampoo I had used throughout the week while still keeping my hair moisturized, not stripped and dry. My hair felt clean and slightly more voluminous after washing.”

Best Drugstore

L’Oreal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Pure Purifying Shampoo

$11

$10 at Amazon$6 at Walmart$7 at Walgreens

Hair Type: Straight, fine, and color-treated hair types | Size: 12.6 oz | Cruelty-free: No

We love a beauty product that’s easy to grab while you’re running errands in most big-box and drugstores. The accessible price doesn’t hurt either. Most importantly, though, we appreciate this shampoo because, on top of the convenience, it gets the job done when you have oily hair. Our tester, who has long hair, found that her hair and scalp felt fully cleansed after just one wash with this product. Even better, she was able to stretch to three to four days between washes with the help of this shampoo, which is a small miracle when you’ve got oily hair.

This shampoo is formulated with salicylic acid, which is a chemical exfoliant, and hyaluronic acid, which is meant to help hydrate hair and reduce frizz. While it’s safe to say the exfoliant definitely did its job, our tester did mention that her strands felt a bit dry after using this shampoo. Still, it’s nothing that a good conditioner can’t help manage. 

Alisabeth, tester with long, straight hair: “My hair genuinely felt clean after each use, and I liked how soft and bouncy it felt afterward.”

Best Clarifying

Ouai Detox Shampoo

$34 at Amazon$34 at Sephora$34 at Ulta

Hair Type: All | Size: 3, 10, 16, 32 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This clarifying formula works to detoxify the scalp by washing away buildup and grease, as well as removing free radicals, pollution, and more. We love that it contains apple cider vinegar to aid its purifying capabilities, although some people find its scent pretty unpleasant. If the scent doesn’t bother you, you’ll love this formula.

Our tester, Samantha, noticed that the rich texture creates a smooth lather, and it’s meant to be left on in the shower for a few minutes to work its magic fully. Once rinsed, her hair felt squeaky clean, and her scalp seemed to produce less oil over the following days. She did claim it’s a bit drying, so this is another shampoo that we recommend following up with a deep conditioner.

Samantha, tester with oily hair: “I love how my hair feels after using it. It feels less oily and looks pretty when blow-dried.”

Best Sulfate-Free

Crown Affair The Volumizing Shampoo

$42 at Sephora

Hair Type: All | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-free: Yes

A shampoo for oily hair that’s made without sulfates and still works may sound like a myth, but this formula proves that it can be done. I tried this shampoo myself and am still amazed by how well it worked for my hair. My scalp feels squeaky clean after using it, but my hair still feels healthy—definitely not stripped or overly dry. It also leaves my hair with extra volume, which is a big deal for me since I have fine, thin hair that struggles to have any bounce. ‘

Additionally, with consistent use, I found that I was able to go longer and longer between shampoos. My hair typically gets very oily within 24 hours of a wash, but after using this formula for a couple of weeks, I was able to stretch to three days between washes. It’s become my new go-to formula for regular washes. 

Ashley, tester with fine, straight hair: “I am truly blown away by how well this shampoo removed oil and grease from my hair while still being gentle. Every time I used it, I felt like my scalp was clean without any leftover product from previous day(s) styling.”

Best for Fine Hair

Kristin Ess Clarifying Shampoo

$12 at Amazon$12 at Ulta$12 at Target

Hair Type: All | Size: 10 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for an accessible shampoo that will give your fine, oily locks a good cleanse, reach for this clarifying formula from Kristin Ess. It contains a proprietary strengthening complex that helps to smooth the appearance of damaged strands and cuts grease and grime without overdrying the hair. Though it’s suitable for all hair types, the lightweight texture makes it particularly easy to massage through fine hair.

According to our tester, you’ll want to double shampoo with this because it doesn’t lather all that well on the first use. However, Sarah says it lathers beautifully once it gets through the initial layer of grime (typically during the second shampoo). She also loved that it deeply cleaned her scalp and hair without over-stripping. And if you prefer shampoos that aren’t overly fragranced, you’ll also appreciate that this one has a light floral scent.

Sarah, tester with thick, slightly wavy hair: “It didn’t irritate my scalp, and it helped cut down on the oil I was seeing around my roots without overly drying the rest of my hair. My hair was definitely smoother and shinier.”

Best Anti-Dandruff

Head & Shoulders Oil Control Shampoo

$23 at Amazon

Hair Type: All | Size: 13.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If your scalp’s excess oil production is paired with symptoms of dry or oily dandruff, consider a shampoo from Head & Shoulders—though, we do recommend checking in with your dermatologist first. This antifungal formula controls oil to fight off Malassezia, the yeast that causes dandruff flakes, with 1% prescription-strength selenium sulfide. At the same time, it cleanses the scalp of dirt and product buildup.

It’s advertised to have a citrusy scent, but some may find it to be overpowering, so keep this in mind if you’re sensitive to smells. Otherwise, we love how the formula leaves hair feeling soft and shiny and, of course, how it leaves the scalp refreshed, balanced, and flake-free.

Erika, tester with thick, straight hair: “It felt immediately cleaner after even one use of the shampoo. My scalp was no longer itchy and flaky, and it looked and felt less irritated.”

Best for Oily Scalp and Dry Ends

Kérastase Specifique Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo

$46 at Amazon$46 at Sephora

$94

$81 at Onebioshop.com

Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Having oily hair doesn’t always mean it’s oily from root to tip. Sometimes, the oiliness seems to only be an issue near your scalp, while the rest of your hair is suffering from dryness. This shampoo is designed to address that particular scenario. 

It works into a fine, bubbly lather that’s easy to distribute. It cleanses the scalp of dirt, oil, and sweat while also hydrating dry lengths and giving you a little volumizing lift at the root. It also has a silky and milky texture, as well as a lovely sandalwood and freesia fragrance that fills your shower within seconds of lathering. That being said, it’s effective, but it’s not the most powerful option on our list. If you have a ton of product buildup, you may want to enlist the help of a stronger clarifying shampoo. 

Amanda, tester with fine, long hair: “This shampoo has a lovely conditioning lather, as it feels hydrating and cleansing but isn’t overly foamy. It doesn’t feel like it’s stripping my scalp, but isn’t overly oily either. Instead, it feels very balancing.”

Best Gentle

Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Blend Shampoo

$11

$9 at Amazon$9 at Target$12 at Vitacost

Hair Type: All | Size: 12 oz | Cruelty-free: No

A shampoo that helps control oil while still being gentle is hard to find, but this Aveeno formula is it. It’s made with colloidal oat, which can help relieve scalp dryness and itchiness, as well as apple cider vinegar, which offers a host of scalp and hair benefits, including keeping the scalp’s pH balanced, leaving hair looking shiny and healthy, and cleansing the scalp. Our tester found that this shampoo left her hair looking and feeling clean and even helped keep her scalp balanced after sweaty workouts. 

The shampoo does have a subtle apple scent and is formulated with fragrance (so if your scalp is sensitive to added fragrance, keep this in mind). Additionally, it didn’t add much volume or life to our tester’s hair, regardless of how clean it looked and felt. Overall, we still think it’s a great product, especially for those who want a gentle formula without sacrificing a thorough cleanse. 

Melissa, tester with fine, thin hair: “I believe the shampoo did remove the oil and grease from my roots after one wash, and I do think that it worked effectively against sweat when I worked out. I probably could have gone longer between washes if I really wanted to…my hair still looked really good the next day, which is surprising given how it usually looks the [day after a wash].”

Best for Greasy Hair

Cecred Detoxifying Shampoo

$39 at Ulta$39 at Cecred.com

Hair Type: All | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-free: Yes

For many of us with oily scalps, greasy hair is a given, but this shampoo helps cleanse the scalp while also refreshing locks to break up the grease that gives hair that obviously dirty look. Our tester, who has a dry, oily scalp, typically finds her hair super greasy within two or three days of a wash, but with this shampoo, she said, “by day three, my locks still looked freshly washed with plenty of sheen.” It also left her hair with extra volume and made it feel pleasantly soft. 

This shampoo is made with PhytoFerment, which helps refresh, cleanse, and nourish the scalp and hair. If you dye your hair and are worried about how this shampoo could affect your color, rest easy, because it’s color-safe and the blue-purple formula helps prevent brassiness. We love this shampoo, but it’s worth noting that it’s not as powerful at cleansing the scalp as other formulas on this list, but it’s top-notch for leaving greasy hair looking its best. 

Cam, tester with thin, straight hair: “My [hair strands] were voluminous, clean, and glowed with a sheen even after one wash. Even a simple air dry gave me the full locks and fluff that I haven’t seen before so easily on my thin-textured hair. I felt like my hair was hydrated well into day three, even as my roots started greasing and flaking up.”

Best Fragrance-Free

Nécessaire Shampoo

$30

$24 at Amazon$32 at Sephora$30 at Necessaire.com

Hair Type: All | Size: 8.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The list of things we love about this shampoo is long, but at the top is just how well it cleanses excess oil, sweat, and product buildup (think dry shampoo, hair oil, and even leave-in products) from both the scalp and the lengths of the hair—without the addition of any fragrance. Though many shampoos that provide such a deep cleanse feel incredibly dry to the skin and often suck the life (and moisture) out of the hair, this one doesn’t. It effectively gets the job done while maintaining a comfortable and balanced feel on the scalp—it left our hair feeling light, fluffy, and incredibly soft. 

The formula’s texture is rich and gel-like, and we were incredibly impressed by how well it lathers. Overall: It’s extremely effective, color and keratin-safe, and, compared to other similar options, fairly priced. And, if you’re sensitive to smells, it’s an obvious winner. 

Donna, tester with thick hair: “After using this for the testing period, I have noticed that my hair has more body—it curls more than it did before, which is nice. It feels so much softer, almost like a child’s hair.”

Best for Hard Water

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Clarifying Shampoo

$29 at Amazon

$56

$29 at Ulta$29 at Redken.com

Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5, 34 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re showering in hard water consistently, it’s a good idea to use a shampoo that works to neutralize mineral buildup. This formula cleanses the scalp of excess oil and removes copper, iron, magnesium, and calcium, which are often found in hard water. It creates a fine lather that’s easy to massage around the head, and the more you work it through your hair, the more the lather grows. Our tester, Ashleigh, loved that she didn’t need to shampoo and rinse twice with it—it’s super clarifying the first time around. She could also stretch out her wash days every four to five days (which is beyond incredible if you have oily hair).

Though it claims to be safe on color-treated hair (and our tester didn’t see any issues with it fading color), beware that some online reviewers say this formula did alter their color. However, if you don’t dye your hair and you want a product that will reduce oiliness and neutralize mineral buildup, this is a solid choice.

Ashleigh, tester with fine, dense, straight hair: “My scalp felt totally clean and fresh after washing with this shampoo. It definitely got rid of all the oil and product buildup, and after using dry shampoo for a few days in between washes, there can be a lot.”

Best for Curly Hair

Shaz & Kiks Clay Hair Cleanser

$42 at Thirteenlune.com$42 at Freepeople.com$42 at Shazandkiks.com

Hair Type: All hair types | Size: 3, 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have curly hair or you just prefer a shampoo that’s a bit more gentle than other clarifying options, this is a great choice for you. It has a unique formula and texture—it comes in a tub and feels almost like a clay mask—but it lathers well and works to efficiently cleanse the hair and scalp. It’s formulated with an Indian clay that absorbs excess oils, hibiscus flower to help reduce hair shedding, and bits of Indian blackberry to provide subtle exfoliation. The perfectly balanced formula effectively removes oil and buildup but isn’t so harsh that it strips your scalp or dries out your hair.

After washing with this formula, our tester Elizabeth’s hair felt clean and soft, and her curls looked extra bouncy. Even better, it extended the days she could go without washing. It’s worth noting that she found the blackberry bits easy to wash away, but some online reviewers struggled to fully remove all of them. On top of all of this, the smell is divine—spicy, earthy, and a little sweet—and makes shampooing your hair something to look forward to.

Elizabeth, tester with thick, curly hair: “While using the shampoo in the shower, I immediately noticed my hair beginning to spring into curls, which tells me this shampoo is hydrating and nourishing. My hair looks soft, silky, with a lovely shape to my curls after using this shampoo.”