The Best Shampoo For Hair Growth, According To Experts

When your hair is shedding or thinning the steps you take to address it can feel especially significant. Your hair can feel so delicate that you don’t want to leave anything up to chance, and when it comes to shampoos, conditioners, and other products that you add to your scalp and strands, this becomes an even bigger factor. Instead of fearing shower time (because you know you’re about to experience hair shedding when you shampoo, brush, and style your hair), think of it as an opportunity to nourish your hair with good-for-your scalp ingredients. This is the best shampoo for hair growth, according to experts. 

First: which ingredients should you look for? 

When you have thinning hair and want to encourage hair growth, it’s all about finding shampoos that are gentle and nourish, says Casey Simmons, owner of Royal Locks Curl Care. “You will need extra moisture (oils) to grow hair,” Simmons said. “The best shampoo for keeping hair healthy is sulfate-free and pH balancing. Sulfate-free shampoos contain gentle cleansers (i.e. Sodium Lauryol Glutamate & Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine and MIPA) that won’t strip away the natural oils produced by the sebaceous glands that hair desperately needs to prevent breakage, keep its shape and shine, and not look frizzy.”

Simmons recommends shoping for sulfate-free shampoos with a pH level of 6 to 7 for straight hair and 4.5 to 5.5 for curly hair.

Simmons recommends shopping for sulfate-free shampoos with a pH level of 6 to 7 for straight hair and 4.5 to 5.5 for curly hair.

As for ingredients in hair care products that repair damage, strengthen hair, and moisturize, look for biotin (Vitamin B7) for follicle growth and and Panthenol (Vitamin B5) to strengthen hair. “Taking these vitamins as supplements has also been known to help hair grow,” Simmons said. “Hair products with proteins (wheat and soy amino acids) coat the hair shaft acting as bonds to the molecules, promoting the look and feel of thicker hair. A diet or supplements that includes these amino acids can likely add to further hair growth.”

Allison Gandolfo, who is a designer colorist at Zahir Ziani Salon, says when choosing a high quality shampoo for thinner hair look for these key ingredients: essential oils, jojoba oil, peppermint, seaweed collagen, aloe vera, shea butter, and biotin.

“The ingredients you want to stay away from are: sulfates, triclosan, polyethylene glycols, mineral oil, benzene, parabens, short chain alcohol, formaldehyde, dimethicone, diethanolamine, and artificial dyes,” Gandolfo said.

Shampoos For Hair Growth 

When Gandolfo wants to recommend a great shampoo for hair growth, these are the two she turns to:

Shu Emeura - Initalistie Shampoo —  “I love this hair density increasing shampoo, excellent for thinning hair, and strengthening hair,” Gandolfo said. “The result is hydration and renewal of hair texture to recover bounce, amplification of thickness all while preserving the hair’s integrity.”

Oribe — “Oribe is the king of styling products [and] makes a scalp shampoo that helps cleanse the scalp and promote hair growth. This sulfate-free shampoo keeps flakiness at bay while supporting optimal moisture balance of the scalp and hair. Salicylic acid gently exfoliates, while bilberry fruit and sugar maple extracts simultaneously soothe the scalp. Salicylic acid has proven to be adept at clearing dead skin cells and other pore-clogging impurities.”