11/07 9 Great Shampoos for Men

Sunday, July 11th, 2010 | View Comments

Check out these guy-tested shampoos that are right for your hair, no matter what kind of hair you have.

By Emily Kate Warren

I have never understood why many guys think it’s okay to research which razor is best for shaving, but they would never think about doing homework on which shampoo works for them.

(It’s because razors can be used as deadly weapons. Obviously. —Ed.)

You need good hair. Women like guys with hair — and not just hair, but hair that looks and smells good.

So I’m going to make it easy for you with a straightforward countdown of the best shampoos for guys. (Be sure to take note of the kind that’s best for your hair type.) If you just read this once and make your choice, you’ll be able to mindlessly buy the same shampoo for the rest of your life…unless, of course, you go bald.

Next: Shampoo for thinning hair

Your Hair Type: Thinning
You see a visible difference between the thinning hair at your crown verses the thicker sides of your head

Best Shampoo: Bos-Revive Nourishing Shampoo, $19
You need a shampoo that contains DHT inhibitors; DHT is the hormone that triggers hair loss. This one contains plankton-derived laminarghane, which jacks up DHT, as well as pentapeptides that help make hair appear fuller. You won’t notice results overnight, but over time it’ll make a difference.

Next: Shampoo for African-American men

Your Hair Type: African-American
One or both of your parents or grandparents is black, and your hair is coarse and extremely textured

Shampoo Rx: Carol’s Daughter Tui Herbal Shampoo, $13
Your hair needs intense moisture, and this shampoo contains lots of natural hydrating ingredients like lavender, nettle, and marigold. It’s also free of detergents that strip your hair of its natural oil. And only shampoo your hair every three to seven days.

Next: Shampoo for dyed hair

Your Hair Type: Dyed or highlightedYou’re hiding a little gray…or are on the run from the law.

Shampoo Rx: Pantene Color Hair Solutions Color Preserve Shine Shampoo, $4
Colored hair can look fried because of all the chemicals. So you should look for the ingredient like poly-DADMAC, a powerful polymer that repairs hair. Use warm (not hot, not cold) water when showering; it opens the cuticle (the hair’s outermost layer) to allow the shampoo to be absorbed all the way to the core.

Next: Shampoo for frizzy hair

Your Hair Type: FrizzyYou probably hate it when people describe your hair as “frizzy,” huh?

Shampoo Rx: L’Oréal Paris EverStrong Reconstruct, $7
Humidity is your enemy, but since you can’t control the weather, this shampoo is the best defense you’ve got. Frizzy hair is best combated by shampoos that contain silicones, which act kind of like drain stoppers to prevent your hair from absorbing moisture and going all Little Orphan Annie on you.

Next: Shampoo for oily hair

Your Hair Type: OilyBut you shower — honest!

Shampoo Rx: Axe Deep Clean Shampoo & Hair Scrub, $5
Oily hair gets weighed down at the roots, which means you look funky and your hair looks thin. So we recommend maintaining your scalp with an exfoliating shampoo to remove dead skin cells, extra oils, and product build-up. This one contains scrubbing rock crystals as well as citric acid to deeply cleanse your scalp. Be sure to rinse your hair with water for 5 to 10 seconds longer to release all the crystals.

Next: Shampoo for dandruff-prone hair

Your Hair Type: Dandruff-prone
You regularly see flakes in your hair.

Shampoo Rx: Kiehl’s Herbal Shampoo & Scalp Treatment for Dandruff Control, $18
Constantly scouting for flakes on your shoulders? You need a shampoo with Zinc Pyrithione, a fungicide whose antibacterial properties help to eliminate dandruff. The key to curing it is upkeep. Keep using the product even after the dandruff disappears.

Next: Shampoo for curly hair

Your Hair Type: Curly
Your hair starts to curl either at the root or ¼- to ½-inch from your scalp

Shampoo Rx: Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Smoothing Shampoo, $20
The key to keeping curly hair looking healthy and defined is to find a shampoo with ingredients that encourage moisture absorption. This one contains transglutaminase to enhance curls and glycerin to aid in water retention. But don’t shampoo daily.

Next: Shampoo for fine hair

Your Hair Type: Fine
It doesn’t easily hold its shape and usually lies fairly flat.

Shampoo Rx: Bed Head for Men Charge Up Thickening Shampoo, $15
Fine hair needs control to encourage it to hold style, but too much makes it lay flat (think Shemp from The Three Stooges; not a good-looking guy). This shampoo contains a perfect balance of thickening agents and body enhancers, so your hair will get enough muscle to actually do something instead of just lying there.

Next: Shampoo for normal hair

Your Hair Type: Normal
You don’t fall into any of the other specified categories here

Shampoo Rx: Aveda Pure-formance Shampoo, $18
The other shampoos are targeted to respond to specific damage or types, so using one of them could cause yours to go haywire. This one contains seaweed and licorice extract to cleanse and soothe your scalp and also smells great.

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