When it comes to achieving the lustrous locks you desire, the health of your hair and scalp is of paramount importance. The journey to longer, thicker hair and a vibrant scalp begins with cleanliness, and this is where hair growth-specific shampoos come into play.
According to Dr. Dendy Engleman, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in NYC, nurturing your hair is pivotal to its growth and overall health. Factors such as medications, treatments, diet, and health conditions can have an impact, but it is the way you care for your hair that plays a crucial role. Dr. Engleman emphasizes that hair growth shampoos are designed with ingredients that support and stimulate hair growth, making a significant difference in the rate of hair growth.
Given the popularity of the quest for hair growth, the beauty market is flooded with a myriad of hair growth shampoos. But how do you discern which ones truly work and can deliver the results you desire? To address this question, our PEOPLE Tested team embarked on a rigorous testing and research journey, washing their hair with nearly two dozen formulas to evaluate ingredients, efficacy, and results. After a thorough review, they’ve distilled the list to the top seven shampoos for hair growth in 2023.
1. Best Overall: Vegamour GRO+ Advanced Replenishing Shampoo
2. Best Budget: Marc Anthony Grow Long Super Fast Strength Shampoo
3. Best Strengthening: Grande Cosmetics GrandeHAIR Peptide Shampoo
4. Best Lengthening: Évolis Professional Promote Shampoo
5. Best for Natural Hair: Luseta Beauty Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo
6. Best Soothing: DS Laboratories Revita Antioxidant Hair Density CBD Shampoo
7. Best Thickening: Miriam Quevedo Black Baccara Hair Multiplying Shampoo
What to Look for in Shampoo for Hair Growth?
1. Hair Growth Ingredients
When selecting a hair growth shampoo, Dr. Engleman advises scrutinizing the ingredients, especially those conducive to a healthy scalp and hair growth. She highlights ingredients like caffeine, peppermint, green tea, and biotin as effective stimulants for hair growth. Additionally, ginseng is a popular ingredient known to reduce inflammation and prolong the hair’s growth phase, fostering longer, stronger strands.
Our top budget pick, Marc Anthony Grow Long Super Fast Strength Shampoo, boasts ingredients like ginseng and caffeine. DS Laboratories Antioxidant Hair Density CBD Shampoo features caffeine, and Alodia Nourish & Hydrate Creme’ Shampoo incorporates peppermint for stimulation.
2. Hair Strengthening Ingredients
In addition to promoting hair growth, Dr. Engleman recommends searching for formulas containing ingredients that fortify hair follicles and cuticles. “Just as important as growing more hair is ensuring that the hair you have stays healthy and strong,” she explains. Ingredients such as keratin and argan oil contribute to hair conditioning and resilience, making it less prone to breakage and environmental stress.
Our top overall choice, Vegamour GRO+ Advanced Replenishing Shampoo, includes Karmatin™, a vegan keratin alternative that enhances hair bonding and strengthens strands.
3. No Harmful Additives
Dermatologists caution against shampoos containing harmful chemicals like sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. These ingredients can weaken and damage hair, exacerbating thinning and loss.
