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If you're currently mending brittle strands, lather up with the best shampoos and conditioners for dry hair. There are so many daily wear-and-tear factors that can leave your hair feeling drier than hay (seasonal changes, color treatments, and your heated hair tools are just a few of them), so give your strands some softening solace in the form of these in-shower duos.
The key to these moisturizing shampoos and conditioners is their formulations, which gently cleanse hair of product buildup (another root cause of dry hair) while smoothing it with a blend of hydrators and conditioners you might be familiar with—do vitamin E and coconut oil ring a bell? They're not hard to find, either; even drugstore shampoos deliver. Below, we're talking all things dry hair, including hairstylist tips on minimizing dryness and editor-approved shampoos and conditioners to enhance texture and shine.
Our Top Shampoo and Conditioner Picks for Dry Hair
- Best Overall: K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner, $36 each
- Best for Shine: Oribe Supershine Hydrating Shampoo ($49) and Conditioner ($52)
- Best for Frizz: Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo ($37) and Conditioner ($42)
- Best for Breakage: Nécessaire The Shampoo and The Conditioner, $60 (duo)
- Best for Flaky Scalps: CosRx Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo ($23) and Hair Bonding Treatment ($23)
- Best for Curly Hair: Curlsmith Frizz Control Cleanser ($26) and Duo Conditioner ($27)
- Best for Heat Damage: Beekman 1802 Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo and Conditioner Set, $54 (duo)
- Best Softening: Laura Polko Ultimate Moisture Shampoo ($12) and Conditioner ($12)
Frequently Asked QuestionsLargeChevron
- What causes dry hair?
- How can I minimize dry hair?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner
K18
Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner
Amazon (Shampoo)
Amazon (Conditioner)
Why it's worth it: Allure editors and professional hairstylists are fans of K18’s Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner, which won a 2024 Best of Beauty Award. Los Angeles-based hairstylist Clayton Hawkins and New York City-based hair colorist Kimberly Ruszczyk call out the brand’s proprietary peptide, K18, which works at a molecular level to support bond maintenance and reduce protein loss while leaving strands with a softer texture and more vibrant shine. “It strengthens and repairs dry, damaged hair from the inside out, leaving it healthier, smoother, and more manageable without weighing it down,” says Hawkins.
Allure social media director Kassidy Silva before applying the K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner
Kassidy Silva
Silva after applying the K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo and Conditioner
Kassidy Silva
Tester feedback from Allure social media director Kassidy Silva
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“I use half a dozen hair products on a weekly basis; dry shampoo, hairspray, gel, you name it. To give my hair a reset, I use the K18 shampoo and conditioner once a week and like to keep the shampoo on for at least five minutes to really cleanse my scalp before moving on to the conditioner.” —Kassidy Silva, social director
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: K18 (peptide), plant-derived surfactants (sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate)
- Key conditioner ingredients: K18, ceramides, polysaccharide
- Scent: citrus
Best for Shine: Oribe Supershine Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
Oribe
Supershine Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
Amazon (Shampoo)
Amazon (Conditioner)
Why it's worth it: While product buildup and chemical treatments can be common culprits that zap your hair’s shine, it’s the lack of moisture that really makes dry hair look lifeless and blah. When hair is dehydrated, the cuticle doesn’t lie flat, so instead of reflecting light, your hair looks dull. Thirsty hair will guzzle up the moisture from Oribe Supershine Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner: “It’s perfect for reviving hair that feels dry or looks dull—the formula adds intense moisture and enhances shine, making your hair look instantly more vibrant,” says Raven Hurtado, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, Illinois. Packed with amino acids, shea butter, and cranberry extract, this combo nourishes dry hair, bringing back bounce, softness, and a silky shine.
Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee before applying the Oribe Supershine Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
Christa Joanna Lee
Lee after applying the Oribe Supershine Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
Christa Joanna Lee
Tester feedback from Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee
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“I have long, dry, frizz-prone hair, and this duo just might be my Holy Grail. The shampoo has that signature scent (fellow Oribe stans know the one), and while it’s on the thicker side—it takes a bit of work to lather—you can already feel how hydrating it is in the shower without stripping your natural oils. The conditioner absorbs instantly, but I did need a decent amount, so I can already see myself finishing the bottle way before the shampoo. Still, the payoff was worth it: my hair looked shiny, healthy, and so boundy.I usually have to finish off my heat styling with a hair oil to smooth frizz and add shine—but with this Oribe shampoo and conditioner, I didn’t need the extra step in my hair-care routine.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: cranberry extract, amino acids, pro-vitamin B5
- Key conditioner ingredients: cranberry extract, shea butter, marula oil, pro-vitamin B5, rice complex
- Scent: watermelon, lychee, edelweiss flower
Best for Frizz: Davines Love Shampoo and Conditioner
Davines
Love Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner
Amazon (Duo)
Why it's worth it: Davines’ Love Shampoo and Conditioner might feel a touch heavy for fine strands, but thick hair textures will revel in its creamy, ultra-conditioning formula. It delivers all the flake-fighting cleansing power you expect from a shampoo while going a step further with rich hydration that keeps frizz at bay. The magic ingredient? Minuta olive extract, packed with fatty acids and vitamins, which boosts shine, elasticity, and that soft, touchable feel.
Tester feedback from Allure commerce writer Lily Wohlner
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“I have thick, curly, frizzy hair, so finding a shampoo and conditioner combo that actually tames it hasn’t been easy. What first drew me to Davines was the scent—this one smells like fresh, clean laundry in the best way—but what’s kept me a loyal fan is the way it leaves my hair silky and smooth after every wash. Especially when I blow it out, my hair looks glossy, soft, and effortlessly polished.”—Lily Wohlner, commerce writer
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: minuta olive extract, glycerin
- Key conditioner ingredients: minuta olive extract, glycerin
- Scent: orange blossom, pink grapefruit, florals, musk
Best for Breakage: Nécessaire The Shampoo and The Conditioner
Necessaire
The Shampoo and The Conditioner
Amazon (Duo)
Nécessaire (Duo)
Why it's worth it: Dry hair can lead to breakage, so if you're dealing with broken strands (and the inevitable split ends they create), swap your usual in-shower routine with Nécessaire’s The Shampoo and Conditioner. The minimalist, fragrance-free formulas are packed with skin-care ingredients for your scalp, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, to hydrate, smooth, strengthen, and reduce breakage without weighing hair down. The Shampoo gives you a gentle, sulfate-free cleanse while The Conditioner softens dry ends with a silky finish.
Allure contributing editor Deanna Pai before applying the Nécessaire The Shampoo and The Conditioner
Deanna Pai
Pai after applying the Nécessaire The Shampoo and The Conditioner
Deanna Pai
Tester feedback from Allure contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
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“This shampoo and conditioner hit it out of the park for both my scalp and my hair. For one, they're among the few formulas that don't dry out my scalp and cause flakes. The same goes for my hair: Together, they leave it soft, shiny, and and clean, but never straw-like—which is especially noteworthy since I'm a daily hair-washer.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: hyaluronic acid, aloe, niacinamide, celery extract, avocado oil
- Key conditioner ingredients: hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, avocado oil, aloe, niacinamide, ceramides
- Scent: fragrance-free
Best for Flaky Scalps: CosRx Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo and Hair Bonding Treatment
Cosrx
Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo and Hair Bonding Treatment
Amazon (Shampoo)
Amazon (Treatment)
Why it's worth it: Whether you’ve been dealing with flakes forever or just pushed wash day one too many times (we’ve all been there), CosRx’s Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo and Hair Bonding Treatment (this acts like a conditioner and hair treatment in one) are the ultimate reset for your scalp and strands. Packed with strengthening peptides, this power duo repairs damage, melts away buildup, and leaves hair feeling silky and weightless. The pH-balanced formulas also soothe and hydrate your scalp with a calming blend of niacinamide and panthenol, so itchiness and irritation are officially canceled. Clean, soft, ridiculously refreshed hair that feels brand new, sans any itchiness or irritation.
Allure commerce editor Sarah Han before using the CosRx Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo and Conditioner
Sarah Han
Han after using the CosRx Peptide 132 Hair Bonding Shampoo and Conditioner
Sarah Han
Tester feedback from Allure commerce editor Sarah Han
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"I gave my initial samples to our shopping director, Shanna Shipin (simply because I have too much hair care to go through!), and she ended up loving them—so, of course, I had to give them a real shot. The Peptide 132 Ultra Perfect Hair Bonding Shampoo deep-cleansed my scalp without being as harsh as other “typical” clarifying shampoos, and left it feeling really gosh-darn soothed, rather than stripped. It was the ultimate test, as my scalp gets greasy pretty quickly and I hadn't washed my hair in over a week, so I think the zinc PCA did a great job minimizing sebum and irritation."—Sarah Han, commerce editor
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: peptides, zinc PCA, caffeine, niacinamide, panthenol
- Key conditioner ingredients: peptides, collagen, amino acids, biotin, niacinamide
- Scent: light, clean, floral
Best for Curly Hair: Curlsmith Frizz Control Cleanser and Duo Conditioner
Curlsmith
Frizz Control Cleanser and Duo Conditioner
Amazon (Shampoo)
Amazon (Conditioner)
Why it's worth it: Curly hair needs all the texture-defining moisture they can get—hence, we present Curlsmith's Frizz Control Cleanser and Duo Conditioner. This Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning bundle has all of our curly-haired editors in a trance through the brand’s frizz-reducing, bounce-enhancing combination of coconut butter, sunflower seed oil, and argan oil. Pro tip: If your hair can handle it, use the conditioner as a leave-in for extra smoothness.
Allure social media manager Bianca Richards before applying the Curlsmith Frizz Control Cleanser and Duo Conditioner
Bianca Richards
Richards after applying the Curlsmith Frizz Control Cleanser and Duo Conditioner
Bianca Richards
Tester feedback from Allure social media manager Bianca Richards
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"I thoroughly enjoy how this dynamic curl duo helped whip my curls into shape and tame them without adding additional product after washing out a blowout. The scent is super tropical with notes of milky mango, creamy coconut, and sweet papaya, which all remind me of visits to Puerto Rico." —Bianca Richards, social media manager
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: coconut butter, sunflower seed oil, argan oil, cocamidopropyl betaine
- Key conditioner ingredients: coconut butter, sunflower seed oil, argan oil
- Scent: mango, coconut, papaya
Best for Heat Damage: Beekman 1802 Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Beekman 1802
Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo
Beekman 1802 (Duo)
Why it's worth it: If you’ve gone a little too hard with your heat tools (we’ve all been there), don’t panic—Beekman 1802’s The Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo and Conditioner Set has you covered. Like the rest of the brand’s lineup, this duo harnesses the power of goat milk—packed with lactic acid, minerals, and vitamins—to nourish the scalp, hydrate parched strands, and smooth away frizz. Rosemary extract helps calm irritation, while Brazilian flex peptide bond and hydrolyzed collagen work overtime to strengthen, repair, and boost shine. After just one wash, frazzled hair feels soft, bouncy, and full of life.
Allure senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin before washing her hair with the Beekman 1802 Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Sarah Felbin
Felbin after washing her hair with the Beekman 1802 Milk Therapy Peptide Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Sarah Felbin
Tester feedback from Allure senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin
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“I have super-thick, frizzy hair that can be tough to tame (and I'm not doing my split ends any favors with my regular at-home blowouts). This shampoo and conditioner is like a total reset—every time I use it, my hair looks noticeably shinier and feels so much softer. The shampoo lathers up satisfyingly and leaves my hair and scalp feeling squeaky clean. And the conditioner is highly moisturizing—I notice a difference the minute I wash it out, and the results are even clearer after I dry and style my hair. Plus, both smell amazing (fresh but also floral, thanks to bergamot and bamboo). I'll definitely be repurchasing these!” —Sarah Felbin, senior commerce editor
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: Brazilian flex peptide bond, rosemary extract, goat milk, collagen
- Key conditioner ingredients: Brazilian flex peptide bond, rosemary extract, goat milk, collagen
- Scent: honeydew, mandarin
Best Softening: Laura Polko Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Laura Polko
Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Target (Shampoo)
Target (conditioner)
Why it's worth it: If you're seeking soft, touchable strands, Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko hit these formulas right on the head. She formulated the creamy, ultra-nourishing products with shea butter and hyaluronic acid to smooth, strengthen, and hydrate hair from root to tip. They glide through hair effortlessly, coating every strand without weighing it down or leaving behind a greasy finish. The result? Hair that feels silky and detangled for days after styling—think thick, bouncy, and impossibly shiny, like you just left a blowout bar.
Allure senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor before washing her hair with Laura Polko Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Jesa Marie Calaor
Calaor after washing her hair with Laura Polko Ultimate Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Jesa Marie Calaor
Tester feedback from Allure senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“The formulas in these book-shaped bottles revived my limp, extra-dry waves. The shampoo feels emollient in my hands, creating a rich lather as I work it through my scalp and mid-lengths. A small amount of conditioner is enough for my waist-length hair. Together, they leave my waves soft, smooth, and smelling incredible. My only gripe with this duo is its packaging, which is thick and somewhat hard to squeeze.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: shea butter, hyaluronic acid, coconut oil
- Key conditioner ingredients: shea butter, hyaluronic acid, coconut oil
- Scent: florals, sandalwood
More shampoos & conditioners for dry hair we like
Best for Deep Moisture: Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
amika
Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Amazon (Shampoo)
Amazon (Conditioner)
Why it’s worth it: Sometimes products that promise deep moisture can leave your hair feeling heavy or flat, but Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner strike the right balance. “They’re packed full of plant-based oils, blue algae, hyaluronic acid, and coconut water to hydrate, protect, and lock moisture in,” says Cody Renegar, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist. The shampoo gently cleanses without stripping, while the conditioner deeply nourishes and detangles, leaving dry, coarse hair soft, smooth, and manageable for up to several days before your next wash. However, “if your hair is on the thinner or finer side, the rich, hydrating ingredients in this pair might feel a bit heavy,” says Renegar. “That’s something to keep in mind with any ultra-moisturizing formula.”
Editor’s tip
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If your hair is seriously parched, you’re in luck: The conditioner can double as a hair mask. Leave it on for five to 10 minutes before rinsing for an extra boost of hydration.
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: squalane, hyaluronic acid, coconut water
- Key conditioner ingredients: squalane, hyaluronic acid, coconut water
- Scent: seabuckthorn and coconut
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner
Pureology
Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner
Amazon (Duo)
Why it's worth it: Bleaching and coloring hair can take a toll on your strands, but you should be discerning with your shampoos and conditioners to maintain your expensive hair treatments. Our editors love Pureology's color-safe Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner so much that we gave them a Best of Beauty Award in 2023 and another in 2024 for their pigment-boosting and softening effects. Each bottle has a creamy jojoba oil-infused formula that enhances the shine and feel of your hair.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“Every time I use this duo, my hair feels almost impossibly soft and looks shampoo-commercial levels of shiny.” —Kara McGrath, content director
More to know
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- Key shampoo ingredients: jojoba oil, green tea extract, sage extract, sodium cocoyl isethionate
- Key conditioner ingredients: jojoba oil, green tea extract, sage extract
- Scent: lavender, bergamot, patchouli
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes dry hair?
Dry hair is caused by lack of moisture, according to Hawkins, which can be attributed to a long laundry list of factors. Our delicate strands come by a lot on a daily basis, including overexposure to harsh chemical treatments and environmental stressors like cold weather and dry heat at your home or office, according to Ruszczyk. "Frequent washing or using products that strip moisture can deplete the scalp's natural oils," adds Lordet. According to all three experts, your hairstyling tools can also cause dryness. "Heat-styling tools, like flatirons and blow-dryers, can damage the hair cuticle, leading to moisture loss," says Hawkins.
How can I minimize dry hair?
Both Lordet and Hawkins agree that incorporating hair treatments and products with moisture-replenishing ingredients is key to enhancing the look and feel of your hair. "To combat dry hair, look for ingredients that hydrate and restore moisture balance like argan oil, coconut oil, aloe vera, glycerin, panthenol, and honey to help restore moisture, reduce frizz, and keep hair looking healthy and shiny," says Lordet. Hawkins is also a fan of shea butter, which he calls "incredibly moisturizing and helps to smooth frizzy, brittle hair."
Meet the experts
- Clayton Hawkins, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist
- Cody Renegar, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist
- Jerome Lordet, a New York City-based hairstylist
- Kimberly Ruszczyk, a New York City-based hair colorist
- Raven Hurtado, a Chicago-based hairstylist at Maxine Salon
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn't want to pick up a purple shampoo that's only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that's never been tested by anyone with curls—right?
For our review of the best shampoos and conditioners for dry hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, hairstylists, and colorists. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
