The 8 Best Shampoos for Oily Hair of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Nécessaire The Shampoo

5

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Known for chic branding and elevated formulas, Nécessaire has nailed it yet again with this shampoo. Though a fragrance-free shampoo might sound boring to some people, it’s a dream for those who are headache-prone, suffer from allergies, or prefer their perfumes to be the star of the show. The texture of the formula is rich and gel-like, and we were incredibly impressed by how well it lathers. Just mild massaging of the scalp will produce a creamy bunch of bubbles, making for a sensorial experience as you cleanse your hair and scalp.

The list of things we love about this shampoo is long, but at the top is just how well it cleanses excess oil and product buildup from both the scalp and the lengths of the hair. It works to break down grease, sweat, dry shampoo, and even hair oil and leave-in products applied to the strands. Though many shampoos that provide such a deep cleanse feel incredibly stripping on the skin and often suck the life (and moisture) out of the hair, this one doesn’t. Perhaps that’s because it’s formulated with nourishing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and mild plant surfactants. It effectively gets the job done while maintaining a comfortable and balanced feel on the scalp—it even leaves the hair feeling light, fluffy, and incredibly soft. We could sing the praises of this formula even more, but let’s leave it at this: it’s extremely effective, fragrance-free, color and keratin safe, and compared to other similar options, fairly priced.

Price at time of publish: $28

Hair Type: All | Size: 250 ml | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

Kristin Ess Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo

4.5

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If you’re looking for a budget-friendly shampoo that will give your oily hair a good cleanse, we recommend this one. It contains a proprietary strengthening complex that helps to smooth the appearance of damaged strands, and we love that it works to cut grease and grime without overdrying the hair. Though it’s suitable for all hair types, the texture is really lightweight, making it particularly easy to massage through fine hair. This is a formula that you’ll probably want to shampoo twice with because it doesn’t lather all that well on the first shampoo—but once it cuts through the initial layer of grime, it lathers beautifully on the second shampoo.

We love that it manages to deeply clean the scalp and hair without over-stripping and causing significant dryness or irritation. It leaves the hair feeling soft and clean and looking shiny. And if you prefer shampoos that aren’t overly fragranced, you’ll also appreciate that this one has just a light floral scent.

Price at time of publish: $13

Hair Type: All | Size: 296 ml | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Clarifying

Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo

4.7

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There are regular showers, and then there are those showers where you do it all—we’re talking shaving, deep cleansing, a hair mask, etc. This perfectly named shampoo is ideal for when you need a complete reset for your hair—something you might try to achieve as part of your do-it-all routine if you have some extra time on Sundays. It’s a clarifying formula that works to completely rid your hair of grease, product buildup, and pollution that could be coming from your water or environment. While it might be a bit too harsh for everyday use, it’s fantastic achieving a super deep clean.

The formula contains ginseng root and sage leaf extract to cleanse, as well as rosemary extract to stimulate the scalp. It creates a nice lather with minimal effort required, and it absolutely does what it claims to do. One of our testers even noted that it cleaned her oily scalp so well she was able to go one to two days longer than usual in between washes. The caveat to this is that it can be drying on the strands, so we recommend applying a nourishing hair mask to the lengths of your hair after shampooing. Considering how effective it is, how easy it is to lather and rinse out of the hair, and the fact that it comes in multiple sizes, we highly recommend this shampoo from Bumble and Bumble.

Price at time of publish: $16, $30, $86

Hair Type: All | Size: 60, 236, 1000 ml | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Purifying

Ouai Detox Shampoo

4.2

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If you use dry shampoo consistently, it’s important to ensure that your hair-washing routine is effectively getting rid of the remnants every once in a while. Why? Because buildup can contribute to a greasy scalp. This clarifying formula works to purify and detoxify the scalp by washing away buildup and grease. It contains apple cider vinegar which aids its purifying capabilities, but some people find that the scent from it is pretty unpleasant. If the scent doesn’t bother you, then we think you’ll love this formula.

The texture is rich and creates a smooth lather, and it’s meant to be left on in the shower for a few minutes to fully work its magic. Once you rinse it out, your hair will be left feeling squeaky clean. Admittedly, it is a bit drying, so this is another shampoo that we recommend following up with a deep conditioner. Though it’s a bit drying on the lengths of the hair, it doesn’t leave the scalp feeling stripped or irritated. Another thing we love about this shampoo is that it comes in fully recyclable packaging as well as a range of sizes, including a large refill size. So if you’re trying to adopt a more sustainable hair care routine, this shampoo will get bonus points in your book.

Price at time of publish: $14, $32, $40, $64

Hair Type: xx | Size: 89, 300, 474, 946  ml | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Balancing

Shaz & Kiks Balancing Clay Hair Cleanser

5

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People with curly hair are often more prone to dryness—but there are exceptions, and using leave-in products and dry shampoo can contribute to buildup and grime. So if you have curly hair or you just prefer a shampoo that’s a bit more gentle than other clarifying options, we think 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 clay native to India, which works to absorb excess oils, as well as hibiscus flower to help reduce hair shedding. It strikes the perfect balance between being so gentle that it doesn’t effectively remove oil and buildup and so harsh that it strips the scalp and dries out the strands. After washing with this formula, our hair felt clean and soft, and our curls looked extra bouncy.

It also contains Indian blackberry bits to provide subtle exfoliation, which is great if you’re dealing with flakiness, but it’s worth noting that while we didn’t have trouble washing the bits from the hair, some online reviewers noted they struggled to fully remove them. Between how satisfying the texture is to apply, how effectively it cleanses, how beautifully it enhances the shape of curls, and how delicious it smells, recommending this product is a no-brainer.

Price at time of publish: $30, $42

Hair Type: Wavy, curly | Size: 90, 230 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Neutralizing

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Clarifying Shampoo

4.2

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Hard water is full of minerals, and over time these minerals can create a buildup in the hair which can result in greasiness and dull-looking hair. If you’re showering in hard water consistently, it’s a good idea to use a shampoo (like this one) that works to neutralize mineral buildup. With just one shampoo, this formula works to cleanse the scalp of excess oil and remove 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 we love that you don’t need to shampoo and rinse twice with it—it’s super clarifying the first time around.

Though it claims to be safe on color-treated hair, and we personally didn’t see any issues with it fading or altering color, beware that some online reviewers say this formula did alter their color. However, if you’re working with your natural color and you want a product that will reduce oiliness and neutralize mineral buildup, this is a solid choice.

Price at time of publish: $25, $50

Hair Type: All | Size: 250, 1000 ml | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Color-Treated Hair

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox Shampoo

4.8

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We know that frequent shampooing can shorten the life of your color and keratin treatment, so if you have these treatments and oily hair, you might find yourself between a rock and a hard place. The solution? A really good cleansing shampoo that’s safe on keratin and color. We love this one because it doesn’t disturb color or treatments, but it works to completely cut through excess oil to reveal squeaky clean, soft, and shiny hair. It’s formulated with activated charcoal to absorb oil, as well as an anionic polymer to remove buildup and pollution.

Just a quarter-size amount of the formula creates tons of bubbles and an intense lather that’s really satisfying to massage across the scalp. It leaves the scalp feeling fresh and rejuvenated, and while it is just slightly drying on the strands, this can be easily mitigated by following up with a deep conditioner. Lastly, we love that it features a spa-like earthy scent that’s not overpowering.

Price at time of publish: $32

Hair Type: All | Size: 160 ml | Cruelty-Free: Yes