Now more than ever, hair care products that keep your hair healthy are essential. Feeling It’s as good as it looks, without compromising on the health of your hair, and it also takes care of your scalp, which is where hair health comes from (literally).
This year’s best products include an intense strengthening treatment, a hair oil that doubles as a heat protectant, and a hair dryer that automatically adjusts to keep too much heat off your scalp. See all 25 products below.
Best Pre-Shampoo:
Kerastase
Premier Super Concentrated Decalcifier,
$58.00
The most effective hair cleansing starts before you even hit the shower: This pre-shampoo treatment helps eliminate dulling minerals and strengthens keratin bonds, leaving your hair feeling stronger as you lather, rinse, and repeat. —Kara Gillian BrownBeauty Editor
Best Exfoliating Shampoo:
This shampoo, scalp, and scrub hybrid sets the standard for scalp scrubs. Featuring dissolving granules and binchotan charcoal to gently scrub away dry skin and product buildup, the blend of coconut, tea tree, and mint oils soothes and hydrates, leaving your scalp feeling cleansed and balanced. —K.J.B.
Best Cleansing Shampoo:
A wash-day essential for me, Bumble and Bumble’s Sunday Shampoo does exactly what it sounds like: expertly removes dirt, excess oil and product build-up, leaving hair squeaky clean without leaving the scalp feeling tight or flaky. It lathers super well and smells amazing, with a blend of Loral Blackcurrant, Sweet Cyclamen and Cool Mint Leaf scents. —Lauren ValentiBeauty Director
Best Moisturizing Shampoo:
My hair is dry and this product is very effective. It is very gentle because it uses coconut oil based surfactants, so it cleanses the skin and removes oil, dirt and debris but does not strip the skin. It also uses aloe vera and coconut oil and a bit of sunflower seed oil to moisturize the skin. Love That smell. —Michelle Henry, MD.Board Certified Dermatologist
Best Conditioner:
I use Ceremonia’s Guava Conditioner to repair my color-treated 3b curls while preserving my blonde highlights and protecting them from future damage. I love that this conditioner’s main ingredients are the antioxidant-packed superfruit guava, and moisturizing aloe vera to nourish my hair. And the scent gives me an instant dopamine hit. —LV
Best Deep Conditioner:
When I want some intense moisturizing, I always use Akilay Naturals Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner. It leaves my hair super soft and manageable immediately. I love using it on my daughter, especially when her hair needs a deep detangle. —Neima Lafontcelebrity hairstylist
Best Strengthening Treatment:
To experience heat, color, and volume without damaging your hair, incorporate a strengthening treatment into your routine. This intensive treatment from Cécred is my favorite. The main part of the two-step program is mixing rice flour complex with water to create a fresh, powerful strengthening elixir. Follow with a silk rinse and you’ll be left with shining, strengthened hair. It’s so powerful that you should only use it once every three months. —K.J.B.
Best Strengthening Masks:
When your hair needs a boost but you’re pressed for time, try this Dove mask. In just one minute, a bond-strengthening mix of peptides will revitalize damaged hair. Use weekly, or in small doses, as needed. —K.J.B.
Best glosses to use at home:
Rita Hazan gave me the honey blonde color of my dreams. But even with great coloring, heat, minerals, and other factors can cause color loss. So to keep hair bright and shiny, I use Hazan gloss to hold the color in. This gloss comes in three shades (Beyoncé and I both use Breaking Brass) and is super easy to use. After applying conditioner, give it a few pumps, leave it on, and rinse for a refreshed look. —K.J.B.
Best leave-in spray:
Housed in a chic oval bottle, Pantene’s luxuriously scented Hair Essence Mist contains hair shaft repairing Pro-Vitamin B5 to give your hair shine and strength every day, and its light floral and tropical scent doubles as a lightweight hair perfume. —LV
Best leave-in creams:
After washing my hair, I use this on all my tightly coiled hair, it nourishes and moisturizes my hair and also makes it easier to brush because it makes my hair slippery. -Dutch
Best Curl Cream:
I’m obsessed with Aveda’s new Be Curly Advanced range, which has some great styling options, including their Curl Enhancer Cream. Designed for types 2A-3C, it’s packed with conditioning kokum seed butter and 17 strengthening amino acids, giving you great hold even in high humidity. —LV
Best Hair Supplements:
I love this hair supplement from Agent Nateur. It goes great with my morning coffee or smoothie. I’ve seen a big difference in my hair since using it. —Jenna PerryCelebrity Colorist
Best scalp serum:
This scalp serum is packed with all the good stuff, including peptides that help with hair growth, and in my opinion, it’s the most nourishing scalp serum out there. —JP
Best Hair Serum:
When I want to refresh my curls between washes, I head straight for RŌZ Milk Hair Serum, which is infused with a proprietary Botanical Complex (a blend of ginger root, frankincense, grape extract, and walnut), fortifying red algae extract, and scalp-soothing panthenol. This 3-in-1 serum detangles, smooths, and lightly shapes, making it just what my curls need to return to a soft, silky finish. —LV
Best Hair Oils:
This oil leaves my hair super shiny and healthy looking. I love that it not only provides styling benefits but also repairs my hair on a molecular level by increasing bond strength. Honestly, I use it on everyone. —NF
I love that this oil protects hair up to 450° F. It can also be built up to add some serious shine. The more you use this product, the healthier your hair will be. —JP
Best Sea Salt Spray:
I love this surf spray from 14th Night to spice up your summer beach look – the packaging and scent are so chic. —JP
Best Shine Spray:
Some beauty brands have a nostalgia factor that others don’t. For me, TRESemmé is one of those brands. My mom has loved the brand since I was a little girl and I always remember seeing the tall black bottle in her shower as a child. Like most daughters, I’ve taken after my mom and continued to use TRESemmé products into adulthood, especially their Keratin Smooth Line. All year round, but especially during the humid summer months, the products tame frizz and leave my hair shiny and soft to the touch. —Samantha Brush Director of Content Strategy
Best Texture Spray:
Another cult favorite, Oribe Dry Texture Spray is rich in texture, smells amazing, and is a buildable spray so you can reapply it throughout the day. —JP
Best Strong Hold Hairspray:
It can be hard to improve on a classic product, but L’Oreal Paris has done just that with their recently revamped Elnett Hairspray, which is fragrance-free. While Elnett Hairspray’s scent is undoubtedly iconic, it never hurts to have an unscented option. Don’t worry, the new formula boasts the same high, yet touchable, brushable hold. —LV
Best Dry Shampoo:
This may sound like an exaggeration, but I believe there’s no point in blow-drying without dry shampoo. If you’re going to put in the effort (or money), you want it to last. That’s where the king of dry shampoos comes in: Living Proof. This shampoo soaks up oil and sweat (I use it to give my hair a boost after a long run) and gives my hair so much volume and body that it’s no exaggeration to say that my hairstyle looks better on the second day than it did the day before. I’ve been using this product for years, and nothing else comes close. —Madeline Hirsch StampFashion Features Director
Best Edge Control:
Perfect edge control is hard to find. You want something that holds without being sticky and dries without flaking. This product from Maui Moisture is the perfect in-between product. It’s a blend of moisturizing aloe and strong-holding flax that keeps edges from budgering. —K.J.B.
Best Hair Dryer:
Of all the products Dyson has launched, the Supersonic is my favorite. From my own experience, to chatting with friends, to watching girls on TikTok, the Supersonic seems to be something everyone loves, regardless of hair type, texture, or styling preferences. The latest version of this tool, the Nural, takes what we all love about the OG and adds a scalp protection mode. Plus, it has smart learning technology that records your styling preferences between attachments and a pause detection feature that stops the heat when you put it down. —K.J.B.
Best curling iron:
Keeping your curls natural doesn’t mean you don’t rely on heat every now and again, and I love this interchangeable iron, which comes with three different heads to help you create a natural look. Really It creates even curls all over your head, is made from tourmaline ceramic, and has a removable clip so you can use it as a traditional curler or as a wand. —K.J.B.
Best Flat Iron:
This curling iron is my best friend when I’m straightening my hair. It responds to your movements so heat is distributed evenly throughout your hair no matter how hard I press. Plus, it can be styled at 365°F for minimal damage and optimal results. —K.J.B.