Editor Tip: Beyond those hardworking (yet gentle) exfoliants, antioxidant-rich citrus extracts boost moisture, softness, and shine. Plus, this is another chelating shampoo, so if you have hard water, your scalp and hair will still feel clean and soft post-rinse.
Key Ingredients: AHAs derived from lemon, orange, and apple extracts, panthenol | Who It’s For: All hair types, especially curly and coily hair
Best Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo: Adwoa Beauty Blue Tansy Clarifying Gel Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: Adwoa Beauty’s Blue Tansy Clarifying Gel Shampoo gets satisfyingly sudsy while effortlessly removing buildup, oil, and other impurities. This formula is packed to the brim with hydrating ingredients like glycerin and jojoba oil that detangle and moisturize—because sometimes you don’t have room (or time) for a second shampoo.
Editor Tip: This shampoo is Allure staff-approved and a 2022 Best of Beauty Award winner in our clean category. This means that its formula not only adheres to the Allure Clean Standard, but its cleansing and conditioning effects also impress the heck out of our testers more than other prestige options.
Key Ingredients: Blue tansy, glycerin, jojoba oil | Who It’s For: Coily, curly, wavy, or straight hair, dry and oily scalps
Best Exfoliating Shampoo: Rahua Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: Combine a scalp scrub with a clarifying shampoo and you get Rahua’s Exfoliating Shampoo, a scrubby cocktail of antimicrobial star anise, vitamin C-rich passionfruit, and hydrating mango sugars. The brand’s namesake ingredient, rahua oil, also pops up for its ability to soften hair strands and moisturize the follicle. The result: a scalp that’s relieved of flakes, buildup, and dryness.
Editor Tip: The brand recommends rinsing out your shampoo and conditioner with cool water (look at it like a cold plunge for your head) to boost circulation and add shine.
Key Ingredients: Rahua, star anise, passionfruit | Who It’s For: All hair types, especially oily scalps and fine hair
Frequently Asked Questions
What are clarifying shampoos?
Clarifying shampoos are deep cleansers that aim to remove the buildup of product residue, dead skin flakes, and oil and boost overall hair health. New York City-based hairstylist Cash Lawless notes that your stylist may suggest one based on these factors: the amount of buildup you’ve got, your porosity (how well your hair can absorb moisture), how often you use product, your natural sebum production, styling routine, heat usage, and whether or not your hair is color-treated.
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