Wash without worry.
While there are many beauty products formulated with sensitive skin in mind, especially for the face and body, narrowing down the best shampoos for sensitive scalp can be tricky. For one, there just aren’t as many options. But it’s imperative for people with sensitivities to consider gentle scalp treatments — shampoo included — to avoid any sort of irritation or reaction.
According to Michele Farber, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in Philadelphia, PA, “sensitive scalp is an umbrella term to describe stinging, burning, itching, and other similar symptoms on the scalp.” This can encompass a broad range of conditions, such as contact dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and certain types of alopecia, she says — not to mention a red or flaky scalp. And even headaches, nerve damage, and physical and emotional distress can contribute to sensitive skin on the scalp. “Common causes of irritation on the scalp include fragrances, as well as detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate,” Dr. Farber adds.
With all this in mind, Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Branford, CT and professor at Yale School of Medicine, says that those with sensitive scalps should avoid “sulfates and other harsh surfactants that can strip the skin of natural oils and compromise skin health.” As such, she recommends shopping for shampoos formulated with anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as coconut oil. She also recommends “humectants such as glycerin to pull in hydration and shea butter to enhance scalp and [hair] cuticle health.”
To help you maintain a healthy scalp-care routine, we’ve rounded up the best shampoos for sensitive scalp, including derm recommendations and favorites from Allure editors.
Best Overall: Nécessaire The Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: Nécessaire is known for its nourishing body-care products, but don’t sleep on the brand’s signature shampoo. It’s both hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic (meaning it won’t block pores) and has an impressive ingredient list, which includes moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (which has been shown to help with hair thickness and fullness), strengthening vitamin B5 (a.k.a. panthenol, and hydrating aloe extract.
Best for Dandruff: Head & Shoulders Shea Butter Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: You don’t have to sacrifice healthy, hydrated hair to treat an itchy scalp. This 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner (which won for its ability to defeat dandruff, along with its complementary conditioner) pairs pyrithione zinc, which calms scalp irritation and reduces redness and itchiness, with shea butter to nourish curls at the same time. The payoff? Soft, smooth hair even before you get to conditioner.
Best Fragrance-Free: Vanicream Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: “Vanicream Shampoo is free of fragrances and other common irritants that can contribute to sensitive scalp[s],” says Dr. Farber. Although the formula is lanolin-, paraben-, phthalate-, and sulfate-free, it is enriched with glycerin for added hydration, making it ideal for dry scalps.
Best Scented: Kristin Ess Extra Gentle Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: While it does have a subtle scent, this gentle cleanser is best suited for — you guessed it — people with sensitive skin. Its formula, which is both color- and keratin-safe, helps moisturize, soften, and smooth the hair. Ingredient highlights include glycerin, fatty acid-packed avocado and castor seed oils, and mango seed butter, the latter of which is rich in vitamins A, C, and E.
Best for Dry Hair: Serge Normant Meta Silk Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: Diane Madfes, MD, a New York City board-certified dermatologist and professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, recommends the Serge Normant Meta Silk Shampoo to support scalp health. According to the dermatologist, its formula — enriched with glycerin and camellia seed oil, which is high in vitamins A and C — “clean[s] the scalp and hairs while maintaining moisture.”
Best for Dry Scalp: DHS Clear Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: According to Dr. Farber, the DHS Clear Shampoo “gently cleanses” while being pH-balanced, meaning it can help balance your scalp’s pH levels. (Put simply, when your skin deviates from its natural pH, it could trigger inflammation and skin conditions like eczema.) This scalp shampoo’s fragrance-free formula helps eliminate flakes, product buildup, and other impurities, leaving your hair soft, clean, and shiny.
Best for Curls: SheaMoisture Wash ‘N Go Shampoo
According to Dr. Gohara, the SheaMoisture Wash ‘N Go Shampoo has “all the right actives” to keep hair “healthy but also looking good.” Its ultra-hydrating formula — which features smoothing and moisturizing shea butter and a blend of coconut, baobab, and sweet almond oils — is especially ideal for folks with curly hair.
Best for Natural Hair: Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Ultra-Soothing Shampoo
The Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Ultra Soothing Shampoo is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, which means it’s suitable for even the most sensitive scalps. Its nourishing formula features soothing aloe vera, fatty acid-rich oat milk, and antioxidant-spiked green tea — on top of some mainstay hydrating ingredients we love, like glycerin, panthenol, and meadowfoam. It’s also free of essential oils to avoid any chance of irritation on that front.
Best for Damaged Hair: Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Gentle Shampoo
Those with easily irritated scalps should incorporate The Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Gentle Shampoo into their hair-care routine, stat. This fragrance-, dye-, and paraben-free shampoo is even suitable for use on keratin-treated hair. It also contains exfoliating salicylic acid, which can help with an oily scalp. Plus, with ingredients like amodimethicone and hydrolyzed elastin – which cosmetic chemist Ginger King notes are conditioning and moisture-boosting, respectively — it’s gentle enough for people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation.
Best for Frizz: The Honest Company Purely Sensitive Shampoo + Body Wash
The Honest Company Purely Sensitive Shampoo is gentle enough for the whole family (babies, too!). Featuring a slew of key moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil, aloe, shea butter, and glycerin, this fragrance-free, hypoallergenic shampoo is specially formulated to soften hair while simultaneously taming frizz.
Best for Fine Hair: Klorane Ultra-Gentle Shampoo with Oat Milk
For lightweight, shiny-looking hair, look no further than the Klorane Ultra-Gentle Shampoo with Oat Milk. The formula’s hero ingredient, oat milk, is known for its skin-soothing properties. Plus, according to Dr. Gohara, “oats can reduce inflammation and also be cooling.” It’s also gentle enough to use on babies.
Best for Oily Scalp: Bumble and Bumble Gentle Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: This hydrating shampoo cleanses without stripping hair of essential moisture — in fact, it proactively delivers moisture with a combination of avocado oil and glycerin. Nettle extract serves as an astringent, removing excess oil from the scalp without causing irritation. However, it does contain sulfates and fragrance, which is worth keeping in mind if you’re sensitive to those ingredients.
Best for Colored Hair: Pureology Strength Cure Sulfate Free Shampoo
Why It’s Worth It: This won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award for its ability to protect hair against fading and breakage, thanks to its antioxidants and UV filters. It builds to a rich lather and repairs damaged hair as it cleanses, leaving it soft and strong. It’s also free of sulfates, and won’t leave your scalp feeling tight or dry.