Looking for a good shampoo for dark hair? Here are some products including blue shampoos for brown hair, dry shampoos for color treated hair.
Different hair types require different products to give it the care it needs. So it’s good to use the best shampoo for dark hair if you’ve got black or brunette locks. People who have dark hair typically need products that will keep the texture and color of their hair intact without ripping off the strength of the hair.
Sure, you can go to the salon every week to get your hair washed and blow dried but how is that helping your individual hair needs and most importantly, your pockets!
So allow me to showcase the best shampoo for dark hair that will aid you to nourish and take care of your hair strands.
Shampoo For Dark Hair | Best For | Top Ingredients |
John Freida Brunette Visibly Color Deepening Shampoo | Ash Brown Hair | Evening Primrose Oil, Cocoa Extract |
Aveda Pure Plant Black Malva Shampoo | Damaged Hairs | Malva Extract, Eucalyptus |
OGX Shampoo Bamboo Radiant Brunette | Natural Brunette Hair | Bamboo Extract, Almond Oil |
R+Co Gemstone Coloring Shampoo | Dyed Brunette Hair | Sunflower Seed Oil, Rice Extract, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract |
Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo | Dark Hair with Highlights | Violet Pigments, Green Tea Extracts |
Aveda Clove Shampoo | Sensitive Scalps | Coffee, Sweet Almond Oil, Clove Oil |
Pravana Color Protect Shampoo | Color Protection | Silk Amino Acids |
Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo | Blue Shampoo For Color Balancing | Blue Pigments |
John Freida Brilliant Brunette Shampoo | Shine and Brilliance | Sweet Almond Oil |
Top Shampoos For Dark Hair | John Freida Brunette Visibly Color Deepening Shampoo | Aveda Pure Plant Black Malva Shampoo | OGX Shampoo Bamboo Radiant Brunette | R+Co Gemstone Coloring Shampoo | Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo | Aveda Clove Shampoo | John Freida Brilliant Brunette Shampoo | Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo | Pravana Shampoo |
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Price | Expensive | Very Expensive | Very Affordable | Very Affordable | Affordable | Slightly Expensive | Slightly Expensive | Affordable | Slightly Expensive |
Formula | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
Color Correcting Power | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
Cleansing Power | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
Ingredients Quality | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
Sulfate-Free | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Color Depositing | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
Top Shampoo For Dark Hair 2023
John Freida Brunette Visibly Color Deepening Shampoo
Best Shampoo For Ash Brown Hair
Dark hair tends to get lifeless and dull most times and to have a product to revive the shine is very important.
So when I tested this John Frieda shampoo I had high hopes from it. It’s a color depositing shampoo with brown pigments that will make your brunette hair color last longer.
On using I found the color deeply pigmented and was happy to note it did a fantastic job of covering up my greys.
I also liked how nourishing this shampoo was!
If you have darker hair color this shampoo from John Freida will provide you with the right kind of nutrients to keep your hair color intact and best of all, allow it to get thicker and fuller.
The primary ingredients of this shampoo are primrose oil and cocoa which are both excellent in safeguarding your hair strands.
However there is one little thing I didn’t like – the inclusion of sulfates!
So I suggest you not to overuse this shampoo but instead use it on every alternative day for the best results.
And it’s also quite expensive, so use it judiciously.
Pros
- Hydrates hair as it contains primrose oil
- It corrects reddish tones on brunette hair thanks to the color pigments
- The color pigments also help covers preventing your need for frequent touchups
Cons:
- Expensive compared to drugstore brands like OGX
- Contains sulfates so it can strip both hair dye and moisture from hair
My Ratings:
- Moisturizing – 4/5
- Shine – 4/5
- Color Protect – 4.5/5
- Affordability – 3.5/5
Related: What Blue Hair Dyes can I use for Dark Hair
Aveda Pure Plant Black Malva Shampoo
Best Natural Shampoo For Dark Hair
Look not all dark colored or brunette hair is the same. Some people might have dark hair with more oily scalps while other might have more dry or sensitive scalps.
So I was looking for gentle properties and soothing agents as part of the shampoo.
That is exactly what Aveda offers with this shampoo!
What drew me to this shampoo is that there are no harsh chemicals in here at all. No sulfates, no parabens and you know the best part even the color pigments in this shampoo are from natural souces!
The main ingredient of this shampoo is an exotic and rare herb called Black Malva which keeps your black and dark hair shiny and lustrous. (Mousavi, Seyyed Mojtaba et al. “A Review on Health Benefits of Malva sylvestris L. Nutritional Compounds for Metabolites, Antioxidants, and Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial Applications.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2021 5548404. 14 Aug. 2021, doi:10.1155/2021/5548404)
There are other additions to this shampoo including lemon and black tea which are all great contributors to removing dirt from within the pores.
So I really liked how this shampoo cleanses hair, moisturises it AND removes coppery undertones from brunette hair at the same time!
But is this shampoo perfect? Oh no. The quality is excellent but the price also matches its formula. I’d not advise using this as an everyday shampoo.
Also, be warned that it’s a blue shampoo. This means it’s job is to remove coppery undertones from brunette hair making them livelier and shinier.
It doesn’t contain any brown dye pigments and it won’t cover up greys or add pigment to your roots.
Pros
- It gets it’s color through organic ingredients and there are no artificial dye pigments present
- Removes reddish tones from hair as blue pigments cancel out red
- Good for sensitive scalps as it’s free of sulfates, alcohol and fragrances
Cons:
- Expensive, especially for the quantity recieved
- Not for covering greys as it’s a blue shampoo not a color-depositing one
My Ratings:
- Moisturizing – 3.5/5
- Shine – 4.5/5
- Color Protect – 4.5/5
- Affordability – 3.5/5
Related: What shampoo is good for white hair
OGX Shampoo Bamboo Radiant Brunette
Best Drugstore Shampoo For Dark Hair
Sun damage is one of the main reasons why color strips of the hair, especially dark hair colors and dyes.
So I was excited to use this OGX shampoo as it has the right ingredients to protect your hair from sun damage.
It is also a very popular drugstore brand so I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.
On using it made my hair feel soft and shiny almost instantly. I think you’ve got the almond oil and bamboo extract formula to thank for that.
It smoothened my hair strands and gives it a very lustrous texture.
I also liked that it contains UVA and UVB filters that help protect hair color from fading due to environmental exposure.
However, this glow wasn’t maintained for a very long time. I found that the shampoo made my hair worse once I started using it on a regular basis.
It might not contain sulfates but it’s still full of silicones, alcohol and artificial fragrances that can be really drying.
If you’re going brunette for a short while and do not want to spend on an expensive color protect shampoo than OGX is a good choice. Otherwise, I recommend you invest in a John Frieda or Aveda shampoo instead.
Pros
- Affordable drugstore prices and good quantity
- Almond oil formula moisturizes dark hair
- Bamboo fibers add volume to hair
- Gel-based shampoo has a lightweight formula and lathers well
Cons:
- Not for very dry hair as it’s light and contains harsh surfactants
My Ratings:
- Moisturizing – 3.5/5
- Shine – 4.5/5
- Color Protect – 4/5
- Affordability – 5/5
Daniel Galvin Organic Head Brunette Shampoo
Best Salon Shampoo For Dark Hair
A salon that I recently visited was using this Daniel Galvin shampoo and I liked when the washed my hair with it. So I decided to try it out for you.
I was assured this shampoo is good for my dark hair and yes, it did stand true to its claims.
The first thing I noticed about this shampoo while washing my hair was it’s scent. It has such a refreshing orange fragrance that made showering such a calming experience.
This shampoo has a powerful mixture of sage and black tea which have a strong and effective impact on dark hair tones.
It won’t strip hair color and protect your black/brown hair dye from fading. I can safely say that this shampoo is gentle (it’s sulfate-free) for dyed hair and natural hair too. It left my tresses very glossy.
What I love about this shampoo is that even though it gives you just the right amount of balanced ingredients, it is priced at a very reasonable price range.
Using this twice a week will do a good job in giving you a very nice hair texture and glossy dark hair.
Pros
- Adds shine to hair thanks to the black tea
- Aloe vera nourishes hair without making it greasy
- Lovely orange fragrance
- Sulfate-free and paraben-free formula with natural ingredients
Cons:
- Contains added perfume that won’t suit sensitive scalp
- Lightweight formula not for dry/curly hair
- Expensive
My Ratings:
- Moisturizing – 3.5/5
- Shine – 4.5/5
- Color Protect – 4/5
- Affordability – 5/5
R+Co Gemstone Coloring Shampoo
Best Shampoo For Dark Hair With Highlights
I was intrigued by this shampoo as it claimed to have a mild, natural formula – a mixture of hibiscus, golden root extract and rice water that’s supposed to nourish your colored hair.
And frankly, this shampoo from R+Co does fulfill it’s promise of nourishing and keeping your hair strands shiny and glossy at all times.
Hair color usually fades off when you begin washing your hair too much.
But I noticed that with this shampoo your hair color stays intact for at least 10 hair washes which can keep your hair and scalp squeaky clean.
The ingredients work well and the best for hair which is black and dark and keeps the lushness of my hair intact.
They also make sure your hair strands are not clumpy and rough and instead smoothen the hair strands.
Most importantly it does not fade the color off but keeps it alive for a longer time.
My only issue with this shampoo is that kind of expensive. But I guess it’s expected looking at it’s vegan and cruetly-free formula.
I would suggest using this shampoo if you have fine, damaged strands and don’t mind spending the money on a more higher-end product. Otherwise, you can simply use a drugstore brand like OGX.
Pros
- Enhances color as it contains UV protective properties
- The hibiscus extracts helps protect hair from damage
- The rice water is protein-rich and repairs damage
- Sulfate-free, cruelty-free, vegan
Cons:
- Expensive
- Contains perfume so can be drying
My Ratings:
- Moisturizing – 3.5/5
- Shine – 4.5/5
- Color Protect – 4/5
- Affordability – 5/5
Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo
Best Purple Shampoo For Dark Hair
No no don’t be confused. Purple shampoos aren’t just for removing brassiness from blonde hair. You can absolutely use it for removing yellowish tints from colored brown hair too.
I had a dark brown hair color for a while and wanted to give it a more “ashy” look. So I decided to see if a purple shampoo will do the job.
Aveda Clove Shampoo
Best Shampoo For Dark Oily Hair