If you want glossy hair, here are the top shampoo for shiny hair for you. I’ve tested and reviewed several products to find the perfect shine enhancing shampoo.
Shiny hair is a result of the hair cuticle being so smooth that light reflects of it very easily and causes the hair to “shine”. Several smoothening agents like shea butter, coconut oil and even silicones can make the scales of the hair cuticle lie flat, providing a smooth surface to reflect light and make hair appear glossy and more shiny.
Best Shampoo For Shiny Hair | Top Ingredients |
Best For Curly Hair: SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo | Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Hibiscus Extract |
Best Drugstore Shampoo: Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo | Moroccan Argan Oil |
Best For Shine Enhancing: OGX Smoothing + Liquid Pearl Shampoo | Sea Kelp, Pearl Extract |
Best Natural Shampoo: Herbal Essences Shine Collection Shampoo | Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Passion Flower Extract |
Best For Oily Hair: Matrix Biolage Sugar Shine Shampoo | Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid |
Best For Dry Hair: Kerastase Elixir Ultime Sublimating Oil Infused Shampoo | Marula Oil, Camellia Oil, Argan Oil |
Best For Adding Volume: TRESemmé Botanique Color Vibrance & Shine Shampoo | Pomegranate and Camellia Oil |
Best For Damaged Hair: Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo | Argan Oil, Keratin |
Best For Colored Hair: R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo | Panthenol, Glycerin, Olive Oil |
Best For Frizzy Hair: Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo | Jojoba Oil |
Yes, a shampoo too can make your hair more shiny if the ingredients help repair and smoothen the hair cuticle texture. The SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo is one the best for shiny hair as it has natural ingredients like coconut oils that smoothen hair instead of buildup-causing chemicals like silicone. It is also helps repair hair and enhance curls.
Top Shampoo for Shiny Hair 2024
SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo
This shampoo isn’t just a shampoo for shiny hair, it’s also a great pick for naturally curly hair thanks to the coconut oil in it. According to a study (Sarkar R, Podder I, Gokhale N, Jagadeesan S, Garg VK. Use of vegetable oils in dermatology: An overview. Int J Dermatol. 2017;56:1080–6) “Coconut oil is an emollient that prevents loss of moisture from hair”Coconut oil forms a coating over the hair shaft, thereby sealing the cuticle and traps the moisture inside“.
Being naturally coarse in texture, type 4 hair can often lack lustre and shine. And this is where the SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Shampoo comes in.
I liked that the formulation is enriched with, you guessed it, coconut oil, just like the name suggests. But there’s also the compulsory shea butter and hibiscus extracts that add moisture to the strands and boosts shine. And does it work? Yes absolutely!
But what I love most about this product is that a lot of shine-boosting shampoos contain tons of silicone. And while this ingredient might give you instant shine, it weighs down your.
So I was impressed how this SheaMoisture shampoo is completely silicone-free. This means your curls stay bouncy and light all day long.
The shampoo doesn’t contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, or other harsh chemicals either. It also gets bonus points from us for being cruelty-free.
What I Liked:
- Super moisturizing as it contains shea butter and coconut oil
- The hibiscus extracts controls hair damage
- Enhances curls and is good for making waves on hair
- Sulfate-free and doesn’t contain other harsh chemicals
What I Didn’t Like:
- It can leave hair greasy
- Not suited for straight hair or wavy hair types
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 4.5/5
- Cleansing Properties -4.5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3.5/5
Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo
Buying a good shampoo for shiny hair doesn’t mean you empty your wallet. If you want a good drugstore variety shine-enhancing shampoo, try this one by Suave Professionals.
I liked that the formulation is rich in nourishing ingredients such as Moroccan argan oil, sweet almond oil, and coconut oil which are good for adding moisture, strength, and shine to dull and dry tresses.
But I was wrong. This shampoo did nothing for “shine enhancing” on my hair. In fact, it left my hair very dry after just using it only one time.
A lot of users swear by the lovely fragrance this shampoo leaves behind on your hair. But then again these are perfumes so it won’t be too good for sensitive scalps
And did I mention that this product contains surfactants. Yes, SLS and SLES.
It’s no wonder given the really good price tag.
So if you’ve got colour-treated hair or a sensitive scalp, this shampoo isn’t for you. I also do not suggest using this as an everyday shampoo as it can dry out your locks.
What I Liked:
- Helps remove excess oil from scalp
- Very pleasant fragrance
What I Didn’t Like:
- It cannot be used daily as it’s too harsh
- Not suited for color-treated hair as it strips hair dye
- It contains both SLS and SLES making it unsuitable for sensitive scalp
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 3.5/5
- Cleansing Properties -4.5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3/5
OGX Smoothing + Liquid Pearl Shampoo
OGX is one of the more well-known brands in the hair care industry. A lot of users love their shampoos due to the sheer variety they offer. And of course, the low price tag doesn’t hurt either.
So I decided to try the Smoothing and Liquid Pearl shampoo as it is specifically designed (unlike others on this list) for shiny hair.
While most shampoos try to add moisture to tresses to bring out its natural sheen, this shampoo adds a layer of lustre to your strands. This is thanks to the luminescent pearl extracts that reflect light.
There is also sea kelp that nourishes hair and leaves them silky and smooth.
I used this shampoo only for two weeks as I found very quickly that it wasn’t compatible with my coily hair. But I will concede that it did do its job of adding shine to hair.
I suggest people with dry hair go for the SheaMoisture shampoo instead of this one as the OGX shampoo can get a tad drying.
However, I did like that the shampoo is free of any sulfates, so it won’t strip dye from color-treated hair.
Does it have any other downsides? Well, it does has a very strong fragrance that can get overwhelming for some users. Not to mention a bit irritating for those with scalp conditions like eczema.
But if you have straight or wavy hair and want shiny hair on the cheap this shampoo isn’t too bad.
What I Liked:
- Hair looks clean and soft after use as it’s very clarifying
- There’s an added “sparkle” to your tresses due to the pearl extracts
- Controls frizzy hair as it contains sea kelp
- Affordable drugstore prices
What I Didn’t Like:
- The artificial perfume is not good for sensitive scalp types
- Hair feels dry after use as it’s not very moisturizing
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 5/5
- Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3.5/5
Herbal Essences Shine Collection Shampoo
After using Suave and OGX, I thought I’ll go the the natural route and prefer a herbal shampoo for my tresses, so I bought this Herbal Essences Shine Collection Shampoo.
I was intrigued by this product as it claims to be a blend of plant-derived ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile, and passion flower extracts.
These herbal extracts help hydrate dry, dull tresses, repair damage, and leave your hair looking soft, healthy, and shiny.
So is it good? Well let’s talk about the good parts first. I adored the meadow fresh fragrance! It’s pleasant but not too strong. So using this shampoo is a great calming experience.
Now coming to the bad. I was a tiny bit disappointed at the inclusion of harsh surfactants in this otherwise fantastic shampoo. There’s both SLS and SLES in the formulation. So if you have color-treated hair, stay away.
Also the shampoo doesn’t do much in terms of “shine enhancing”. So it was like using a regular ol’ shampoo with a pleasant scent. Overall I’d say give this one a skip.
What I Liked:
- The formula is cruelty-free and PETA-approved
- It doesn’t contain any silicones so it adds shine without weighing your hair down
- Amazing herbal fragrance due to essential oils
What I Didn’t Like:
- Contains both SLS and SLES despite the “herbal” tag
- It can leave scalp dry as the formula is too harsh
- Some people might be prone to allergies due to the herbal ingredients
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 4/5
- Cleansing Properties – 5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3/5
Matrix Biolage Sugar Shine Shampoo
When I think of the best shampoo for shiny hair, it’s usually a rich, nourishing product meant for dry tresses. But what about those with greasy scalps such as mine? Excess oiliness can also leave your hair looking dull.
So this time I’d try something a little different and used this Matrix shampoo.
Was I right? Nope. I was really disappointed to see the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate in this. Yes I know the shampoo is supposed to clean your hair thoroughly but this one is a bit…well too thorough.
Unless you have very straight, very greasy hair, I don’t see this shampoo working well for you.
But does this shampoo leave your hair shiny? Yeah kind of.
Its gentle exfoliation that left my hair looking buffed and shiny. Also, I don’t suggest this one for color-treated hair either.
What I Liked:
- Gently exfoliates scalp when using
- Removes excess oil and dirt as it contains surfactants
- Bubblegum-like fragrance
What I Didn’t Like:
- Fragrance can be too overpowering for some users
- It can leave hair either very dry or gummy and sticky
- Contains SLS so it’s no good for color-treated hair or sensitive scalp
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 4.5/5
- Cleansing Properties -4.5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3.5/5
Kerastase Elixir Ultime Sublimating Oil Infused Shampoo
My hair had gotten a bit too dry after testing all those sulfate-based shampoos. So I decided to go for something more nourishing this time.
If you have really dry hair and want to infuse some life and shine into your tresses, look no further than this Kerastase Shampoo.
I loved what it did to my hair in just a single wash.
The shiny, eye-catching packaging is a great way to describe how this product leaves your hair. Two words… Very. Glossy.
There’s a blend of nourishing oils including sunflower seed oil, argan oil, etc. along with protein-rich corn extracts that help your tresses retain moisture and remain smooth and straight.
And before you ask no it doesn’t contain SLS or SLES. So I give a big thumbs up for the formula.
Also, this shampoo doesn’t contain any silicones. So you don’t have to worry about this product weighing your hair down.
Are there any downsides to this shampoo? I suggest using it only if you have dry hair. It can make oily scalp types worse.
What I Liked:
- Very nourishing as it contains marula and argan oil
- Good for low porosity hair as it contains lightweight oils
- Controls frizz thanks to the nourishing formula
- Sulfate-free formula suits colored hair
What I Didn’t Like:
- Can be too heavy for oily scalps
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 5/5
- Cleansing Properties -4.5/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 4.5/5
TRESemmé Botanique Color Vibrance & Shine Shampoo
Frequently changing your hair color can leave your tresses damaged and dull. So this Tresemme product is a great choice for infusing that shine and vibrancy back into your color-treated hair.
This shampoo is sulfate-free, which means there are no harsh surfactants that can strip away your hair dye. There are no paraben or silicones either. Just a lot of natural ingredients like camellia seed oil and pomegranate extracts.
The antioxidant-rich formula will leave your hair brighter, shinier, and softer in just a couple of washes. And the best part is that it doesn’t cost a fortune.
Oh, and another thing. This shampoo has a low foaming formula, so be careful not to overuse the product.
My Ratings:
- Shine Enhancing Properties – 4/5
- Cleansing Properties – 4/5
- Gentleness on Hair – 3.5/5
Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Healthy hair is automatically shiny and soft. So if you have breakage, frizz, and split ends, your tresses would look dull too. This Olaplex No. 4 Shampoo helps repair your locks on a molecular level.