They smell fantastic and promise to leave your hair looking fabulous. There are so many to choose from that the selection is overwhelming. Out of all the options, which is the best Herbal Essences shampoo?
The answer depends on your hair type and the results you want. The best Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner for a person with dry, curly hair might be too nourishing for someone with fine, oily hair. That’s why you’ll be happier with your purchase if you understand your hair type first.
There are four main hair types ranging from stick straight, to wavy, curly, and tightly coiled. Within each type, there are three levels of porosity or absorbency. Generally speaking, persons with straight hair have less porous strands than those with curls and coils. If you’re not sure, there’s an easy test that takes less than a minute. Get a bowl of water and drop one of your hairs in it. If the hair floats, it’s not porous. If it sinks immediately or within a few seconds, it is.
Once you understand your hair type, it’s easier to find the right Herbal Essences shampoo. For example, the Bourbon Manuka Honey Shampoo leaves straight hair with extra shine and body. And the Rose Hips Smooth Shampoo eliminates frizz even on humid days. Check out the rest of the top Herbal Essences shampoos below:
| The best Herbal Essences shampoos | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Herbal Essences Repairing Argan Oil Of Morocco Shampoo |
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| Herbal Essences Shine Collection Chamomile Shampoo |
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| Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Rejuvenate Bourbon Manuka Honey Shampoo |
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| Herbal Essences Rose Hips Smooth Shampoo |
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| Herbal Essences Shampoo for Colored Hair, Color Me Happy |
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| Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo |
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| Herbal Essences, Clarifying Shampoo, Tea Tree and Jasmine |
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| Herbal Essences BioRenew Shampoo, Sulfate-Free, Mango + Potent Aloe, Curl Definer |
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Is Herbal Essences shampoo good for your hair?
The proof is in the pudding – it’s always a joy to use a shampoo that makes our hair look and feel better. Herbal Essences makes both sulfate-free shampoo and shampoo with sulfates to meet everyone’s needs. They never include parabens, those harmful preservatives that can mess with hormones. Plus, they partnered with the Royal Botanic Gardens to use botanicals with a positive impact on human health.
Moreover, they are a certified cruelty-free brand that keeps an eye on the well-being of the planet. Their manufacturing facility in Iowa is certified Zero Manufacturing Waste to Landfill. It composts, recycles, has reduced water consumption, and uses energy recovery programs to protect the environment. Even the shampoo bottles are one-quarter beach plastic recovered from the oceans.
Lastly, the brand also supports The Nature Conservancy in its efforts to restore forests around the world. That’s just another reason why it’s worth trying one of the best shampoos below.
Best Herbal Essences Shampoo in 2024
Herbal Essences Repairing Argan Oil Of Morocco Shampoo
This shampoo is recommended for all hair types, but we suggest that it’s best for straight or wavy hair, but not curls or coils because it’s not sulfate-free or silicone-free.
However, it’s wonderful for fine or thick hair and especially nice for coarse hair. We’ve seen white-headed and gray-headed reviewers gush about how their hair feels soft, shiny, and manageable after washing with it.
The formula is 90% natural origin, meaning it’s crafted with botanicals and ingredients that have undergone limited processing. It’s also made with purified water and contains no parabens or artificial colors.
What does it smell like? It’s like vanilla and spices with a bit of citrus. Yes, it’s an artificial fragrance, so we recommend a patch test if your skin is sensitive to perfumes.
Is there a downside? Even though it’s pH-balanced, it’s not sulfate-free. In fact, the second ingredient is sodium lauryl sulfate and the third sodium laureth sulfate. Those ring alarm bells for many modern shoppers, especially those with a dry scalp or dry hair. On the other hand, they are helpful if you have naturally oily hair or prefer to go a day or two between shampooings. Both components are detergents (surfactants) that remove oil and impurities.
If you see a hair care product with sulfates, take a look at the rest of the ingredients. Chances are it’s been carefully balanced with plenty of moisturizers. This shampoo, for instance features argan oil and aloe to keep the hair and scalp conditioned.
And there’s another disadvantage that appears in every Herbal Essences shampoo we reviewed: cocamidopropyl betaine. It’s a surfactant that was once named Allergen of the Year. A few people with sensitive skin will find that cocamidopropyl betaine will make them feel itchy or leave their skin dehydrated. That’s unfortunate because it’s often used in place of sulfates and so it turns up everywhere these days.
We have to be honest. Even though we’ve nit-picked the cons of this shampoo, it can hold its own with more expensive salon-quality formulas. In fact, when compared to high-end brands, Herbal Essences shines because of its commitment to using better ingredients and protecting the world around us.
Pros:
- Suitable for straight and wavy hair
- Leaves hair soft, shiny, light, and manageable
- 90% natural origin ingredients
- pH-balanced
- Smells like citrus, vanilla, and spices
Cons:
- Contains sulfates, silicone (dimethicone), cocamidopropyl betaine, and an artificial fragrance
Herbal Essences Shine Collection Chamomile Shampoo
Do you love glossy hair? Then you’ve got to try this shampoo with chamomile, aloe, and passionflower. It smells like a meadow full of wildflowers.
Furthermore, it’s color-safe, which is thrilling since color-treated hair tends to become dull. The shampoo will bring back the gleam. Plus, it has just the right amount of suds for a good cleaning and it won’t leave a residue because it’s silicone-free.
If you have a keratin treatment, you’ll need to look elsewhere because it contains sodium chloride and isn’t sulfate-free.
Pros:
- Color-safe and silicone-free
- Makes dull hair glossy
- Smells like wildflowers
Cons:
- Not suitable for keratin treatments
Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Rejuvenate Bourbon Manuka Honey Shampoo
This is our editor’s favorite Herbal Essences shampoo, and it’s not just because of the delicious fragrance. After a two-week trial of solid shampoo, her hair was dull, stiff, and prone to frizz and static cling. A single shampooing with this product immediately brought it back to life even though she didn’t use the matching conditioner. (The results were even more spectacular with the conditioner!)
The formula contains botanicals endorsed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, plus real honey, which is an excellent moisturizer. These natural ingredients are minimally processed, and the shampoo is 90% natural origin overall.
What’s also nice is that the creamy formula is pH-balanced and color-safe, with no parabens, artificial colors, or silicone.
Pros:
- 90% natural origin ingredients including honey
- Minimally processed and made with pure water
- Restores shine and body
- pH-balanced and color-safe
- Contains no parabens, silicone, or dyes
Cons:
- Not sulfate-free
Herbal Essences Rose Hips Smooth Shampoo
Here’s the best Herbal Essence shampoo for frizzy hair. It’s made for straight, fine, oily, and color-treated hair. The formula works its magic without the use of silicone, leaving the hair light and manageable. Instead, it relies on jojoba and vitamin E to make each strand shiny and smooth.
As you might imagine, it smells just like roses. (Why can’t flowers from the florist smell this good?) Happily, the dermatologist-tested formula is pH-balanced and color-safe.
Reviewers say that it doesn’t take much shampoo to make a lot of lather, so the bottle lasts a long time.
Pros:
- Ideal for eliminating frizz without silicone
- Features jojoba and vitamin E to smooth each strand
- Makes hair shiny and soft
- Color-safe and suitable for straight, fine, and oily hair
- Smells like roses
Cons:
- Not sulfate-free
Herbal Essences Shampoo for Colored Hair, Color Me Happy
Up till now, we’ve pointed out the color-safe shampoos. But this one is specifically formulated to keep color from fading and allow you to go a day or two between shampoos without the hair getting oily. (Obviously, the less you wash, the longer the dye lasts).
It’s a rose-scented shampoo with actual rose and passionflower extracts in it. There’s also a dash of corn silk to rejuvenate the hair.
Pros:
- Features rose, passionflower, and corn silk
- Protects color-treated hair and restores shine
- Pleasant scent, gloss, and bounce last for more than a day
Cons:
- Not sulfate-free
Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo
Say goodbye to limp hair and hello to body and volume. No, you won’t have to sacrifice softness or shine because those are part of the deal.
What magic makes it happen? Pearls, passionflower, and corn silk are the key ingredients here. You also get to enjoy an uplifting citrus fragrance.
Also, the shampoo is paraben-free and silicone-free – you don’t need any of that stuff to have gorgeous hair.
Pros:
- Delivers volume, body, softness, and shine
- Uplifting citrus fragrance
- Featured ingredients include pearls, passionflower, and corn silk
- Silicone-free and paraben-free
Cons:
- Not sulfate-free
Herbal Essences, Clarifying Shampoo, Tea Tree and Jasmine
Which is the best Herbal Essence shampoo for oily hair? We recommend the tea tree shampoo that’s designed to sweep away product buildup and provide a deep, satisfying cleanse.
The thick lather rinses easily because it’s silicone-free. Then your hair will be buoyant, smooth, and shiny once more. What’s more, the formula provides protection against breakage and split ends, plus it helps with detangling.
If you have dry hair but use a lot of styling products, the shampoo is good for a once-a-week or once every other week treatment. Otherwise, it’s a little too strong.
Pros:
- Excellent for oily hair
- Cleanses styling product buildup
- Silicone-free but helps with detangling and protects against damage and split ends
Cons:
- Not sulfate-free
Herbal Essences BioRenew Shampoo, Sulfate-Free, Mango + Potent Aloe, Curl Definer
At last, here’s the best Herbal Essence shampoo for curly hair. It’s sulfate-free, plus it’s safe for color-treated styles.
The first thing you’ll notice is the freesia, pink grapefruit, and white musk scent. But the next detail may shock you. If you’ve never tried sulfate-free shampoo before, you might be concerned about the lack of lather. That doesn’t mean you need to pile on another pump. The shampoo will work better if you don’t overwhelm your hair with excess product.
Massage it into the scalp just like you normally would and rinse thoroughly. Protect your curls by applying conditioner and using a microfiber towel or a T-shirt to dry the hair. If you avoid scrubbing with the towel, it makes it easier to keep the curls defined.
Reviewers say that the shampoo leaves the hair soft and manageable with little to no frizz. Using the matching curl cream completely eliminates flyaways.
Pros:
- Designed for curly and wavy hair
- Keeps curls defined and eliminates frizz
- Sulfate-free
- Smells like pink grapefruit, white musk, and freesia
Cons:
- Makes fewer suds but cleanses well all the same
Conclusion
There’s no need to spend a lot of money on a salon shampoo when Herbal Essences can give you the same or better results. This brand makes shampoos for every hair type and need in a delicious variety of scents.
We hope you found the best Herbal Essences shampoo for your hair today. Be sure to drop by again to see new reviews of the best hair care products.