Guys with thick hair can’t reach for just any old shampoo in the shower. While even an ounce of lamentation may elicit eye rolls from the envious, just know that this is a safe space for the amply blessed. I’m here to help out the hair type that can often be coarse, dry, and hard to comb through post-cleanse. Undoubtedly, the best way to fully nourish a full head of locks is with the best shampoo for men with thick hair.
Thick hair typically needs a few things that thinner cleansers don’t offer. A great shampoo needs to cut through oil and build-up to provide tons of hydration without tamping down that god-given body and preferably some detangling aspects, especially if your texture is coarse. And even though you might have a lot of hair, you can still be dealing with issues like breakage and distress. A shampoo for thick hair men will help with that.
While you might possess plenty of strands, thick hair can also be confoundingly fine—but don’t worry, I’ve got just the shampoo for you. Essentially, if you have thick hair, you need moisture and strength from a thorough cleanse. And I have all of the very best options to choose from.
Keep scrolling for the 7 best shampoos for men with thick hair, and get to scrubbing.
Key Takeaways
For this assignment, I began poring over hundreds of photos, customer reviews, and even my own shower (and my partner’s) until I whittled it down to the 7 finalists you see on this list. Overall, the best shampoo for men with thick hair is Redken All Soft Shampoo because it delivers intense hydration and strengthens the hair, all at a great price from a salon-quality brand. For curly-haired dudes, check out DevaCurl Curl Bond Re-coiling Mild Lather Cleanser to seal split ends, and restore damaged cuticles while preventing build-up on the hair.
Redken All Soft Shampoo at Amazon
Shea Moisture Intense Hydration Shampoo at Amazon
Ouai Thick Hair Shampoo at Amazon
It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Shampoo with Keratin at Amazon
American Crew Daily Cleansing Shampoo at Amazon
Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath at Amazon
DevaCurl Curl Bond Re-Coiling Mild Lather Cleanser at Amazon
Best Overall: Redken All Soft Shampoo
Why it’s Great: I’m a firm believer in investing in high-quality haircare. That’s why I love Redken—it delivers salon-quality results at a price point that will leave your wallet happy. The All Soft shampoo is wondrous for thick hair because it deeply moisturizes and hydrates particularly distressed strands. It uses a protein and strength complex plus argan oil to cut down on breakage and supply that supple, shiny hair you always see in commercials.
How it feels: Lather up wet locks with this lightly-scented product and rinse clean before conditioning.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Because this shampoo is heavy-duty, it might not be the best option for fine hair.
Scent: Lavender | Ingredients: Argan oil, | Size: 10.1, 33.8 oz
Best Budget: Shea Moisture Intense Hydration Shampoo
Why it’s Great: If something a little more natural is your speed, you’ll likely love Shea Moisture. This highly hydrating shampoo replenishes dry, damaged hair thanks to a blend of fair trade shea butter, nourishing oils, and the full alphabet of vitamins A,C,D,E,F that are essential for skin and hair health. If you want something to cut through grease and build up effectively while also leaving the hair below soft and easy to brush through, this is it.
How it feels: Reviewers love the way the honey and oils feel nourishing on the scalp as the shampoo cleanses.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: I wish they would specify if it’s safe for color-treated hair, but it doesn’t contain any stripping ingredients, so I’m hopeful.
Scent: Honey | Ingredients: Shea butter, Marufa oil, manuka honey, vitamins A,C,D,E,F | Size: 13 oz
Best Luxury: Ouai Thick Hair Shampoo
Why it’s Great: This is one of those luxury shampoos that is truly worth every penny. Positive review after positive review note how well it refreshes the scalp while also nourishing the hair as it subtly lifts hair at the root without weighing it down. It uses ingredients like marshmallow root to soften and detangle, shea butter to lock in moisture, and avocado oil to strengthen and prevent breakage. Plus, it has keratin, which is a wonder for fighting frizz.
How it feels: Whether your hair is wavy, textured, curly, or straight, you’re going to love the way it hydrates and strengthens your hair.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: There is a strong, somewhat feminine scent going on here. Something to keep in mind.
Scent: Jasmine, white musk, rose, lemon | Ingredients: Keratin, marshmallow root, shea butter, avocado oil | Size: 10, 32 oz.
Best on Amazon: It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Shampoo with Keratin
Why it’s Great: This shampoo is beloved by guys with thick hair because it’s great value, especially for those with long hair. While the keratin-protein is ideal for chemically-treated, damaged hair, this shampoo restores moisture and shine on all kinds of thick hair types, especially if your hair tends to get frizzy. In addition to UV protection, it locks out humidity to keep hair smooth while also preventing breakage.
How it feels: Apply to wet hair in the shower, and rinse, for a light-feeling head of hair.. Thick, unruly hair types often need a leave-in conditioner post-shower.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Unfortunately, several reviewers had issues with the pump on the bottle.
Scent: Not listed | Ingredients: Keratin, pantenol, chinese tea leaf extract, sunflower seed extract, linseed oil, linalool | Size: 10, 33.8 oz.
Best Everyday: American Crew Daily Cleansing Shampoo
Why it’s Great: American Crew has been a mainstay in men’s grooming forever. I love their shampoo for thick hair because it seems to work for everyone. Whether your hair is frizzy, thinning, colored, and if your scalp is itchy or greasy, it cuts through thick hair, regardless of style, to remove oil and hydrate hair. It uses pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol) to moisturize, leaving hair soft and manageable. You can even use it as a beard cleanser, especially at that attractive price point.
How it feels: You don’t need a lot of product to work into a lather and thoroughly cleanse the hair to leave it feeling airy and bouncy.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: It’s an affordable, everyday product, but if you’re suffering from particularly dry, distressed hair, other options on this list might be better for you.
Scent: Citrus mint | Ingredients: Pro-vitamin B5 | Size: 3.3, 8.4, 33.8 oz
Best for Fine Hair: Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath
Why it’s Great: Because fine hair refers to the thickness of each strand, it’s entirely possible to have fine, thick hair. This shampoo gently cleanses hair, delivers moisture, and builds body, which is exactly what fine hair needs. While it nourishes and strengthens the hair like most other thick hair shampoos, this one uses some unique ingredients for a spa-like quality. Pumpkin seed oil increases circulation and releases tension as you massage and green tea boosts hair with antioxidants for ‘healing powers.’
How it feels: If your hair is fine, you’ll appreciate the weightless quality this cleanser has on the hair, thanks to a totally clean formula free from silicones that coat the hair.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: As much as I love this shampoo for thick, fine hair, it is on the expensive side.
Scent: Orange tangerine | Ingredients: Shea butter, rice extract, quinoa, coconut oil, avocado oil, pumpkin seed oil, green tea | Size: 2, 10, 32 oz.
Best for Curly Hair: DevaCurl Curl Bond Re-Coiling Mild Lather Cleanser
Why it’s Great: Like thick hair, curly hair has its own specific needs. A godsend for curly locks, this shampoo works wonders on thick hair suffering from chemical damage. It effectively seals split ends both internally and externally by repairing hair structure while also protecting against future damage. It does so by using amino acids to relink broken bonds. I also like that if you happen to dye your hair, it preserves color up to 30 washes. Plus, it’s gluten-free.
How it feels: As powerful and restorative as this shampoo is, I love that it’s perfect for daily use. That’s because the amino acids only fill in the damaged part of the cuticle without creating build-up on the hair leaving it feeling light.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: If you’re someone who likes a lot of lather, be prepared. This shampoo is low-lather while still delivering results.
Scent: Lavender | Ingredients: Succinic acid, lysine, arginine, naturally derived guar | Size: 4 oz
Buying Considerations for the Best Shampoo For Men With Thick Hair
Ingredients
The best shampoo for men with thick hair doesn’t have to be fully natural, but I will say, it’s the natural ingredients that seem to pack the most punch. Panthenol (vitamin B5), shea butter oils like argan, coconut, and avocado do an amazing job of hydrating the hair. Many of those oils also pack a double punch by strengthening the hair at the same time.
Keratin is excellent at smoothing the hair shaft and making hair strong, while amino acids repair damaged bonds. All of these ingredients are important to look out for when it comes to choosing a good quality shampoo for men with thick hair.
Benefits
Ultimately, the best shampoo for men with thick hair should do a few positive things to your hair. You definitely want it to cleanse the scalp from oil and build-up, but you also want it to hydrate the hair. A really great shampoo for men with thick hair should make the hair more manageable so combing through post-shower is a breeze.
Finally, it should strengthen the hair, either by repairing current damage or at the very least, preventing future breakage. Words like hydrate, strengthen, and repair should indicate all of those benefits. Keep in mind, even though a shampoo might be hydrating, you should always follow up with a conditioner.
Value
This is something to pay attention to. Many of the brands listed here offer large value sizes, which is great if you wash daily or have particularly long hair, or use your shampoo for beard cleansing. You’ll want to find a product that properly strengthens and moisturizes your thick hair while not breaking the bank. Luckily, there is a good variety of price ranges listed here, and I would consider all of the shampoos to be of great value, even the luxury offering.
Why you should trust us
I’m a fashion and grooming writer as FashionBeans, meaning I love to compare, test, and research everything you can carry, wear, and use for health and style. For this review I researched a host of trusted sources and reviewed my own bathroom cabinet (and my partner’s) to understand what makes a great quality product that meets quality function and current style. I started off with over 50 considerations and narrowed it down to the top 7 that will best fit a range of discerning consumers. Ultimately, I want to see everyone find the best shampoo for men with thick hair for them.
Final Verdict
Ideal shampoos for men with thick hair remove oil and build-up on the scalp and restore moisture and strength to this often unruly hair type. It should also provide excellent value for the money. The best shampoo for men with thick hair is Redken All Soft Shampoo because it intensely hydrates and strengthens the hair using a protein complex so that it’s easy to detangle. I love that it delivers salon-quality results at a decent price point.
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Should I shampoo thick hair?
Thick hair should absolutely be shampooed, although because you have more hair for the oil on the scalp to move through, that your hair doesn’t get greasy as often, and washing every 3 or 4 days is better to keep hair from drying out.
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Does thick hair need more shampoo?
Because there is more hair, you will need more shampoo. But if the product is good, it shouldn’t be too much more.
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