Best inexpensive shampoo and conditioner for curly hair

Top-notch curls are born on wash day.

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As glorious as curly hair can be, being blessed with coils can still feel like a (literal) handful. That's where the best shampoos for curly hair can help.

Whatever your curl type, from S-shaped waves to spiraled curls to kinks and coils, wash day is the foundation of a great curly hair routine since the products you use in the shower dictate how well your curls will hold up throughout the week. As the foundation for a solid routine, shampoo (or co-wash) and conditioner work in tandem for healthy, bouncy hair, and we wanted to know which ones natural hair experts and celebrity stylists couldn’t live without.

So if you need a little guidance selecting the right shampoo to keep your curls bouncy and frizz-free, check out this comprehensive list of stylist-recommended products. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate slip for styling or a product that avoids sulfates or silicones, we rounded up 16 worthy curly hair products. And no, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a professional-grade shampoo—there are curl-friendly formulas at every price point. Here are the best curly hair products they swear by.

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  Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Conditioning Sulfate-Free Shampoo

  Lacy Redway, whose master hairstyling has graced the covers of magazines (ahem, Amanda Gorman's epic Vogue shoot) and the biggest celebrities (see: Tracee Ellis Ross, Priyanka Chopra), swears by Mielle Organics’ Babassu Oil Shampoo. “If you’re looking for products that aren’t loaded with sulfates and have organic ingredients, this one is definitely worth a try,” Redway says. She adds that the formula is great for dry hair, but thanks to its lightweight formula, it won’t weigh curls down.

  • Pros: Moisturizing; works for all hair types
  • Cons: A thinner consistency than most shampoos; some do not like the scent.

• Courtesy of brand

  Kerastase Curl Manifesto

  Curly girls—especially those with a thinner mane—can’t go wrong with any of Kerastase’s curl products, according to Paul Labrecque, creative director and master stylist and colorist for Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa. “They do a good job plumping fine, curly hair,” he says. The color-safe formula includes all-stars like manuka honey to nourish and smooth, and ceramides to help protect against breakage.

  • Pros: Color-safe; floral scent
  • Cons: Expensive

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  Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Cleansing Sulfate Free Shampoo

  Looking for a really great slip? Celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen recommends this two-part system from Suave. She says the shampoo and conditioner combo “deeply moisturizes and provides maximum slip, and makes detangling a breeze while taming frizz and enhancing shine.”

  • Pros: Color-safe; budget-friendly
  • Cons: Does not lather like a typical shampoo

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  Pattern Clarifying Cleansing Shampoo

  “This formula infuses the moisture that is critical for maintaining curl definition and shine without unwanted frizz or weight,” says celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist Brittany Gharring. That’s because it’s packed with natural extracts and infused with rice water ferment, she explains. Gharring also notes what a great value the product is—especially for its size.

  • Pros: Color-safe; not tested on animals
  • Cons: Some say the scent can be overwhelming.

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  Pantene Gold Series New Length Root Stimulating Shampoo

  Because it’s sulfate-, paraben- and dye-free but loaded with nourishing ingredients like apricot oil and green tea, this formula—developed by Black scientists with natural hair—is ideal for anyone with traditionally tough-to-manage and frizzy curls. Over time it makes hair smoother and more flexible, so you’ll experience less breakage.

  • Pros: Widely available; budget-friendly
  • Cons: For best results, you have to use the full line of products

• Courtesy of brand

  SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo

  This shampoo is sulfate-free and can be used on all types of hair, even color-treated, says Ghanima Abdullah, a cosmetologist and hair expert. It’s also phthalate-, paraben- and silicone-free to help curls retain as much moisture as possible, leaving them shinier and less prone to breakage.

  • Pros: Great scent; ultra hydrating
  • Cons: Contains alcohol

• Courtesy of brand

  Olapex No 4

  Olapex products work to rebuild broken bonds most often seen on split, curly ends, says Labrecque. And the shampoo comes in a host of different formulas tailored to different hair types. “The Numbers 4, 5, and 6 would be ideal in one's regimen to help repair curly cuticles,” says Labrecque.

  • Pros: Tailored formula; color-safe
  • Cons: Expensive

• Courtesy of brand 

  ColorWow Curl Wow Hooked

  “This 100% clean and sulfate-free formula helps anchor hair to stop loss and breakage,” says Gharring. And while it's a super-gentle formula that easily rinses out, it does effectively remove buildup from styling products, she says. Use it on all types of curls, from fine and wavy to thick and coily.

  • Pros: Suitable for all hair types; residue-free
  • Cons: Expensive

• Courtesy of brand

  OGX Quenching+ Coconut Curls Shampoo

  It may come at a drugstore price, but this hardworking shampoo is full of moisture-boosting ingredients like coconut oil to help add shine and softness. Still, it cleanses effectively, thanks to clarifying ingredients like citrus oil. And as a nice bonus, reviewers say lathering with this product is like taking a trip to the beach—it smells delicious.

  • Pros: Great scent; budget-friendly
  • Cons: Small bottle

• Courtesy of brand

  Odele Curl Defining No Lather Shampoo

  It may not lather, but this shampoo still effectively cleans both the scalp and strands. And because it’s formulated with all-natural ingredients and fortified with amino acids, it also does a stellar job sealing in moisture and eliminating frizz.

  • Pros: Natural formula; vegan and cruelty-free
  • Cons: Doesn’t lather

• Courtesy of brand

  Raw Sugar Shampoo Truly Unruly Avocado + Apple Cider Vinegar + Rosemary Oil

  Hundreds of reviewers say this affordable shampoo lathers well, rinses easily, and leaves hair feeling supersoft and lightweight. It also has an unbelievably alluring scent that’ll have you reaching for the formula over and over again.

  • Pros: Great scent; budget-friendly
  • Cons: Some don’t like the way it tingles the scalp.

• Courtesy of brand

  L’Oréal Paris Ever Curl Sulfate-Free Coconut Oil Hydracharge Shampoo

  Formulated specifically to target frizz, this shampoo is sulfate- and salt-free, so you can use it on color-treated hair without fear of it stripping or dulling color. The gentle floral scent is a nice touch too.

  • Pros: Great scent; vegan and cruelty-free
  • Cons: Some say it’s too heavy for their hair.

• Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo for Curly + Wavy Hair

  If you love a good lather, you’ll gravitate toward this shampoo. It works into a rich lather without much effort to clarify the scalp, but it won’t leave curls dull and dry in the process. Reviewers say it brought their curls “back to life,” leaving strands bouncy and frizz-free. What’s more, it smells amazing.

  • Pros: Great scent; lathers well
  • Cons: Some say it dries out their scalp.

• Courtesy of brand

  Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo

  Beloved by many, this shampoo is infused with argan oil to nourish dry, brittle hair. It also contains algae and vitamin A—two ingredients that work to improve overall hair health, coating cuticles to prevent dryness and lock out damaging environmental particles and free radicals.

  • Pros: Ultra hydrating; great scent
  • Cons: Expensive

• Courtesy of brand

  Ceremonia Yucca & Witch Hazel Deep Hydrating Shampoo

  Your scalp’s natural oils are part of what gives your hair enviable shine. This formula, which contains natural oils like yucca and witch hazel, protects those natural oils to prevent overdrying and frizz but still effectively cleanses. The result: all the bounce and none of the buildup that leads to grease.

  • Pros: Natural ingredients; shine-boosting
  • Cons: Not suitable for finer hair

• Courtesy of brand

  Function of Beauty Curly Hair Shampoo Base With Chia Extract

  Unlike other formulas, this one is fully customizable, thanks to what the brand calls “booster shots.” You simply add up to three (choose from options like antifrizz, strengthening, definition and more) to the chia-extract-infused base to create a shampoo that’s just right for you.

  • Pros: Customizable; budget-friendly
  • Cons: Not widely available