The 13 Best Clarifying Shampoos of 2024, According to Hair Experts

For some of us, a regular daily shampoo just won’t cut it in terms of thoroughly cleansing our hair and scalp. That’s where clarifying shampoos come in. These types of shampoos are usually designed with a blend of hair detergents that quickly and effectively eliminate product build-up and excess sebum from the scalp.

“Clarifying shampoos are not intended to be used as your everyday shampoo,” warns Kerry E. Yates, a trichologist and founder of the Colour Collective. “However, some consumers with oilier hair will find that they prefer shampoo with limited added conditioners—a clarifying shampoo is excellent to add to your ‘hair cycling’ routine as the beginning step.”

Not only have we scoured the haircare market and included shampoos from our own testing experience, but we’ve asked the experts for their top recommendations for the best clarifying shampoos that’ll get your hair and scalp thoroughly cleansed without irritation.

Our Top Picks

Best Clarifying Shampoo Overall:

Living Proof Clarifying Detox Shampoo at Amazon ($36)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair:

DevaCurl Buildup Buster Gentle Clarifying Cleanser at Amazon ($32)

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Best Drugstore Clarifying Shampoo:

Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo at Amazon ($6)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Fine Hair:

The Rootist Strengthen Concentrated Shampoo at Sephora ($27)

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Best Anti-Inflammatory Clarifying Shampoo:

Cucinello Beauty Plush Perfecting Shampoo at Cucinellobeauty.com (See Price)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Strengthening:

VIRTUE Purifying Shampoo at Amazon ($32)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Textured Hair:

PATTERN Clarifying Shampoo at Amazon ($21)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair:

Olaplex Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo at Amazon ($30)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Residue:

Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo at Amazon ($11)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Hair:

K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo at Amazon ($38)

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Best Clarifying Shampoo Overall

Living Proof Clarifying Detox Shampoo

PHOTO:

Living Proof

$36 at Amazon $36 at Nordstrom $36 at Sephora

Why We Like It: It contains effective ingredients to deep clean your scalp and hair.

It’s Worth Noting: Might cause some dryness in strands.

Key Ingredients: Magnetic polymer, naturally-derived chelating agent, activated charcoal | Size: 8 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

One of the reasons we chose this pick as the best clarifying shampoo overall is its hero ingredient—charcoal. Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of FACET Dermatology, really likes this pick for her patients because the formula contains charcoal to help soak up oils and grime. She also likes that it’s color safe and can be used by all hair types and textures. Other notable ingredients in this formulation include a magnetic polymer that attracts product buildup and a naturally derived chelating agent to remove heavy metal buildup from hair water from your showerhead.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair

DevaCurl Buildup Buster Gentle Clarifying Cleanser

PHOTO:

Amazon

$32 at Amazon View on Ulta View on Bonanza.com

Why We Like It: It’s designed specifically for breakage-prone curly hair.

It’s Worth Noting: It might not be great for straight hair.

Key Ingredients: Cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerin, panthenol | Size: 8 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

Curly girls flock to all things DevaCurl, and for good reason—this brand knows its stuff when it comes to curls. Dr. Yadav recommends this pick for curly hair because it's gentle on the hair. “Curly hair is often more susceptible to breakage than straighter textures,” she explains. “Plus, it won't strip color, but will effectively clarify the scalp.”

Best Drugstore Clarifying Shampoo

Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo

PHOTO:

Amazon

$4 at Amazon $6 at Walmart $4 at Target

Why We Like It: It’s budget-friendly and easy to find.

It’s Worth Noting: It has a strong scent that some might find off-putting.

Key Ingredients: Aloe extract, vitamins B3 & B6 | Size: 12.5 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: No

Dr. Yadav recommends this budget-friendly clarifying shampoo because the formula contains aloe, which helps hydrate the hair without weighing it down, as well as conditioning panthenol. “I also like that it comes in a range of sizes, too,” she explains. We love that you can easily find this at most drugstores nationwide and that it only costs about $5 per bottle.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Fine Hair

The Rootist Strengthen Concentrated Shampoo

PHOTO:

Sephora

$27 at Sephora View on Therootist.com

Why We Like It: It’s super concentrated and doesn’t weigh down fine hair.

It’s Worth Noting: Doesn’t lather a ton, which might bug some people.

Key Ingredients: Proprietary Rootbiomic Ferment, bio-peptides, yuzu ceramide | Size: 4 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

There’s a lot to love about this pick from newbie The Rootist. First off, it’s in a concentrated formula, meaning it uses little to no water in its formulation and you can use half the usual amount of product when washing your strands. Secondly, we love that this product contains the brand’s proprietary Rootbiomic Ferment, which works to balance your scalp and further your hair health. This is a great pick for folks with fine hair because it doesn’t weigh down your locks and is super easy to rinse out, too.

Best Anti-Inflammatory Clarifying Shampoo

Cucinello Beauty Plush Perfecting Shampoo

PHOTO:

Cucinello Beauty

View on Cucinellobeauty.com

Why We Like It: High-quality, anti-inflammatory ingredients work well to clarify and hydrate.

It’s Worth Noting: It’s pretty pricey at $42 per bottle.

Key Ingredients: Rice bran oil, maracuja oil, aloe leaf extract | Size: 6 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: No

If you’ve got a really irritated, itchy scalp that needs some extra TLC, you might want to consider reaching for the Cucinello Beauty Plush Perfecting Shampoo. This anti-inflammatory formula uses rice bran oil, maracuja oil, and aloe leaf extract to calm inflammation and irritation while hydrating your hair and scalp. It’s a great option for folks who are looking to get rid of scalp buildup while also treating their hair and scalp gently, too.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Strengthening

VIRTUE Purifying Shampoo

PHOTO:

Amazon

$32 at Amazon $32 at Sephora $32 at Dermstore

Why We Like It: It has clarifying and strengthening benefits.

It’s Worth Noting: It shouldn’t be used more than once per week.

Key Ingredients: Charcoal powder, coconut fatty acid blend, hops extract | Size: 4 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

Yates really likes this pick because it’s designed as a cleanser that also delivers the brand’s proprietary keratin blend for added benefits. We love this as a strengthening shampoo because the proprietary keratin blend works to reduce breakage and damage to your locks, too. It’s great for all hair types and should be used about once a week in place of your regular shampoo.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Textured Hair

PATTERN Clarifying Shampoo

PHOTO:

Amazon

$21 at Amazon $12 at Nordstrom $21 at Ulta

Why We Like It: It’s a hydrating, clarifying shampoo designed specifically for textured hair.

It’s Worth Noting: Might not be as clarifying as others.

Key Ingredients: Matcha green tea, aloe vera, panthenol | Size: 7.8 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

Folks with textured hair, this one's for you! This pick from PATTERN does a great job of clarifying the hair and scalp without drying the heck out of your strands. We like that this pick works to enhance curls and coils and has a super cute bottle, too. Some folks have complained that this isn’t as clarifying as other once-per-week clarifying formulas, so it’s probably not ideal for those with oily scalps that have a lot of buildup.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair

Olaplex Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo

PHOTO:

Olaplex

$26 at Amazon $30 at Dermstore $30 at Sephora

Why We Like It: It’s ideal for folks with color-treated hair.

It’s Worth Noting: It shouldn’t be used within the first two weeks of hair coloring.

Key Ingredients: Olaplex bond-building blend | Size: 8.5 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: No

It’s always difficult to find a clarifying shampoo that’s safe enough for color-treated hair. This pick from Olaplex is beloved by many and is great for people with color-treated hair. It contains the brand’s bond-building formula along with cleansers to gently clarify your hair and scalp. It should be used 1-2 times per week, and the brand recommends to wait about two weeks post-hair coloring before using this clarifying shampoo.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Residue

Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo

PHOTO:

Amazon

$8 at Amazon $8 at Walmart $8 at Target

Why We Like It: It contains salicylic acid, a great exfoliator.

It’s Worth Noting: Might be drying on hair.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid | Size: 4.5 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: No

You know when you can feel residue that’s been left in your hair from previous styling products or other shampoos and conditioners? Richard Bottiglione, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dermatologist’s Choice Skincare, likes to recommend this oldie but goodie to his patients. “If you have a lot of styling product damage, when you can feel residue on your scalp, look for a shampoo with salicylic acid or glycolic acid to clear the residue, like the Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo,” he says.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Hair

K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo

K18 PEPTIDE PREPâ¢ Clarifying Detox Shampoo

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Sephora

$38 at Amazon $38 at Sephora View on K18hair.com

Why We Like It: Charcoal absorbs oil while salicylic acid sloughs away product buildup.

It’s Worth Noting: Not ideal for those with dry scalps.

Key Ingredients: K18PEPTIDE proprietary peptide blend | Size: 8.5 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

“In addition to being formulated with charcoal to absorb excess oils, this product features salicylic acid, an oil-soluble chemical exfoliator that helps break down buildup and clarify the scalp, as well as the brand's peptide blend that's designed to fortify the hair,” explains Dr. Yadav. This is a great option for folks with oily hair because the charcoal soaks up excess oil, while the K18PEPTIDE proprietary peptide blend strengthens hair and won’t dry out your strands either.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Dry Hair

Davines SOLU Shampoo

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Amazon

$34 at Amazon View on Davines.com View on Shopnorthauthentic.com

Why We Like It: It’s gentle and won’t dry out your strands.

It’s Worth Noting: The smell might be off-putting for some.

Key Ingredients: Buckwheat | Size: 8.45 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: No

We like this pick from Davines for dry hair because it’s super gentle on the scalp and hair, while also being strong enough to provide a thorough cleanse, too. This pick leaves your hair looking really soft and shiny, and a little goes a long way—it lathers really nicely. One thing to note is that folks are divided about the smell. Some like the fragrance, while others are not a huge fan.

Best Splurge

Oribe Clarifying Shampoo

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Amazon

$49 at Amazon $49 at Sephora $49 at Dermstore

Why We Like It: It has a luxurious feeling and scent.

It’s Worth Noting: It’s expensive and the packaging sometimes has dispensing issues.

Key Ingredients: Volcanic ash, green tea extract, Oribe Signature Complex | Size: 7.1 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

Yates is a big fan of this pick from Oribe because it’s a luxe splurge that’s designed as a lathering mousse. “The weightless lather is easily distributed from strand to scalp,” she explains. “Plus, it carries the awesome Oribe fragrance, too.” One issue some folks find with this pick is that its container has dispensing issues.

Best Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo

Odele Clarifying Shampoo

PHOTO:

Target

$12 at Target $12 at Ulta View on Odelebeauty.com

Why We Like It: It’s sulfate-free and relatively affordable.

It’s Worth Noting: Might not be as clarifying as some others.

Key Ingredients: Amaranth, rice protein | Size: 13 fl. oz. | Sulfate-Free: Yes

For those who want to avoid sulfates, Dr. Yadav thinks this is a nice option. “It has moisturizing amaranth and rice protein, as well as a very pleasant and natural unisex scent,” she explains. We like that the price is relatively affordable at $12 per bottle. One thing to note is that this formula isn’t as clarifying as other shampoos on this list, so you might have to use it twice in one wash to really get an extra clean.

What to Know About Clarifying Shampoos

Benefits: Just as the name suggests, clarifying shampoos work to detox and clarify your scalp and hair, thoroughly cleansing your head and removing any type of oils, residue, or leftover product from your hair. They should only be used a few times a week. When using clarifying shampoos, it’s best to follow with a conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends to tackle any tangles.
Usage: Clarifying shampoos are best for folks who have a lot of buildup on their hair and scalp, either from oils or from other hair products that they use regularly. However, not everyone needs to use this type of formula. “For people with curly, wavy hair longer than shoulder length, you should plan to use a conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends,” says Yates. Additionally, people with color-treated hair need to be careful with clarifying shampoos. “Many clarifying shampoos are not color-safe and may actually strip the color—to be sure, check the packaging before investing in a clarifying shampoo,” says Dr Yadav.
Clarifying Shampoo vs. Regular Shampoo: Unlike a regular shampoo, which typically contains some hydrating ingredients as well as cleansing detergents, a clarifying shampoo won’t contain as many moisturizing ingredients in its formula. Its main concern is to cleanse the hair and scalp as thoroughly as possible, without stripping or ruining your hair. Regular shampoo is gentle enough on the hair and scalp to be used daily if needed, while a clarifying shampoo is a bit stronger and should be used only once or twice per week.
Key Ingredients: When shopping for a clarifying shampoo, Dr. Yadav suggests looking for ingredients like apple cider vinegar, rosemary, peppermint, witch hazel, and tea tree, as they really help purify the scalp and break down buildup that can create an unhealthy environment for hair growth. “Avoid formulas with high concentrations of heavy conditioning ingredients like coconut oil or shea, or pearlescent or opaque-looking formulas—these will likely have the opposite of the desired effect and create buildup on the hair.”

Why Trust Shape

Daley Quinn is a freelance journalist, content strategist, and beauty industry expert with over ten years of experience in the media industry. You can find more of her work on her website or read the latest from her beauty and lifestyle blog, The Daley Dose. Daley has tried multiple clarifying shampoos on the market and knows what's worth buying and trying.

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