While celebrities have plenty of hair products at their disposal, they tend to rinse and repeat with their favorites.
So whether they’re making waves with Old Hollywood-inspired ‘dos or stepping out in slicked-back buns, stars — and their go-to glam pros — can name several shampoos that deliver results off the (literal) tops of their heads.
From sulfate-free options to curl-specific formulas to the purple shampoos big-name blondes swear by, the products below have been tried and tested by plenty of A-listers.
Keep scrolling to suds up with the best shampoos, according to the stars — and for celebrity hairstylists’ top tips on how to chose the right one for you.
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Oprah’s also on the long list of Kérastase devotees, as her longtime hairstylist, Nicole Mangrum, told Oprah Daily she finds “excellent hair products are vital” for the looks she works on with the media mogul.
“This is my favorite shampoo,” she said of this sulfate-free formula, recommending using it once a week if you have curly or “excessively curly” hair.
Countless celebrities — especially those who undergo dramatic dye jobs on the regular — praise the powers of Olaplex. Kim Kardashian’s name-dropped the brand on numerous occasions, from saying in a makeup masterclass that the No. 3 Hair Perfector ($30) “really works,” per the Cut, to telling Allure she uses “a lot of Olaplex” when she goes platinum.
Dakota Johnson, Khloé Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez have all used it, too, while Billie Eilish called herself a “big Olaplex nut” in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
Ouai doesn’t just count celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin as a founder, it’s also racked up plenty of superstar users. Whitney Port told Page Six Style she keeps this detox formula on hand, calling it “so amazing” and “an easy way to up your shower game.”
Meanwhile, Jenna Lyons told us she relies on the Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo ($32), saying, “I have really thin hair that tends to get frizzy, but when I use this shampoo, my hair looks perfect when I wake up.”
“I love the smell and it leaves it feeling quite soft,” the “RHONY” star and fashion icon added.
Hair pros are also on board, as celebrity hairstylist Angela Calisti — who’s worked with stars like Bella Thorne and Sofia Richie — tells us she recommends a volume-focused formula like Ouai Voumizing Shampoo ($32) for “straight/weightless hair.”
While Meghan Markle’s a fan of Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray ($52), its shampoos have no shortage of star supporters. Victoria Beckham told Into the Gloss she loves this ultra-gentle formula that “smells incredible.”
Meanwhile, celebrity hairstylist Kendall Dorsey praised the brand’s hero product — the Gold Lust Restore & Repair Shampoo ($21) — in an interview with Vogue, calling it “the ‘gold’ standard in sulfate-free shampoo.”
Eagle-eyed viewers could spot this award-winning shampoo (and the corresponding conditioner) in Kim Kardashian’s bathroom in the background of a recent TikTok.
She’s not the only one keeping her shower stocked with the stuff; Jennifer Garner is a longtime Virtue ambassador, while Halle Berry swears by its conditioning treatments.
When it comes to hair repair, celebrity stylist and Voël Salon owner Kimberly Gueldner — who works with stars like Amy Schumer — tells us she’s a fan of this bundle that includes the brand’s bond-repairing shampoo.
“[I] love Amika’s Rescue Team set,” she says. “It’s great for bonding and repairing and includes a heat-protectant primer. They also have refillable pouches, so you aren’t buying plastic bottles every time, which for me is huge because there is so much waste in the beauty industry.”
Celebrity stylist and natural hair expert Felicia Leatherwood has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including everyone from Issa Rae and Ava DuVernay to Will Smith and Anthony Anderson.
She tells Page Six Style this hydrating shampoo is “amazing because it cleanses the hair without it feeling like its been stripped.”
Reality TV stars like Paige DeSorbo rely on R+Co’s aptly named Television formula for camera-ready hair.
“R+Co I’ve actually used for a while,” the “Summer House” star told E! News. “A friend recommended the brand to me … I think this is the cleanest for your hair. This doesn’t have anything in it that’s gonna be bad for your hair. It’s a lighter feel shampoo.”
Tracee Ellis Ross entered the beauty space in 2019 with Pattern Beauty, a line designed “specifically for curly, coily and tight-textured hair.”
“Many of us can chronicle the journey of our self-acceptance through the journey of our hair,” Ross told Allure of her products, which Page Six Style put to the test after the initial launch.
Plenty of stylists are wowed by Color Wow, which counts celebrity glam go-tos like Kendall Dorsey and Chris Appleton as partners and ambassadors. And while its Dream Coat Supernatural Spray ($24) often goes viral, it’s not the only product from the line that hair pros keep on hand.
Dorsey “uses this on Rihanna’s hair when styling for date night,” the brand tells Page Six Style, adding, “He loves that it clarifies the scalp and strands of excess product buildup while retaining moisture.”
Joseph Maine, the brand’s artistic director, tells us he relies on the Color Wow Color Security Shampoo ($24), as it “promises to remove anything other products have left behind” in “just three shampoos.”
“The Rachel” isn’t the only mark Jennifer Aniston’s made on the haircare industry, as she also launched her own brand in 2021.
She’s not the only star sudsing up with Lolavie’s shampoo, however, as fellow Brad Pitt ex Gwyneth Paltrow once showed off Aniston’s products in an Instagram snap of her bathroom shelf.
Who said keeping up your dye job has to feel like a job? Celebrity hairstylist Ricky Fraser, who’s worked with the likes of Shay Mitchell, Nicola Peltz and Camilla Cabello, shouted out this color-extending formula.
“I love to keep it old school and use Redken Color Extend Shampoo to maintain color-treated hair,” he tells us.
The Doux Sucka Free Moisturizing Shampoo
Leatherwood also highlights this shea butter-packed drugstore beauty find, calling it “super hydrating,”
From “Southern Charm” to the West Coast’s hottest events, Kristin Ess haircare is another celebrity staple. Selena Gomez used its products while getting glammed up for the 2024 SAG Awards, while Madison LeCroy mentioned it in a recent Page Six Style interview.
“You know I am a beauty girl, and nothing is more important than taking care of my hair,” she said. “I was recently turned on to Kristin Ess, and love the shampoo and conditioner.”
Ever wondered how Nicole Kidman keeps her famous red hair looking red carpet-ready? The star’s a longtime ambassador for Vegamour and called this formula “amazing” for keeping her strands looking “healthy and shiny” at the 2023 Met Gala, per Shape.
Margaret Josephs also praised the brand in a Page Six Style interview the same year, saying, “I have struggled with fine hair all my life, and I started using Vegamour and it made a huge difference! I have new baby hairs sprouting everywhere.”
“Mara [Roszak] is one of my favorite hairstylists, and her shampoo and conditioner and hair oil have literally saved my hair,” Rumer Willis raved of this celebrity stylist-founded line in a must-haves roundup with Page Six Style.
“And they smell insanely delicious,” she added. “I haven’t used anything else since the first time I tried it and my hair has never looked better, even while dyeing it blond.”
“For flakiness during the dry winter months, I love the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special shampoo,” Fraser tells us.
If you prefer a sulfate-free formula (more on that below), Brigeo’s hydrating repair line doesn’t contain sulfates, silicones or parabens.
“This is my favorite six-free shampoo with biotin and algae extracts” Dorsey told Vogue in 2019.
Hailey and Justin Bieber don’t just share clothing and skincare; they also both use this shampoo to maintain their blond hair.
“My husband, Justin, and I actually share the same Unite shampoo in our shower,” Hailey told Marie Claire.
Fraser, a Unite ambassador, also uses it on his clients, calling it “an amazing purple shampoo that will cut any brassiness to give your blond a bright icy tone.”
Olaplex’s product line includes this shampoo designed specifically for blond hair — and, like practically all of the brand’s formulas, it’s a hit with celebs.
“If you have blond hair, this is the perfect purple shampoo,” Delilah Bella Hamlin told us. “While it color-corrects, it also strengthens your hair. A must-have for me!”
Hollywood beauty pros also keep R+Co’s Sunset Blvd shampoo stocked, as Calisti tells us it “really kicks the brass out of any blond without making it dull, keeping the blond bright.”
Longtime Kérastase ambassador Emily Ratajkowski switched up her shampoo routine during her stint as a blonde, incorporating this formula as she “was confident her newly bleached hair would be in great hands,” per the brand’s breakdown of her favorites.
How often should you shampoo your hair?
For Fraser, the answer “all comes down to hair density and texture” — in addition to how often you style with hot tools.
“For my thicker-haired clients, I advise to only wash once or twice weekly, get a really good blowout base and do dry heatless styles, such as updos or ponytails, when it starts to get a little dirty,” he says.
“With fine oily hair, a wash daily is fine as long as you are using a great heat protectant,” the star stylist adds, recommending a product like Unite 7Seconds Detangler ($38) to “soften and protect your hair from any heat damage.”
Leatherwood echoed the importance of consulting your stylist for a recommendation based on your hair type and scalp, warning, “I see clients who wash their hair too often, which can leave hair dry.”
Is it important to buy sulfate-free shampoo?
“Sulfates are known to irritate the scalp and be abrasive to hair strands, so people started avoiding them for this reason and more,” Leatherwood explains, noting that she has still “spoken with quite a few women that say their hair can’t live without sulfates.”
With this in mind, she says she’d “start off by saying stay away, but if your hair doesn’t have an issue with it, then honor what the hair is telling you.”
Calisti also recommends different approaches for various hair types and preferences, noting, “If you have curly or dry hair, using shampoo with no sulfates will help the strands with more moisture, [but] if you have thin, weightless hair it might weigh your hair down.”
What shampoo should you use to help color-treated hair last?
Both Leatherwood and Calisti recommend investing in shampoo and conditioners created specifically for color-treated hair.
“Wait two days before shampooing your hair to lock in color … using cold or lukewarm water to wash your hair also helps,” the latter style pro also advises.
What are common haircare mistakes to avoid?
While there’s plenty of pretty packaging and sweet-smelling formulas on the market, all three stylists recommend not getting sucked into flashy marketing.
“People tend to not do their homework when it comes to products,” says Leatherwood. “They either look for products that smell good or they look for trending products to try.”
“Stick to the same routine for your wash days so that your hair knows what to do,” she adds. “Try not to cocktail too many products and definitely sleep on a satin pillow case.”
Fraser also notes that the “quality of your product really does matter” when it comes to sudsing up.
“When you go to a hotel, the shampoo and bath products are very low quality because they buy it in bulk and it always shows in the outcome of any styling,” he says. “When you invest in product lines that are specifically designed for professionals … it definitely affects the outcome.”