25 Best Gentle Shampoos for Curly Hair
Shampoos are an infamous product category in the curly community. When discussed by curlies, they are typically accompanied by the words “drying” and “stripping,” and many have removed them entirely from their regimens. But many use cleansers to remove product residue, oil, or dirt from their scalps and strands, and when they do, they need it to be gentle yet effective.
While the majority of these cleansers are shampoos, I have also included award-winning cleansing conditioners as gentle alternatives to traditional shampoos and clarifying shampoos that can be used as needed. All of these cleansers have been categorized by curly, coily, and wavy favorites, but many of these products are loved by curlies across the spectrum.
Whether you’re looking for gentle curly hair cleansers or the best sulfate-free shampoos for curls, we cover shampoos for every hair type and texture.
Coily Favorites
1. SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Shampoo
“I loved this shampoo; the smell is great, a lot like vanilla/brown sugar, and throughout the day, the smell keeps coming. I can really feel how it cleans and moisturizes my hair, it feels so much softer afterwards, Love it! Really recommend it!” – daniesg
2. It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Coily Hydrating Shampoo
“I fell deeply, madly, and unequivocally in love with the Cleanser! This product will be included in my hair product rotation. As I placed the cleanser in my hair, the shampoo began to lather, and to my surprise, my curls immediately started to clump! At no time during shampooing and after did my hair feel striped. This product did exactly as described. It cleansed & rehydrated my hair at the same time- A keeper!” – KinkyCurlyCoilyMe
3. Alikay Naturals Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo
“I like this nozzle. You don’t want to put shampoo all over your hair; you want to put it on the dirty parts – your scalp. I feel like this is a superior way to clean. I can easily detangle without using a conditioner, just shampoo, and I can run my fingers through my hair. That does not happen.” – Nikki
4. Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo
“Looks like I’m the first 4a (actually 3c/4a combo) to review. It left my scalp clean and fresh and my hair pretty soft. It’s still a poo, so I only use it about once maybe twice a month. But it does what it says it will do. A nice gentle lather without over drying your hair.” – AimWard
5. My Black is Beautiful Hydrating Shampoo
“This has to be one of the best shampoo bars I’ve tried. I could actually detangle my hair while using it as a shampoo and it SUDS UP A LOT. That’s a PLUS as some I have tried do not have much lather. Smells yummy.” – deana80
6. 4U by Tia Moisturizing Shampoo
“Definitely, hands down, my favorite shampoo. It is very moisturizing and helps to stretch my 4c hair which is great since I have a lot of shrinkage. Also, it gets my hair so soft that I’m able to just run my fingers through my hair in the shower. Lovely smell and love that its all natural.” – love2323
7. As I Am Coconut Cleansing Co-Wash Conditioner
“I truely love this product! I have 4a hair and it detangles my hair perfectly. It smells great, too, and doesn’t linger. Also it helps clump my curls which makes wash & gos super easy to achieve. I love it!” – kristian9
8. Kinky-Curly Come Clean
“I love this shampoo for many reasons. I only need to wash my hair once, no matter how dirty it might be, and I only need a DIME SIZE AMOUNT!! It makes suds, but it really does clean your hair…it doesn’t make pointless suds. I never thought I would spend $12 on a bottle of shampoo, but I’m here to tell you that it is worth EVERY PENNY!!!!” – Mattier555
9. African Pride Moisture Miracle
“What’s there not to love about honey and coconut oil? I was WILD about it back in the day, and I’m wild about it now! It’s cost-effective, super moisturizing, has tons of slip, and gets the job done cleaning-wise! Plus, thanks to the natural oils, my hair is super soft and shiny Every. Single. TIME!“ – the mane objective
Curly Favorites
10. DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence Zero Lather Ultra Moisturizing Milk Cleanser
“I really like this product! Especially when combined with the Decadence One Condition. I can tell my hair is being cleaned and this product smells great! I don’t have to use a whole lot for it to “feel like it‘s working.” My hair feels stronger since I have been using this.” – Michelle.Lop
11. Ouidad VitalCurl+ Clear & Gentle Shampoo
“First, the smell is glorious! I love this smell. It’s fruity and fresh without being too overpowering. Second,I like that it’s a CREAMY clarifying shampoo. And third, it’s also moisturizing. I could do some slight detangling while having this shampoo in my hair. Fourth, a little bit goes a long way.” – Anonymous
12. PATTERN Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross Hydration Shampoo
“I love this stuff! It leaves my hair feeling clean and hydrated, without build-up. I love the scent, and a lot of people comment on good my hair smells.“ – Purplecurls17
13. CURLSMITH – Essential Moisture Cleanser, Gentle Nourishing Shampoo
“Unlike other shampoos, this one doesn’t strip my hair of all my natural oil. It cleanses but still moisturizes and leaves my hair very soft. I think it even defines my tight coils a little. ” – K_Frat55
14. Bread BEAUTY SUPPLY Hair Wash Gentle Milky Hair Cleanse
“I really liked this product. I didn’t need to use a lot of this product, and I have pretty thick hair. It also created a nice lather, and did not leave my hair dry. My deep conditioning and styling products seem to work better after using this product.” – Anonymous
15. Scotch Porter Hydrating Hair Wash for Men
“I loved this because it’s gentle, it smells good, and my hair feels clean, but it’s not stripped. The mix of oils – Argan, coconut, rosehip – played well with my curls” – Michelle
16. Carol’s Daughter Wash Day Delight Love at First To Foam
“ As in, it lathers. But it’s so so so slippery that I understand why this is a water-to-foam shampoo. It’s magic.” – atx_eve
17. Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coils Oh So Clean Deep Moisturizing and Softening Hair Shampoo
“I’m so glad I ordered this to try during a recent sale. Very cleansing without being drying and so mild I even used it to wash my 2-year-old’s hair tonight with no worries of it turning into a matted mess. Great value. Thank you!” – Anastasia
18. EDEN Bodyworks Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo
“This is one of my FAVORITE shampoos! I love the smell and the little tingle. It really gets my hair clean without stripping it. I have 3c hair, and it gets dirty pretty quickly because I work a lot, so I love to use a cleanser that is gentle but actually gets the job done. This one is it. The ingredients are pretty great, too.” – Anonymous
Wavy Favorites
19. Rahua Classic Hair Shampoo
“I swim every day and wash my hair every day. I am always looking for moisturizing shampoos. This shampoo is the best! It really gets my hair clean without drying out my curls. It has a great lather and smells amazing. I use all of the products in the line, and I love them!!!” – gisele22
20. V&Co. Beauty Wavy Hair Conditioner with Peptide Technology
“This shampoo is amazing! There are no suds, but it’s easy to scrub my scalp and doesn’t leave my hair feeling super dry after a cleanse (which is common for me). This is a shampoo I wouldn’t mind using over and over.” – susonnahg
21. ELEVEN AUSTRALIA Gentle Clean Balancing Shampoo
“Gentle and kind cleansing shampoo I co-wash every day, but once a month, I like to rid my hair of all buildup to start anew with completely clean tresses. This shampoo is amazing for this purpose! It cleans my hair thoroughly without damaging it or adding any moisturizing agents.” – Anonymous
22. Maui Moisture Lightweight Hydration + Hibiscus Water Shampoo
“With this shampoo, its benefits are provided on the bottle, and because it has a very concentrated formula, a little bit goes a long way. After I use it, it never leaves my hair tangled or dried out. Normally, I am not a huge fan of floral-scented products. This shampoo has a mild scent that almost borders upon some type of peach drink. Overall, this is definitely one shampoo that I will continue to purchase over and over again for sure!” – reservechic
23. Rizos Curls Biotin Shampoo
“I loved this shampoo. My scalp felt amazing when I left it on. Loved the tingle, and I could easily run my fingers through to detangle a little bit while I left the shampoo on. It felt clean and fresh afterward. Add in the conditioner, and I was totally hooked.” – KamiRushell
24. Kristin Ess Hair Extra Gentle Shampoo
“Talk about an amazing shampoo that does not completely strip your hair! My hair and scalp felt clean yet not dry and tangled as it always is with other shampoos! It has a very lovely light fragrance too, which is just amazing!” – nknaturals
25. Bumble and Bumble Gentle Shampoo
“I love this shampoo! I have fine, frizzy, 2c hair, and it feels so clean and bouncy after I use this product. You’re supposed to leave it on for a few minutes, and you can feel your hair plumping up as it sits there. Also, can’t beat the price!” – Anonymous