13 Best Shampoos For Waves To Keep Your Curls Moisturized 2022

13 Best Shampoos For Waves

1. Best Gentle Formula:WAVEBUILDER Wave Saving Shampoo

The WAVEBUILDER Wave Saving Shampoo is a gentle formula that cleanses and removes product buildup on textured hair, leaving the waves clean and refreshed. The specially blended formula revitalizes 360 waves. Each application will help in the development of the desired trained wave pattern. The product is packed with protein and amino acids that offer a deep moisture treatment and promote healthy waves. Key Ingredients: Collagen amino acids, Keratin amino acids, Hydrolyzed barley protein, Hydrolyzed royal jelly protein, and Hydrolyzed yeast protein Pros

Gentle Smells good Suitable for both established and beginner wavers

Cons

Contains sulfates

2. Best Vegan:PACIFICA Salty Waves Texturizing Shampoo

The Pacifica Salty Waves Texturizing Shampoo creates beautiful texture while deeply cleansing the hair.It is formulated with natural ingredients and comes without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or mineral oil.This shampoo has a fruity fragrance that smells like bananas and coconuts. It volumizes the hair and gives it a beach-like feel. Key Ingredients: Kelp extract, Algae extract, Jojoba seed oil, Banana fruit extract, and Chia seed extract Pros

Vegan Cruelty-free Refreshing smell Suitable for all hair types

Cons

Makes the hair dry.

3. Best For Anti-Frizz:ACURE Wave & Curl Color Wellness Shampoo

The ACURE Wave & Curl Color Wellness Shampoo is a performance-driven hair care solution that adds deep moisture to color-treated hair. The product contains rare, clarifying blue tansy oil, moisturizing argan oil, and sunflower seed extract that help prevent color fading. This shampoo reduces frizz, boosts shine, and aids a healthy curl pattern. Key Ingredients: Blue tansy, Sunflower seed extract, Orange peel oil, and Argan kernel oil Pros

Vegan Cruelty-free Paraben-free Sulfate-free Mineral oil-free Petrolatum-free Formaldehyde-free

Cons

Thin consistency Dries out the hair.

4. Best For Color-Treated Hair:sexyhair.Texture Clean Wave

The sexyhair.Texture Clean Wave is a delicately scented, texturizing, and styling shampoo that softens the hair and maintains its natural shine. It imparts alaidback, tousled look to the hair and provides humidity resistance for up to 24 hours. This shampoo is free of SLS and SLES and safe for color-treated hair. Key Ingredients: Aloe leaf juice, Honey, Lavender flower/leaf/stem extract, Coconut oil, Jojoba seed oil, and Avocado oil Pros

Humidity-resistant Smells great Color-safe SLS/SLES-free

Cons

Does not lather easily.

5. Best Nourishing:Lee Stafford Sea Salt Crystal Shampoo

The Lee Stafford Sea Salt Crystal Shampoo is an intense cleansing shampoo that adds volume to thin hair. The formula contains sea salt crystals that gently exfoliate the scalp and purify the follicles. This dense and luxurious lathering shampoo also contains a blend of seaweed, sea algae,and sea minerals that nurture and condition the hair. The hydrolyzed wheat protein helps strengthen hair while improving shine. Key Ingredients: Maris sal (sea salt), Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Citrus aurantiumdulcis (orange) peel oil, Seaweed, and Algae extract Pros

Smells good Perfect for fine hair No residue Value for money

Cons

Less quantity

6. Best pH-Balanced:Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Shampoo

The Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curly Shampoo is specially formulated to help define curls. It is also color-safe and pH-balanced. This shampoo is gentle on the scalp, tames frizz, and protects the hair and scalp against humidity all day. The formula is infused with French lavender and jade extracts that make your curls smooth, lush, and defined. Check out the review of this product for more information. Key Ingredients: Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) flower/leaf stem extract and Crassula argentea leaf extract Pros

Paraben-free Gluten-free Mineral oil-free Color-safe pH-balanced 20-hour humidity control

Cons

Dries out the hair.

7. Best Long-Lasting Shine:VIDAL SASSOON Sculpted Waves Texturizing Shampoo

The Vidal Sassoon Sculpted Waves Texturizing Shampoo cleanses the hair and gives you tousled waves. The formulated wave enhancements impart body to your hair and make it look fuller. This product offers optimum wave and curl control. It also imparts long-lasting shine and softness to your waves. Key Ingredients: Citric acid and Polyquaternium-76 Pros

Pleasant smell Moisturizing

Cons

Not suitable for short hair

8. Best Sulfate-Free:MARC ANTHONYDream Waves Full Body Volumizing Shampoo

The MARC ANTHONY Dream Waves Full Body Amplifying Shampoo gently cleanses the hair and scalp and adds texture and volume to limp hair. It locks in humidity for long-lasting style. The product adds texture to straight, fine strands or pumps up the curls in already wavy hair. This formula adds extra volume to wavy hair layers with salts sourced from the Dead Sea. The hydrolyzed silk adds moisture and shine to keep hair looking refreshed between washes. Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed silk, Provitamin B5, and Sea salt Pros

Sulfate-free Smells good Protects the hair from sun damage A little goes a long way

Cons None

9. Best For Hair Manageability:SUNSILK HAIRAPYWaves Of Envy Shampoo

The SunsilkWaves Of Envy Shampoo is a light moisturizing shampoo with sea botanicals that help control unruly hair, leaving your waves more manageable. It adds texture and softness to your waves. It also helps to hold the hair down and helps to avoid the use of hairspray. Key Ingredients: Sea botanicals Pros

Color-safe Value for money Adds light moisture

Cons None

10. Best For Defined Curls:Graham Webb Making Waves Curl Defining Shampoo

The Graham Webb Making Waves Curl Defining Shampoo is the best curl enhancing product. This wave defining shampoo is formulated with Thermacore Complex, a patented ingredient that revitalizes naturally curly or permed hair. It is also helpful in eliminating frizz and creating soft and flexible curls. Key Ingredients: Thermacore Complex Pros

Lightweight Long-lasting effects Good for brittle, dry hair

Cons None

11. Best Natural Formula:SYOSSCurls & Waves Shampoo

The SYOSSCurls & Waves Shampoo is specially made for unruly, wavy, and curly hair. It increases moisture and disciplines the layers without blow drying. It is made from 90% naturally derived ingredients. The high-performance formula contains amino complex, which is the building block of the hair and helps keep it strong and healthy. Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed keratin, Panthenol, and Hydrogenated castor oil Pros

90% natural ingredients Paraben-free

Cons

Contains sulfates

12. Best Hydrating:tginRose Water Sulfate-Free Hydrating Shampoo

The Rose Water Sulfate-Free Hydrating Shampoo from Thank God It’s Natural gently cleanses the hair, leaving it moisturized without feeling greasy. It promotes hair growth, repairs dead skin cells on the scalp, and moisturizes and protects the hair. This shampoo does not contain sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, lanolin, artificial colors, or involve animal testing. If you want to know more about the benefits of this product, check out this quick review on YouTube. Key Ingredients: Rose flower extract, Ginger root (ginger) extract, Lavender flower extract, Calendula flower extract, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B3 Pros

Sulfate-free Paraben-free Petrolatum-free Lanolin-free Cruelty-free No artificial colors

Cons

Can cause tangles.

13. Best Sulfate-Free:jksWave & Curl Shampoo

The jksWave & Curl Shampoo has a vitamin-enriched formula for curly, permed, or wavy hair. The formula helps define curls and is made of acai berry that protects the hair shafts from everyday damage. This sulfate-free shampoo blocks humidity and imparts shine to the hair. Key Ingredients: Acai berry Pros

Cruelty-free Sulfate-free

Cons None To maintain the look of your natural curls, it is essential to choose the right shampoo that can retain proper moisture and remove all the excess oil and dirt without ruining natural curls. Even with curls, your hair may have different requirements and you must choose shampoos while keeping that in mind. Here’s a brief buying guide you can refer to while selecting the best shampoos for your curly hair.

How To Select The Best Shampoo For Curls And Waves

Ingredients

Curly and wavy hair needs more moisturization, so, opt for shampoos that contain moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, shea butter, natural oils, aloe vera, protein, and coconut extracts. Avoid using harsh ingredients such as alcohols, parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, artificial colors, dyes, and phthalates, as they can dry out the hair and cause long-term damage. Also, avoid all the ingredients you may be allergic to, like soy and gluten.

Hair Type

Although we broadly classify it as curly or wavy, there is a variety of different curls and waves. Keep in mind your hair type while selecting a shampoo. If your hair is extremely frizzy, choose shampoos that contain silicones, for extra slip and silkiness. Otherwise, go for silicone-free shampoos to avoid product buildup. For fine or thin hair, choose volumizing shampoos, and for thick hair, go for clarifying and moisturizing shampoos. For colored hair, select the shampoos that contain apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil and always look for color-safe formulas.

Scalp Type

Keep in mind your scalp type when selecting a shampoo for your curly hair. For oily scalps, avoid shampoos that contain essential oils and thick greasy formulas. Instead, choose shampoos which are non-moisturizing and are made for strengthening and volume. For a dry scalp, select shampoos rich in moisturizing and hydrating ingredients. For extremely dry scalp, choose shampoos that contain tea tree oil and menthol (avoid them if you are allergic).

pH Balance

For best results, choose shampoos with the right pH level. The pH balance of healthy hair should be between 4.5 and 5.5, or slightly acidic. For oily hair, use pH-balanced shampoo with panthenol while for dry hair or split ends, try a pH-balancing shampoo with fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol.

Why Trust StyleCraze?

The author, Shiboli Chakraborti, is a hair care and styling enthusiast. After carefully researching the product formulations and browsing online reviews, she has curated this list of the best shampoos for waves. She believes that you should get the best shampoo out there to help you produce beautiful waves regardless of your hair type. The shortlisted products are lightweight, cruelty-free, and long-lasting. How do you wash waves? Apply a dime-sized amount of the product to damp hair and begin shampooing in the direction of your wave pattern with your fingers and work until the hair is completely lathered. Brush or comb in the direction of your wave pattern while making sure the hair is damp during this process. How often should you wash your hair for waves? You should wash your hair at least once or twice a week to keep it soft and clean. Avoid over-cleansing as it causes depletion of natural oils in the hair. Can you use any shampoo for waves? Yes. Although it is best to use a curl or wave-friendly shampoo for your waves, you may use regular, protein-rich shampoo for your hair. Why do my waves go away when I brush? Brushing your hair causes the hair pattern to separate into single strands and destroys the waves. Can I use curly shampoo on wavy hair? Yes, but avoid thick formulations to prevent your waves from being weighed down. Should I brush my hair wet or dry for waves? Brush your hair when wet to get the best results for wavy hair. Why are my waves stringy? Your hair may look stringy due to a lack of hydration or accumulation of sebum on the hair shaft.