We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Beauty The 12 Best Shampoos For Thinning Hair, Tested & Reviewed Dealing with thinning hair? Don't stress. These 12 shampoos can help. By Rebecca Norris Updated on April 2, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews What To Know Why Trust Shape Photo: Shape / David Hattan If you’ve ever looked in the mirror only to double-take at your seemingly sparser part, you’re not alone. Hair loss in women may be less common than it is in men, but thinning hair is anything but rare. In fact, an estimated 50 million women suffer from significant hair loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There are a multitude of things that could cause your hair to start thinning out of the blue. "Hormonal changes (such as having a baby or menopause) trigger the production of a protein that shortens the hair's growing phase," explains scalp expert Kerry E. Yates, creator of Colour Collective. "Extreme stress triggers high levels of cortisol, a hormone that causes the body to shut down the function of the hair follicles in favor of supporting more essential organ function." Considering how common hair loss in women is, we set up a detailed testing procedure to find the best shampoos for thinning hair. Our Top Picks Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair Overall: Briogeo Destined For Density Caffeine + Biotin Density Shampoo at Amazon $32 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair, Runner-Up: Kérastase Densifique Shampoo at Amazon $42 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Oily: SALE BondiBoost HG Shampoo at Amazon $24 $17 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair for Sensitive Skin: Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo at Amazon $48 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Strengthening Thinning Hair : Shu Uemura Izumi Tonic Rice Water Shampoo at Sephora $55 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair for Long Hair: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Shampoo at Amazon $30 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Dry: Fable & Mane HoliRoots Shampoo at Amazon $30 Jump to Review Best Complete System Treatment for Thinning Hair: Nioxin System 1 Shampoo at Amazon $26 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Curly: Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo at Amazon $10 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair Under $20: Arkive Headcare All Day Everyday Shampoo at Walmart $18 Jump to Review Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair Overall Briogeo Destined For Density Caffeine + Biotin Density Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $32 at Amazon $32 at Nordstrom $32 at Dermstore Why We Like It Lathers beautifully Smells great Enhances shine Boosts density A little goes a long way It's Worth Noting Must be used regularly Some may find the fragrance too strong Key Ingredients: Caffeine, CoQ10, green coffee oil, biotin, zinc, and copper peptides | Fragrance: Light and powdery The Briogeo Destined for Destiny Peptide Shampoo is a caffeine- and biotin-infused shampoo designed to invigorate the scalp, boost growth, smooth strands, and lend to fuller, healthier-looking hair overall. When we tried this clean, vegan, cruelty-free formula, we were immediately struck by how it left our strands smelling dreamy all day long. Fragrance aside, the Briogeo Destined for Density Peptide Shampoo delivered on all its claims. We found that it lathered beautifully, cleansed thoroughly, softened and densified strands, and made hair look fuller throughout. One tester went so far as to say she’ll never use another shampoo again. Tester "[I noticed results] almost immediately. This product gave me my hair BACK. It transformed my thinning, dying hair to its bombshell glory days. Just call up Cher and tell her that we found a way to turn back time.” — Tester Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair, Runner-Up Kérastase Densifique Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $42 at Amazon $42 at Sephora View on Kerastase-usa.com Why We Like It Thick and creamy Noticeably thickens strands Made with hydrating and plumping hyaluronic acid It's Worth Noting Scent may be overpowering to some May cause fine hair to feel dry Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and gluco-peptide | Fragrance: Floral mint The Kérastase Densifique Thickening Shampoo is beloved for its volumizing, thickening, and cleansing abilities. The beloved formula features hydrating and plumping hyaluronic acid, strengthening and shine-enhancing ceramides, and breakage-preventing gluco-peptide. Together, these ingredients ensure that hair looks its best after each and every wash. When we put it to the test, we were shocked by just how full it made our tresses look. The Kerastase Densifique Thickening Shampoo even got us some serious compliments from the person who matters most: their hairdresser! They saw an obvious difference in the hair's thickness, which allowed them to style our hair with layers — something they hadn't been able to do in the past. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Oily BondiBoost HG Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $24 $17 at Amazon $30 at Nordstrom $24 at Sephora Why We Like It Boosts density Reduces hair fallout Doesn't weigh down hair Good choice for greasy hair It's Worth Noting Doesn't lather well Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, saw palmetto, and horsetail extract | Fragrance: Subtle peppermint The BondiBoost HG Shampoo for Thinning Hair is an Australian-made formula that features hydrating, conditioning, and calming aloe vera and strengthening and rejuvenating horsetail extract. It also showcases saw palmetto, a tried-and-true ingredient for combatting hair thinning and loss. During testing, xthe BondiBoost HG Shampoo for Thinning Hair seemed to reduce fallout and it didn’t weigh our hair down in the process. Additionally, since it’s infused with antifungal, decongesting rosemary extract, it helps curb oil production, making it a great pick for greasy hair. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair for Sensitive Skin Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $48 at Amazon $14 at Vegamour $78 at Sephora Why We Like It Strong lather Leaves hair feeling clean Makes hair look fuller Vegan It's Worth Noting You need to blow-dry after washing for best results Key Ingredients: Karmatin, marula, baobab, murumuru butter, and red clover/mung bean | Fragrance: Natural citrus While Vegamour is known for its hair growth serum, the Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo for Thinning Hair brings a lot to the table. It’s formulated with red clover and mung bean to enhance thickness and growth and reduce shedding. It’s also infused with proprietary karmatin (“a vegan alternative to Keratin”) to strengthen, smooth, and restore breakage-prone strands. Meanwhile, B-silk protein brings body and shine into the equation. While testing this top-rated formula, we found that it lathered exceptionally well, left hair feeling squeaky clean with a single rinse, and bulked up strands for a fuller-looking blowout post-use. Best Shampoo for Strengthening Thinning Hair Shu Uemura Izumi Tonic Rice Water Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $55 at Sephora View on Shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com Why We Like It A little goes a long way Strengthens and repairs damaged strands Helps keep hair frizz-free Lathers and rinses well It's Worth Noting Does not thicken hair Has a woody musk smell that some may find unpleasant Key Ingredients: Rice water | Fragrance: Woody musk If you experience breakage more than full patches of hair thinning and loss, the Shu Uemura Izumi Strengthening & Thickening Rice Water Shampoo is the product for you. The key ingredient here is rice water, which is a fermented ingredient known to radically strengthen strands for a healthy, frizz-free head of hair. We found that it lathered and rinsed out well, and left hair feeling super clean—to the point that all oils seemed to be stripped away. That said, it never left our strands feeling parched. Instead, we felt like the formula instantly rehabbed damaged strands to make way for new growth. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair for Long Hair Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Shampoo PHOTO: Paul Mitchell $30 at Amazon $23 at Ulta $60 at Walmart Why We Like It Boosts volume Prevents shedding Detangles Enhances shine It's Worth Noting Strong tea tree scent may be overpowering to some Key Ingredients: Kakadu plum, pea peptides, clover flower, turmeric, and ginseng | Fragrance: Lemon basil with hints of patchouli, vanilla, and amber The Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo is beloved for its tea tree, citrus scent and immediately noticeable results. In addition to preventing shedding and boosting thickness, this shampoo for thinning hair is designed to enhance shine, reduce excess oil production, and deeply nourish the scalp and strands. We found that it boosted the overall volume of our hair and led to noticeably less shedding by the end of the eight weeks. It also cut down on tangles and amped up the shine for shampoo commercial-worthy tresses. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Dry Fable & Mane HoliRoots Shampoo PHOTO: Sephora $30 at Amazon $30 at Sephora View on Fableandmane.com Why We Like It Smells great Comes in pump canister Makes hair feel thick and hydrated Works well on dry hair It's Worth Noting Takes a while to fully rinse out Not the best choice for thinning hair Key Ingredients: Tiger herb, coconut, and aloe | Fragrance: Coconut The Fable & Mane HoliRoots™ Hydrating Shampoo is formulated to deliver silky-soft strands. It features soothing and hydrating aloe, smoothing and shine-enhancing coconut, and nourishing tiger herb. Together, these ingredients work to make hair look and feel its best—particularly for those with dry hair. That said, if your primary goal is treating thinning hair, the Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Shampoo may not be the best shampoo for thinning hair for you. While we did find that it made our hair feel a bit thicker with eight weeks of use, it’s not actually formulated to deliver such results, so it may fall short in the long run. Best Complete System Treatment for Thinning Hair Nioxin System 1 Shampoo PHOTO: Amazon $26 at Amazon $35 at Ulta View on Planetbeauty.com Why We Like It Enhances volume, thickness, and shine Diminishes frizz Lathers and rinses well Repairs and prevents breakage It's Worth Noting Mint scent may be overpowering for some Works best when paired with the brand's conditioner Key Ingredients: Mentha arvensis leaf oil, peppermint, menthol, and nettle extract | Fragrance: Mint The Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo stood out during our testing for its ability to lather well, rinse out thoroughly, and deliver less frizzy, more voluminous hair. One of our testers even felt as though it helped enhance growth, as it worked so well to repair and prevent breakage. The Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo is designed to detoxify the scalp, ridding it of any potential pore-clogging build-up that could be causing thinning. While we found that it works well on its own, the brand says that it works best as part of a system, paired with the Nioxin System 1 Scalp Therapy Conditioner. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Curly Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo PHOTO: Amazon $10 at Amazon $10 at Target $11 at Ulta Why We Like It Affordable Refreshing Makes hair feel stronger and fuller Helps with frizz control It's Worth Noting Doesn't thicken individual strands Key Ingredients: Peppermint oil, rosemary oil, babassu seed oil, horsetail extract, and nettle extract | Fragrance: Rosemary mint The Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo is a great drugstore shampoo for hair growth. The strengthening formula is infused with biotin and is designed to repair cuticles while making way for new growth. And it smells great to boot. Our tester for the Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo, who has Type 4b/4c tightly coiled hair, started seeing results at about the five-week mark. They noted seeing stronger, less frizzy strands, not to mention some obvious hair growth along their part and edges. That said, they admitted that they didn’t notice much in the way of strand thickness. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair Under $20 Arkive Headcare All Day Everyday Shampoo PHOTO: Bloomingdale's $18 at Walmart View on Arkiveheadcare.com $18 at Bloomingdales Why We Like It Reduces tangles and shedding Enhances growth Protects colors Comes in a pump bottle It's Worth Noting Doesn't thicken individual strands Requires more product than the brand implies Key Ingredients: Baobab oil, baobab protein, and betaine | Fragrance: Future Bloom The ARKIVE Headcare All Day Everyday Shampoo comes housed in a chic matte, sand-colored pump bottle which makes it convenient to use and pretty to look at. Looks and use aside, the formula is infused with baobab protein to hydrate and strengthen strands, which became noticeable during our trial period. During our testing, we found that the ARKIVE Headcare All Day Everyday Shampoo worked exceptionally well to fight frizz, moisturize strands, and lend to healthier-looking hair from roots to ends. While we found that it tangled and volumized hair, as well as helped maintain color, we didn’t think it did much to bulk up each individual strand. Since it significantly cut down on breakage though, it remains a winner in our book. Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair That's Coily Superzero Strengthening & Scalp Stimulating Shampoo PHOTO: Amazon $28 at Sephora View on Superzero.com Why We Like It Sustainable Effective Smells great Thickens hair It's Worth Noting Melts when wet and can get messy Key ingredients: Caffeine, menthol, and rosemary oil | Fragrance: Rosemary mint The Superzero Strengthening & Scalp Stimulating Shampoo for Thinning Hair is a sustainable bar shampoo designed to cleanse and stimulate the scalp, repair and strengthen strands, and enhance shine and texture. It’s even said to work well with color-treated hair. During our testing, we found that the Superzero Strengthening & Scalp Stimulating Shampoo for Thinning Hair lived up to its claims. When tested on tightly coiled, 4C curls, the formula thickened hair, especially along the part and edges, restoring lost volume and density from dyeing, tight hairstyles, and heat damage. Best Cleansing Shampoo for Thinning Hair R+Co Dallas Thickening Shampoo PHOTO: Amazon $38 at Amazon $38 at Nordstrom $38 at Dermstore Why We Like It Cleans deeply Thickens strands Adds hold to hair Smooths strands and fights frizz It's Worth Noting Leaves hair feeling slightly dry Key Ingredients: Biotin, pro-vitamin B5, saw palmetto berry extract, coconut oil, and loquat fruit extract | Fragrance: Cardamom pineapple with hints of tangerine, lavender, bamboo, and blonde woods The R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo is a dream of a densifying formula—and it smells luxurious to boot. It features a bevy of thickening ingredients, like biotin, pro-vitamin B5, and saw palmetto berry extract. Meanwhile, the addition of coconut oil ensures it works well to smooth strands and fight frizz, too. During our testing, we were over the moon with how full and voluminous the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo made our hair look. While it didn’t do much to naturally thicken the girth of each strand, it added hold to our hair which made it easier to achieve and maintain certain hairstyles. What to Know About Thinning Hair Causes: “A whole mix of things can cause hair to thin—sudden changes in our environment, unhealthy stress levels, and sudden changes in our hormone levels,” says Nika Pearl-Edwards, Hairstylist at Rob Peetoom in Brooklyn, NY. “A lot of times when our bodies are focusing on something else that’s happening within us, it takes that energy away from our hair growth, oftentimes causing shedding, fragile, or thin hair.” Inflammation: “Recent developments have linked inflammation in the body to hair thinning,” says NYC-based trichologist Shab Caspara. “Inflammation can be triggered by stress, diet, medication, underlying ailments, exposure to environmental factors, and toxic ingredients. The body’s response to these triggers can cause the hair growth system to shut down (causing sudden hair shedding) or slowly affect the hair follicle and result in weaker and shorter hair growth over time.” According to Caspara, IVF, postpartum, post-surgery, improper scalp care, and certain medications can trigger inflammation and potential thinning. Styling: “Excessive amounts of chemical relaxing agents, permanent hair color, dry shampoo, and tight hairstyles, including braids, can lead to inflammation on the scalp, miniaturizing the hair resulting in the thinning,” says California-based trichologist William Gaunitz, FWTS, who is the founder of Advanced Trichology. Nutrition: “The most common [cause for thinning hair] is nutritional deficiency,” Gaunitz says. “When blood levels of key nutrients are out of optimal, your body will withdraw key nutrients from your hair to protect your internal organs. Most common nutrients that will cause your hair to thin are low ferritin, low vitamin D3, low B12, low magnesium, and low zinc.” Treatment: Treating thinning hair boils down to addressing the cause that’s triggering strands to shed. “To truly [address] thinning hair, you should be treating the problem internally and externally, and you must clearly identify the reason for the loss to be as effective as possible,” Gaunitz says. “Everyone is different and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment.” To treat thinning hair from the inside out, Gaunitz says to eat a hair-growth optimized diet rich in vitamin D3, iron, B12, omega-3 fish oil, saw palmetto, and probiotics—or take hair growth supplements to fill the void. Ingredients: According to Caspara and Gaunitz, the best shampoos for thinning hair are rosemary shampoos, as well as those formulated with caffeine, vitamin C, DHT blockers (like saw palmetto), castor oil, and tea tree oil/extract. Usage: Where some shampoos are designed to be used daily, others are meant to only be used a couple times a week. That said, Gaunitz says shampoos for thinning hair work best when used daily. “When dealing with thinning hair, you must shampoo daily to cleanse the surface of the scalp, minimize microbial overgrowth, and change circulatory and hormonal patterns that may be resulting in thinning hair,” he explains. Why Trust Shape Rebecca Norris is a writer who has covered beauty for the past 10 years. As someone who has written hundreds of stories about haircare, she’s brushed-up on the most effective formulas, including those for thinning hair. For this story, she read reviews and evaluated in-house testing insights. She then spoke with four hair experts—trichologists Shab Caspara and William Gaunitz, scalp expert Kerry E. Yates, and stylist Nika Pearl-Edwards—about what causes thinning hair, how to treat it, which ingredients work best to trigger growth, and more. She presents the best shampoos for thinning hair in 2024. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit