Trust Me: These Are the 26 Best Affordable Shampoos for Healthy, Shiny Hair

No matter how much you might spend on it, there's something about shampoo that always feels like the most basic step of your hair routine. After all, sudsing up in the shower just isn't that exciting—it's the masks, hair oils and styling products that bring the fun later. While I am partial to a more expensive shampoo-and-conditioner duo, if you're looking to save some money, this is the place in your hair routine where I often recommend cutting costs, leaving you to invest more in your styling products instead. As a beauty editor, I have tested a lot of shampoos over the years, but while the luxe cleansers often feel great, and smell even better, there are plenty of drugstore shampoos that I use regularly and recommend to my friends who have a plethora of hair types.

Before we get into my favourites, it's important to note that a lot of inexpensive shampoos tend to contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), an ingredient that’s used purely to create that classic shampoo lather. This isn’t an issue for all hair types, as it is effective at removing grease from the hair, but it’s definitely an ingredient to watch out for if you have curly or Afro-textured hair, as it can leave hair looking and feeling drier than when you wash with an SLS-free shampoo.

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(Image credit: @KEEKSREID)

So if you’re looking for shampoos that are affordable but cleanse amazingly, keep scrolling for 26 of the best drugstore shampoos—all for £20 and under.

The 26 Best Drugstore Shampoos

1. L'Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss Shampoo

best shiny hair shampoo

(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

2. Aussie Calm The Frizz Shampoo

3. John Frieda Frizz Ease Brazilian Sleek Frizz Immunity Shampoo

4. OGX Quenching+ Coconut Curls pH Balanced Shampoo

best shiny hair shampoos

(Image credit: @thatgracegirl)

5. L'Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Shampoo

6. L'Oréal Paris Botanicals Lavender Sensitive Hair Scalp Therapy Vegan Shampoo

7. Beauty Pie Stronger Shinier Hair Strengthening Shampoo

8. NUXE Prodigieux High Shine Shampoo

9. L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Magnesium Silver Neutralising Shampoo

10. Shea Moisture Coconut Hibiscus Curl Shine Shampoo

11. Wella Professionals Invigo Volume Boost Bodifying Shampoo

12. FUL Purifying Charcoal Shampoo

13. Maui Moisture Revive Hydrate Shea Butter Shampoo

14. Bleach London Pearlescent Shampoo

15. Undone by George Northwood Undirty Shampoo

16. Umberto Giannini Grow Root Stimulating Shampoo

17. Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo

18. Lee Stafford For the Love Of Curls Shampoo for Waves, Curls Coils

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(Image credit: @KEEKSREID)

19. The Hair Lab by Mark Hill Strengthening Growth Shampoo

20. Pantene Hair Biology Clean Resconstruct Shampoo

21. Lush Avocado Co-Wash

22. KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo

23. Nurture + Gentle Cleansing Shampoo Bar

24. As I Am JBCO Cowash

25. Arkive Headcare The All Day Everyday Shampoo

26. Unite Boing Curl Shampoo

Now shop drugstore conditioners:

This post was previously published and has since been updated.

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