This story first appeared on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
Because I have to test so many shampoos, I often don’t get to finish a bottle before I’m on to the next. But I always finish a bottle of Bumble and Bumble. When I first used it, I understood the “invisible oil” angle: It really does feel as though there’s an imperceptible layer of light, nourishing oil enveloping your hair after you wash it off. —Rachael Griffiths
If you have fine hair, buy this shampoo from Philip Kingsley. It deeply cleanses my oily scalp and removes product buildup but is gentle enough that I can use it every other day. I also find that my flyaway-prone hair can often look a little frizzy on wash day, but with this shampoo it’s never looked shinier or smoother. —Dominique Pariso
There was a time last winter when everything irritated my scalp. After a lot of trial and error, I landed on this set, which virtually got rid of all flakiness and itchiness in a couple of weeks. Bonus: My hair felt smoother and fuller from using it, too. Now, I can now switch up products without a problem for the most part, but I come back to this frequently, especially if my scalp needs a break. —Arielle Avila
I have thin, fine hair that’s fairly prone to shedding and breakage, so in a bid to strengthen my strands, I bought this thickening shampoo from Molton & Brown. The formula includes a ginger extract that smells lovely and makes my scalp tingle — invigorating. It suds nicely and leaves my hair feeling clean, fresh, and full — and I’ve noticed less clogging of the drain these days. —Kitty Guo
I’ve been using this Balancing Shampoo for about 18 months now. Remarkably, my lifelong dry scalp is generally under control. And even though I wash my hair twice a week, this shampoo doesn’t dry it out, typically a major issue with any formula that helps control my seborrheic dermatitis. —Crystal Martin
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