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As anyone who dyes their hair knows (that includes a lot of us in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab!), colored hair requires special care. Most important? A top-quality shampoo — and matching conditioner — created for color-treated hair to keep your shade fresh and vibrant, whether it's brunette, black, blonde, red or a bolder hue. Not only do color-safe shampoos work to preserve your dye job, but they also help reduce hair damage by making strands feel and look softer and smoother.
“Shampoos for colored hair usually have lower concentrations of cleansing surfactants,” explains GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. “The formulas also use special conditioning agents that coat your hair’s surface to prevent dye molecules from escaping.”
To find the best formulas on the market, GH Beauty Lab scientists tested the latest shampoos for colored hair both in the Lab using technical instruments to determine which made color last longer and on consumer testers to gauge how they work in real life, tabulating 1,721 data points in total. Read on to delve into the rigorous evaluations behind the GH Beauty Lab's best-tested shampoos for color-treated hair (and all hair types and textures, including dry, oily and curly), plus recommendations from salon professionals.
Meet the experts:
- Sabina Wizemann, Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab Director
- Chiara Butler, Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst
- Catharine Malzahn, Good Housekeeping Beauty Assistant
- Patrick Kyle, New York City hairstylist
- Meri Kate O'Connor, a colorist at Salon Benjamin in West Hollywood, California
- Michael Dueñas, New York City celebrity hairstylist
Pros
Reduced hair color fading for a month in Lab testing- Makes color look rich, shiny and vibrant
- Effectively cleanses and softens hair
Cons
- Pricey
For hair color that stays salon-level vivid and glossy long-term, look no further than this Redken formula and its corresponding conditioner, which won the GH Beauty Lab's most recent shampoo for colored hair test. Though they're a splurge, the products earned the best score for preventing hair color from fading over a month of simulated wear.
They also came out on top for making color look shiny, richer and more vibrant. An impressive 100% of users agreed the set left hair clean and soft. “My hair color did not fade using these” and “they left my hair feeling silky and shiny,” two reported. Others noted that the conditioner was “thick” and “hydrating."
| Hair Type | All |
|---|---|
| Size | 10.1. fl oz. |
Pros
- Reduced hair color fading over a month
- Thoroughly cleanses hair
- Strong conditioning effects
Cons
- Some testers thought the bottles were bulky
Tresemmé’s drugstore shampoo with matching conditioner delivers a luxe shower experience — and real hair color-extending effects — at a bargain price (for a huge bottle!). In GH Beauty Lab testing, they performed almost as well as the winner at keeping color intact, plus got raves from users on their scent and cleansing.
The products ranked near top for protecting hair color from fading for a month and tied for best at conditioning in Lab tests. They also rated highly for being simple to use (however some noted that the bottles were bulky and they'd prefer pumps for easier dispensing).
A full 100% of testers agreed the shampoo created plentiful lather, made hair feel cleansed and didn’t irritate. “The lather was very foamy and satisfying,” one said. “My hair color stayed vibrant,” another added. Several commented on the “wonderful” scent and how shiny their hair was after use.
| Hair Type | All |
|---|---|
| Size | 28 fl. oz. |
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Pros
- Highly conditioning formula
- Fully cleanses hair
- Softens strands
Cons
- Not as strong color protection
This moisturizing Dove shampoo plus conditioner duo made with plant oils and glycerin was a winner in GH Beauty Lab testing for coddling dry processed hair. In addition to thoroughly cleansing, they excelled at effectively conditioning strands.
The pair received the best score for conditioning in the Beauty Lab’s wet combing test and rated well among testers for leaving hair feeling both clean and soft. (Note that they didn’t perform as well as the other products tested at preventing color fading.) "My hair was actually shinier than when using my regular products,” a user marveled. A second echoed: “My hair is shiny and looks healthy.” Many testers said they would purchase or continue to use these.
RELATED: Best Shampoos for Dry Hair
| Hair Type | Dry, damaged, coarse, curly and textured |
|---|---|
| Size | 13.5 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Effectively conditions and smooths hair
- Lathers well
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not as strong hair color protection
Give your hair color that signature Pantene silky smoothness with this bargain shampoo and its corresponding conditioner. They tied for the top score in GH Beauty Lab testing for conditioning hair and 100% of testers agreed the shampoo provided a lush lather. The products also scored highly for being easy to dispense.
One drawback: They didn't perform as well at hair color protection. That said, testers praised the formulas. "Even on the most humid days, this left my hair smooth and sleek and eliminated my need for additional smoothing products," a user raved. "I had a luxurious blowout look without any of the time and effort!”
| Hair Type | Coarse, frizzy, dry |
|---|---|
| Size | 10.4 fl. oz. |
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Pros
- Second best at preventing hair color fade
- Lathers well
- Appealing scent
Cons
- Not as effective at conditioning
Despite its lack of sulfates (which usually help give shampoos their suds), this IGK shampoo lathered richly and when used with its matching conditioner had powerful color-protecting effects in GH Beauty Lab testing. They came in second for stopping hair color from fading over one month in Lab evaluations.
The duo's pleasant scent, which one user called "divine," also rated highly. While testers found they rinsed easily, be aware that these formulas didn't perform well at conditioning hair. "I actually got a lot of compliments on my color recently and this might be why," a tester noted.
| Hair Type | Oily or fine hair |
|---|---|
| Size | 8 fl. oz. |
Pros
- High score for color protection
- Boosts shine
- Leaves hair feeling clean and full
Cons
- Lowest level of conditioning tested, so may be better for fine hair
Ceremonia's shampoo infused with plant extracts helps hair color resist fading without heavy conditioning that can deflate volume. In Beauty Lab testing with its conditioner, the two ranked highly at protecting color and making it shiny. They also made strands feel clean, but the "thin" formulas scored lowest for conditioning effects. Hair was "very full" and "lively" after using these, two testers commented.
| Hair Type | Fine, oily |
|---|---|
| Size | 8.45 fl. oz. |
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Pros
- Purifies hair
- Won't strip hair color
- Lightweight
Cons
- May not lather as easily
This protein-infused shampoo (and its conditioner counterpart) from Nexxus win the praises of color pros thanks to its ability to remove product buildup without stripping color. "It prevents fading on any color-treated hair and maintains hair health," says New York City hairstylist Patrick Kyle. One reviewer wrote that it takes a decent amount of shampoo to get a good lather, however.
RELATED: 15 Best Clarifying Shampoos to Remove Buildup and Deep Clean Hair
| Hair Type | Oily, fine |
|---|---|
| Size | 33.8 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Gentle cleansing
- Helps prevent color fading
- Created for blonde hair
Cons
- Scent is polarizing
Due to the bleaching process, blonde dyed hair can be even more prone to damage and dryness. Enter this Schwarzkopf shampoo formulated specially for blondes, which celebrity hairstylist Michael Dueñas raves "helps strengthen the hair internally."
The castor oil ingredient leaves hair feeling incredibly soft and shiny, he adds. It's "also gentle with cleansing and retains your hair's natural moisture, ensuring you don’t strip away your artificial color," Dueñas says. The scent was polarizing among users, though; while some raved about the "clean" aroma, another user called it "overpowering."
RELATED: Best Purple Shampoos
| Hair Type | Damaged, dry |
|---|---|
| Size | 10 fl. oz. |
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Pros
- Not heavy on hair
- Lightweight softening
Cons
- May not be rich enough for dry hair
For a luxe sulfate-free option that increases vibrancy, check out Shu Uemura's color-protecting shampoo and conditioner, recommended by Meri Kate O'Connor, a colorist at Salon Benjamin in West Hollywood, CA. "These have refining lipids that help to protect the cortex of the hair, where the color goes, so your shade lasts longer — and hair is left shiny and soft," she explains. Those with dry scalps reported online that it felt less moisturizing, so oily hair types may benefit more.
RELATED: Best Shampoo for Oily Hair
| Hair Type | Oily, fine |
|---|---|
| Size | 10 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Made with flake-fighting active ingredient
- Good value
- Softens hair
Cons
- May not be ideal for curly hair types
From the gold standard anti-dandruff brand, this Head & Shoulders shampoo created for both color-treated hair and scalp care contains the flake-fighting active ingredient pyrithione zinc. Adding nourishment to the equation, the formula is also infused with manuka honey and argan oil.
"It leaves my hair super shiny and soft, and the creamy formula lathers really nicely," says GH Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzahn. However, online reviewers with curly hair — kinky textures, especially — noted that it wasn't as effective at detangling.
RELATED: Best Dandruff Shampoos to Fight Flakes and Itching
| Hair Type | Dry, itchy scalp; dandruff |
|---|---|
| Size | 11.8 fl. oz. |
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How we test shampoos for colored hair
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab tests the latest shampoos for colored hair across price points alongside each product's matching conditioner in the Lab and on consumer testers at home. In the most recent test, experts narrowed down 97 new products to the top contenders based on claims and other factors.
In the Lab, scientists conducted a color fade resistance test: Human hair samples were dyed, washed and dried with each product 20 times and exposed to 19 hours of UV light to simulate a month of wear.
Change in hair color was then calculated with the VeriVide DigiEye machine (below). Hair conditioning ability of the shampoo-conditioner sets was also determined using the Instron device, which measures the force needed to comb wet hair samples washed with the products.
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Finally, the product labels were hidden to eliminate bias and distributed to consumer testers around the country, who used them for two weeks, then evaluated factors including ease of use, formula attributes, and the look of their color and the feel of hair after use. In the most recent shampoo for colored hair test, Lab experts tallied 208 technical measurements and 1,513 consumer survey responses to determine the winning formulas.
What to look for in a shampoo for colored hair
Here are the GH Beauty Lab's top tips for buying the best shampoo for color-treated hair:
✔️ Check for specific color-protecting claims. Seek out trusted brands and specific claims about protecting hair color, advises GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler. (An example: “provides long-lasting color vibrancy for up to 32 washes,” claimed by Redken Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner.) "Those types of claims, especially when made by a well-known brand, indicate a higher level of testing than very broad claims like 'helps keep hair looking vibrant' or 'for colored hair,'" she says.
✔️ Use the matching set. In GH Beauty Lab testing, "we always use the matching shampoo and conditioner set together because they are formulated to work the best together and are tested together during their development," Butler explains. "Claims about color protection are usually based on washing hair with both products in a set."
✔️ Don't worry about "sulfate-free." GH Beauty Lab color-protecting shampoo tests showed that sulfate-containing shampoos can actually perform better than sulfate-free formulas at preventing color fading," Butler reveals. "The overall formulation of the product is more important than the absence of a single ingredient."
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Do you really need special shampoo for colored hair?
Not necessarily, but it can't hurt (and could help). "The biggest contributor to color fading during your wash is actually the water, not the shampoo," Butler explains. "Hair science expert Dr. Trefor Evans describes in this article that dyed hair fades about the same whether it is washed with water and shampoo or just water." One way color-protecting shampoos help prevent fading is with special hydrophobic polymers that prevent the dye molecules in the hair strand from being washed away by water, she says. "You can also protect your hair color from fading by staying out of the sun, as UV light causes fading as well," Butler adds.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Former GH Senior Commerce Editor Jacqueline Saguin worked closely with our Beauty Lab scientists to research and write this article. GH Beauty Director April Franzino most recently updated this story with the Beauty Lab's most recent shampoo for colored hair testing data and expert insights.
GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler conducted the Beauty Lab's most recent test of shampoos and conditioners for colored hair and contributed commentary to the piece.
Jacqueline Saguin
Jacqueline (she/her) was a commerce editor for Good Housekeeping from 2021 to 2024. Prior to joining GH, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication.
April Franzino
Beauty Director
April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.
Tested byChiara Butler
Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst
Chiara (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she conducts hands-on testing of health and beauty products. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Columbia University. Before joining GH in 2022, she worked as a cosmetic chemist, formulating skincare products for a variety of brands and learning to decode ingredient lists, evaluate ingredient efficacy and scrutinize product claims.
