The 12 best shampoos for curly hair for gentle-yet-nourishing cleansing, reviewed by our experts

RRP: £29 for 236ml | Key ingredients: Rosemary leaf extract, healthy curl complex

Despite being sulphate-free and curly girl method compliant, Living Proof's Curl Shampoo lathers really well and feels like a traditional shampoo formula – though we can attest it's rather advanced. Its "healthy curl complex" creates a shield around curls, coils and waves to strengthen, define and reduce frizz. This technology is a blend of amino acids, which contribute to hair strength and elasticity, while a combination of jojoba oil, shea butter and sunflower seed wax also help enhance curl patterns.

This formula goes some way in justifying the higher price tag of this shampoo; we found you could even begin detangling while shampooing because it has some nourishing slip, rather than yielding that squeaky clean, stripped feel. The combination of the great formula and user experience is why it's our overall best pick.

Buy if: You want something non-stripping that'll define and enhance your curls

Avoid if: You're on a smaller budget

RRP: £22.75 for 250ml | Key ingredients: Tomato extract, glycerin

Colouring curls isn't necessarily a no-no when it's done with care, but the colouring and/or bleaching processes put an extra strain on already fragile hair types, which can damage your strands and make them more prone to breakage. Nourishment and gentle cleansing are therefore all the more important – and the Davines NOUNOU Nourishing Shampoo wowed us with its deeply nourishing formula, which both smells phenomenal and helps to moisturise strands.

If your hair is particularly frizz-prone, the soothing chestnut milk and tomato extract will work to smooth this somewhat and restore some shine to your head of hair. Other plus points are that the packaging is also recyclable (Davines' sustainability credentials are pretty impressive), while the formula itself is vegan.

Buy if: You have coloured, bleach or otherwise damaged curls

Avoid if: You don't need something extra nourishing

RRP: £18 for 250ml | Key ingredients: Aloe vera juice, glycerin, argan & lemon tea tree oils

This product from excellent curly brand Bread Beauty Supply, who makes products primarily for types 4 and 3 hair, is like a mix between a shampoo and a co-wash. It works wonders on dry or sore scalps with its non-stripping formula. As more of a co-wash (short for "conditioning wash" i.e. a cleansing conditioner), it doesn't lather much, which some may take getting used to. However, we found it still lifts away oil and build-up from thick hair with relative ease.

Both this and Bread's Hair-Mask are firm favourites of our contributing beauty editor Lucy Abbersteen, who loves how they work to deeply moisturises with no residue or heaviness post-wash. We also enjoyed the packaging of Hair-Wash; the pouch format allows you to squeeze out every last drop of product. All on it's a nice and moisturising, non-stripping, sulphate-free formula – and works a treat on coloured hair, too.

Buy if: You're looking for a co-wash

Avoid if: You want more of a deep clean from your new formula

RRP: £12.99 for 384ml | Key ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter, hibiscus flower

Shea Moisture's entire line is incredible, but we love the Coconut and Hibiscus range for thick and/or damaged hair. This nourishing formula lathers beautifully and while the smell is subtle it has a tropical scent that will make you feel like you're on your holidays. Key ingredients include nourishing coconut oil and shea butter to smooth split ends plus strengthening hibiscus flower, which is packed with amino acids to prevent breakage.

We found that this shampoo kept frizz down and helped bring definition to curls, but those with more fine hair may find that it sits heavy because of its many hydrating properties. For this price, you get nearly 400ml of product, making this one of the best value options we tried.

Buy if: Your hair texture is thicker and/or drier and needs more nourishment

Avoid if: You want a strong scent in your shampoo

RRP: £17 for 300ml | Key ingredients: Aloe vera, pomegranate extract, spearmint, coconut oil

While the general expert consensus is that curly hair doesn't need washing as frequently as other hair types, Bouclème’s non-foaming, creamy, sulphate-free cleanser is designed to be gentle enough for daily use. In other words, it could be the best shampoo for curly hair if you exercise a lot, or live and work somewhere that means you wash your hair more frequently, i.e. being exposed to more pollution and grime.

Designed for all curl types, we found this lightweight cleanser eliminates build-up and debris without completely stripping hair's natural oils; our curls were left beautifully soft and defined. It’s powered by nourishing plant extracts, including virgin coconut oil, Aloe vera, pomegranate and spearmint, and is 98% naturally derived with recyclable packaging to boot.

Buy if: You want to reduce frizz and dryness

Avoid if: Your hair is easily weighed down by oils

RRP: £8.99 for 355ml | Key ingredients: Shea butter, ceramides, peach

Fully recycled, 92% naturally derived and cruelty-free, the Rhyme & Reason Curl & Quench Shampoo is eco-friendly without costing the earth. When testing we really though it smells more like a high end product, scented with peach and sandalwood, with a blend of nut butters and oils to nourish without any nasties.

We were seriously impressed by the performance of this product for the price. It's up there with many of the more expensive shampoos we tested, at a fraction of the cost.

Buy if: You want a low-cost, high quality shampoo

Avoid if: You'd benefit from a more gentle formula

RRP: £29.60 for 250ml | Key ingredients: Manuka honey, ceramides

Curly hair types are more fragile than straight ones and drier, too, which is why this shampoo contains a patented ceramide that was developed after four years of research. It creates a barrier between the hair strand and environmental stressors to lock in moisture, improve strength, elasticity and suppleness. You’ll also find manuka honey in this rich, creamy and hair-bolstering formula – which we found, despite its texture, doesn’t weigh your hair down or need more thorough rinsing off.

Though this shampoo definitely gave our curls a thorough clean, it manages to be somewhat nourishing, too. This is in no small part thanks to the inclusion of glycerin, a gold standard moisturiser, which hydrates from root to tip to help with curl definition and shine. You'll also love the warm fruity, floral scent that envelops your hair and fills your bathroom.

Buy if: You want a strengthening formula

Avoid if: You don't like strong scents in your haircare products

RRP: £28 for 250ml | Key ingredients: Oligoquat M, guar and cocoa butter

Designed to restore moisture to dry and fragile hair – and primarily formulated for natural tightly coiled and curly hair – the Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Shampoo features a range of ingredients that target nourishment and reduced frizz. This includes guar, an anti-static agent to keep hair looking smooth, and oligoquat M, a superpowered moisturising agent derived from sugar cane.

Suitable for natural, relaxed and synthetic hair, we really enjoyed the application and general user experience of this shampoo, from its calming, fresh scent to the attractive but fully recyclable packaging. This trichologist-founded brand's product is CO2 negative and cruelty-free, too.

Buy if: Your hair needs a moisture boost

Avoid if: You have a smaller budget

RRP: £28 for 250ml | Key ingredients: French pink clay, hibiscus extract, coconut oil extract, zinc PCA

Unlike "traditional" formulas, many of the best shampoos for curly hair are very low or no foam. Some people can be thrown off by the lack of lather that forms while massaging in these products, leaving them feeling like their hair isn't quite as clean as they want. But we found that the Trepadora Hibiscus Pink Cleansing Clay-Wash more than hits the mark.

Why? Firstly, we found that it managed to be both moisturising but purifying, with pink clay to protect strands and increase elasticity. The formula also uses 100% natural zinc PCA, which helps to regulate sebaceous gland oil production and, in turn, reduce the build-up of bacteria and friends to help keep itching and irritation at bay.

Buy if: Your scalp is naturally quite oily

Avoid if: You want and need a deeply moisturising shampoo

RRP: £28 for 240ml | Key ingredients: Alpha Keratin 60ku, jojoba oil, ceratonia siliqua gum, bean-based polymers

Powered by its signature Alpha Keratin 60ku, Virtue's Curl Shampoo softly cleanses without stripping your hair from moisture. Its proteins are designed to strengthen and heal damaged hair for bouncier strands that look and feel healthy.

You'll also find rice protein and sunflower seed oil in this blend, which are there to provide your hair with some protection from damaging UV rays. Many experts recommend avoiding sulphates in your hair products, particularly for curly hair types, as they can be a little harsh and drying compared to other cleansing agents. While this is a pricier shampoo, it's worth noting that a lot of research and advanced ingredients go into this brand's formulas.

Buy if: You want a sulphate-free formula that feels nourishing, not stripping

Avoid if: You're on a smaller budget

RRP: £24 for 236ml | Key ingredients: Rosehip, argan & coconut oils

A longstanding curly girl-approved brand, Briogeo's Farewell Frizz formula is 98% naturally derived and packed with antioxidant protection to keep environmental damage at bay – namely in the form of argan, rosehip and coconut oils.

When testing, we got through this one quite fast because the shampoo itself has a more fluid consistency. In our experience, this does make it easy to pour out too much, so do bear this in mind when using for the first time – but it lathers well and left hair feeling softer yet thoroughly cleansed.

Buy if: You've got frizzy hair

Avoid if: You prefer shampoo with a thick, rich texture

RRP: £24 for 275ml | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, polyglutamic acid, plant-derived oils

It's hard to argue with Amika's impeccable branding, which admittedly caught our attention from first use, but the Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo's true appeal is the formula inside this lovely-looking bottle. It's packed with natural, curl-loving ingredients such as fermented coconut water, sea buckthorn and blue/green algae, as well as skincare-worthy hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids.

We gave points to this formula because you can also use this shampoo or colour or keratin-treated curls, and we found that despite its intense hydration it left no buildup on our hair. Pair with the matching conditioner for a real moisture surge.

Buy if: You've got dehydrated or coarse curls whose thirst needs quenching

Avoid if: Hydration isn't your number one priority