If you use lots of products in your hair every day, investing in a bottle of professional grade shampoo is one of the best things you could do for your hair’s health. These are the five best professional shampoos that’ll keep your hair squeaky clean and uber healthy.
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Tea Tree Special Shampoo (Our Top Pick)
Tea Tree Special Shampoo is in a class of its own. It’s created by the people over at Paul Mitchell, which is a legendary brand known for having some of the best award-winning products. And I love their Tea Tree line because of the incredible ingredients they use.
This is one of the best professional shampoos for damaged hair because of its main ingredient: Tea Tree Oil. This essential oil is known to be one of the best for hydrating and moisturizing your hair––the key to keeping your hair healthy.
But this shampoo also soothes and invigorates your hair from the scalp. That’s great for growing your hair but also repairing any damage that may have been done through the years.
I love that this shampoo is vegan, paraben-free, and color safe. That means there are no harmful chemicals in it that’ll eat away at your hair.
And it’s super easy to use. Just two or three squirts into your palms then apply it to wet hair. Massage it until it gives the amount of lather you like then wash it out.
Easy.
Pros:
- Made with some amazing ingredients like Tea Tree Oil, which is an awesome cleanser and moisturizer for your hair.
- Gives your hair a nice glossy shine while soothing your scalp.
- There are no harmful parabens that destroy your hair
Cons:
- I don’t love the scent. It’s a little too chemical-y for me.
- The tingling cooling effect you get from the peppermint and lavender can be too much. It can feel like a burning sensation rather than just a tingling.
Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo
Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo is another awesome creation from the legendary brand. Its Hawaiian Awapuhi is an ingredient that is phenomenal at cleansing hair.
And that alone makes it one of the best professional shampoos for dandruff. That’s how powerful this shampoo cleans and treats your hair.
I also love that it’s Vegan, too. That means it’s created with some of the best ingredients like Soy Protein and Panthenol, awesome ingredients that not only cleans your hair but strengthens and thickens it, too.
And that’s one of my favorite aspects of this shampoo.
It’s especially great for guys whose hair is thinning. As a guy whose hair is thinning, I love products that give my hair a fuller and thicker look without weighing it down or revealing any gaps.
Pros:
- Has some really awesome organic ingredients that not only cleans your hair thoroughly but feeds it the nutrients it needs to get and stay healthy.
- Great for guys with thinning or fine hair because it thickens your hair from the roots.
- It’s paraben-free––those harmful chemicals that destroy your hair.
Cons:
- I don’t like how watery and thin it is. It makes it feel like you’re not using enough, which will cause you to overuse the product and run out quickly.
- It smells metallic and I’m not a fan of that. Especially because it lingers for a while. So be sure to wash it out completely and thoroughly before drying and styling your hair.
Professional Sebastian Dark Oil Shampoo
For the past forty-plus-years, Sebastian has been at the forefront of the haircare space. The brand started out in Hollywood in the 1970s, being used on actors and actresses before going on to being one of the best-selling global hair care brands.
Their dark oil shampoo is the bomb. And it’s one of the best professional shampoos for dry hair.
What I love about it is the oils that’s infused into every drop. If you have really dry hair, oils like Jojoba Seed Oil, Spinosa Kernel Oil, and Argan Oil are great for you and they’re major ingredients in this shampoo.
I also love that it’s lightweight, which means you don’t have to worry about your hair feeling heavy and weighed down after using it.
Pro Tip: If you want to hydrate and moisturize your hair this is a great product to use. You can shampoo and rinse your hair as normal but then add another layer of this shampoo to your hair and leave it sitting for about five minutes before washing it out again.
This is a great way to add extra moisture and hydration to your hair.
Pros:
- Has some really amazing essential oils (Argan, Jojoba, Spinosa Kernel) that hydrate your hair and repairs any damage from extra dryness.
- You can use it as a deep conditioner, too. That’s awesome for the guys with super dry hair.
- It’s lightweight. There’s no heaviness or weighing your hair down. I love that. Especially for guys with thin or dry hair.
Cons:
- It has alcohol which is not great. Alcohol is known to dry your hair out.
- I don’t love the scent. The alcohol is super strong in the aroma so it makes it smell like a household cleaning product.
Professional Sebastian Twisted Shampoo
One of the best professional shampoos for curly hair is the Sebastian Professional Twisted Shampoo. We’ve talked about how amazing the Sebastian brand is, but their Twisted Shampoo is off the chain.
I love this shampoo for guys with curly hair because it locks in the moisture and elasticity your hair needs when it’s curly. And that comes in super handy when you want to style your hair.
It’s also really great for controlling frizz and taming your curls, which can sometimes get wild. Especially during the summer months.
It’s also super simple to use.
Just apply it to your wet hair then massage it in. After you’ve covered all your hair and lathered it really well, rinse it out.
Now you’re done and ready to roll.
Pros:
- Gives your hair some amazing moisture and hydration by infusing it with Calcium Carbonate and Citric Acid. So, while it’s cleaning your hair, it’s feeding it, too.
- Has great frizz control which can be an issue for the dudes with curly hair. I know it’s annoying and this shampoo helps, trust me.
- It strengthens your curls, so they are more defined.
Cons:
- This is another shampoo whose scent takes some getting used to. It’s very potent and chemical-y.
- If you have coarse hair, this shampoo won’t give as much moisturizing as you may need.
Billy Jealousy Monsoon Mist Tea Tree Shampoo
Billy Jealousy is one of those brands that’s great for the gentleman in us. It’s created by a guy who got sick of not having hair care and grooming products that suited his needs.
So, back in ’04, Billy Jealousy was born and is now featured in GQ, Men’s Health, Esquire, and Forbes.
The Monsoon Mist Tea Tree Shampoo is one of the best professional shampoos for oily hair because it’s got some of the best ingredients that strips away dirt and oil, while cleansing and nourishing your hair.
There’s Tea Tree and Rosemary Oils that give your hair the moisture it needs while removing oil and dirt buildup. But it also relieves itchy and dry scalps, too, which can happen when your shampoo dries your hair out.
No need to worry about that with this one.
I also love that it promotes hair growth with ingredients like Wheat Germ Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Algae Leaf Extract. These are all super awesome and healthy ingredients that get to your roots and feed them, so your hair grows.
Pros:
- It has a boatload of essential oils and natural ingredients that’s awesome for your hair. Especially if you have oily hair.
- I love the scent. It’s a really crisp and clean masculine scent that lingers after you’ve used it.
- It’s Vegan, Paraben-Free, and cruelty free. I love that it’s not tested on animals and it’s good for you. No need to worry about any harmful parabens tearing your hair apart when you use it.
Cons:
- The tingle and coolness can be too much if you have a sensitive scalp. Be mindful of that when using this shampoo. It can feel like a burning sensation.
What’s The Difference Between Professional Shampoos vs Regular Shampoos?
The key difference between professional shampoo and regular shampoo is the quality. Professional shampoos have more high-quality ingredients and are usually more highly concentrated.
That means that professional shampoos are a lot stronger than regular shampoos. So, if you have conditions like overly dry hair, excessive dandruff, or your hair is just plain ol’ damaged, I suggest getting a professional shampoo.
They are way better for nourishing and repairing your hair than a regular shampoo you get at Walgreens.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Professional Shampoo?
When buying a professional shampoo, it’s super important to look at the ingredients. Of course, organic, all-natural ingredients are always the best to go with. You want to make sure that there are no parabens or other harmful chemicals in the ingredients because they’ll damage your hair.
But it’s also important to look for a shampoo that has as many essential oils as possible. The key to a healthy head of hair is keeping it moisturized and hydrated.
That comes from essential oils like Argan, Coconut, Tea Tree, and Aloe Leaf.
Those are the must have ingredients for every shampoo in my book. If the one you grab doesn’t have any of those essential oils, grab a different bottle.
Andrew Kennedy
Andrew Phillip Kennedy is a men's style & grooming specialist who has spent years testing his knowledge in the real world on himself to land jobs, get girls, and improve his life overall. Andrew's advice is regarded as the some of the most well-researched and well-grounded in the game. For the perfect combination of men's grooming theory and real world results, you'll want to follow Andrew.
