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Regardless of the cause of your hair loss, incorporating the best shampoos for thinning hair into your routine supports healthy hair function. To be extra clear, thin or thinning hair is nothing to be ashamed of. People across all ages and demographics experience thinning hair and hair loss for a multitude of reasons: age, changes in diet, giving birth, and product alterations, to name a few.
Thankfully, the top shampoos for thinning hair outlined below are bursting with ingredients that can boost volume, thicken strands, and possibly improve hair density for the long haul. Best of all, you don't need a prescription to scoop any of these fortifying formulas up.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo, $25
- Best for Color-Treated Hair: Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, $30
- Best Budget: Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo, $10
- Best for Graying Hair: Arey Wash Shampoo, $48
- Best-Smelling Formula: Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, $32
- Best for Dandruff-Prone Hair: Nizoral Shampoo, $16
- Best for Oily Scalps: Kérastase Spécifique Bain Divalent, $42
- Best Hair-Care System: Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo, $45
Frequently Asked Questions
- What causes hair thinning?
- Do hair thinning shampoos really work?
- What ingredients should I look for?
- When should I see a doctor about thinning hair?
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Thickening Shampoo Overall: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: New York City board-certified dermatologist Neil Sadick, MD, is a fan of this color-safe Paul Mitchell shampoo, which is chock-full of antioxidants (such as ginseng and turmeric) to hydrate your scalp and hair while gently cleansing. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Arash Akhavan, MD, says that tea tree oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory benefits to rid your scalp of excess oil, sweat, and product build-up.
- Editor Tip: Got an itchy scalp? "Tea tree oil has also been shown to reduce the symptoms of dandruff and other inflammatory conditions of the scalp," Dr. Akhavan previously explained.
- Key Ingredients: Tea tree oil, kakadu plum, pea peptides, clover flower, turmeric, ginseng
- Best For: Oily scalps, dandruff-prone hair
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Olaplex's line of strengthening hair-care essentials has long been an Allure editor favorite but the brand's Best of Beauty-winning No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo in particular has earned high praise from Annie Gonzalez, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, for its protective qualities. Whether your hair is ultra-damaged or not, No. 4 is a great product for maintaining the look and health of your hair daily.
- Editor Tip: Dr. Gonzalez adds that this strengthening shampoo protects your locks from breakage and is perfect for color-treated hair, thanks to Olaplex's signature bond-building molecule, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. "The less hair breakage, the fuller and thicker your hair will be," she says.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin, panthenol
- Best For: Color-treated hair, damaged hair
Best Budget: Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Mielle Organics knows how to deliver a bargain without compromising the good stuff. The good stuff in question is a blend of rosemary and mint essential oils, which stimulates your scalp and boosts blood circulation. The Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo, which also boats biotin for strengthening and coconut oil for moisture, is the reset your hair has been craving.
- Editor Tip: Kick things off with the Best of Beauty-winning (and TikTok-beloved) Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil to condition your dry scalp and/or smooth split ends before following up with the shampoo once you've hopped into the shower.
- Key Ingredients: Panthenol, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, rosemary leaf, babassu seed oil, ginger root oil, coconut oil
- Best For: All hair types, including curly, coily, and protective styles
Best for Graying Hair: Arey Wash Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: There's nothing wrong with sporting gray hair, but if you'd rather put that off a little longer, Arey's Wash Shampoo is a great option to pick up. Scientists have identified that genetic or hereditary loss in hair pigmentation only accounts for 30% of greys. The other culprit? Oxidative stress and decrease in melanogenesis (the process of creating melanin, or pigment). This shampoo combines ingredients that promote pigmentation and hair restoration. It's chef's kiss for anyone dealing with aging hair.
- Editor Tip: This shampoo is formulated with an ingredient — palmitoyl tetrapeptide 20 amide, to be exact — that's been found in small studies to "preserve the function of follicular melanocytes and promote hair pigmentation, thereby reducing the hair graying process," says Hadley King, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist. If you're struggling with hair loss, this formula also contains ginseng root extract, which Dr. King says stimulates microcirculation in the scalp and helps to inhibit the production of DHT, the main hormone responsible for androgenetic hair loss.
- Key Ingredients: Palmitoyl tetrapeptide 20 amide, ginseng root extract
- Best For: Aging skin and hair
Best-Smelling Shampoo: Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: In addition to smelling like absolute heaven (or a blend of rose, Italian lemon, jasmine, and white musk, to be exact), Ouai's Fine Hair Shampoo comes highly recommended by New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla, MD. (We think it's a perfect pick for your everything showers.) This sulfate-free formula is notably safe for color-treated hair and produces a satisfying lather.
- Editor Tip: This shampoo works whether your hair is thinning or you feel like it just looks flat. "Chia seed oil penetrates the hair to give it hydration and bounce, along with biotin and keratin," she says.
- Key Ingredients: Chia seed oil, biotin, keratin
- Best For: Fine hair, flat hair, dry scalp and hair
Best for Dandruff-Prone Hair: Nizoral Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: While this shampoo's main claim to fame is its ability to reduce dandruff and flaking, Dr. Green says its ketoconazole-spiked formula is also helpful in promoting hair growth.
- Editor Tip: According to Dr. Green, a study published in Dermatologic Therapy suggests that ketoconazole may block the action of an enzyme, 5-alpha reductase (5AR), that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the latter being a hormone that can cause hair loss in both men and women with age — though more extensive clinical studies are needed to validate these findings. "By blocking 5AR, DHT levels decrease and can help slow down hair loss and support hair growth," she says.
- Key Ingredients: Ketoconazole
- Best For: Itchy scalps, dandruff, aging skin and hair
Best for Oily Scalps: Kérastase Spécifique Bain Divalent
Why It's Worth It: This Kérastase pick is a favorite of Dr. Mariwalla, specifically for "strengthening hair, especially as we age," she says. Other viable candidates? People with greasy scalps who may not wash their hair as often as others, but also experience brittle, dry hair.
- Editor Tip: The shampoo targets hair concerns with vitamin B6, which works to slow sebum production, along with glycine, an amino acid that deeply moisturizes strands.
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin B6, glycine
- Best For: Oily scalp, brittle hair, aging skin and hair
Best Hair-Care System: Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Nioxin's clarifying Cleanser shampoo is another Dr. Sadick-approved pick that'll leave your hair feeling refreshed and clean from dirt, buildup, and sebum — but not stripped. The ingredients boost volume and strengthen hair follicles for a healthy scalp.
- Editor Tip: Nioxin's three-part regimens, which include said shampoo, conditioner, and a scalp and hair spray treatment, focus on strengthening the hair itself (down to its molecular structure) and cleansing the scalp to fight thinning.
- Key Ingredients: Amino acids, antioxidants, peppermint oil
- Best For: Oily scalp and hair
Best Luxurious Formula: Alterna Caviar Clinical Densifying Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Stacy Chimento, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Riverchase Dermatology in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, recommends this hair density-boosting formula because of its effective, jam-packed formula. It contains strengthening biotin and keratin; antioxidant-rich alma Indian gooseberry oil to fight free radical damage; amino acids that help thinning hair build new strands; and moisturizers like glycerin and caviar to keep hair shiny and silky. As a bonus, you won't find any synthetic colors and dyes in this formula.
- Editor Tip: If you live somewhere with lots of pollution (hi, city dwellers!), Dr. Chimento says this shampoo "also removes environmental residues and excess sebum, which allows for thicker-looking hair to rise to the surface."
- Key Ingredients: Biotin, keratin, gooseberry oil, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, glycerin, sunflower seed oil, caviar
- Best For: Anyone exposed to environmental stressors, oily scalps
Allure Editor–Favorite: Andrew Fitzsimons Body Volume Boosting Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: A Best of Beauty Award winner, the Body Volume Boosting Shampoo is the work of hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, whose clients include the Kardashians, Adele, and J.Lo, just to name a few). For the quite reasonable $16 price point, you get a lightweight formula packed with caffeine and hydrolyzed rice protein to strengthen hair, improve elasticity, and give your hair an overall "oomph."
- Editor Tip: Its mood-boosting fragrance profile is a thing of wonder, too, with notes of pink grapefruit, crisp apple, raspberry pulp, caramel drizzle, and creamy musk — it almost sounds good enough to eat. (But please don't.)
- Key Ingredients: Caffeine, hydrolyzed rice protein, panthenol
- Best For: Fine, flat hair
Best Exfoliating: RevitaLash Thickening Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: RevitaLash is responsible for the only brow serum we've ever awarded a Best of Beauty Award, so you know it's up to snuff. This sulfate-free Thickening Shampoo strengthens your hair from your scalp to the ends with deep-penetrating ingredients such as flax protein (to prevent hair breakage), willow bark for gentle exfoliation, and loquat leaf, a traditional Asian plant that boosts thickness.
- Editor Tip: Work it into your scalp using circular motions and allow it to sit for a minute or so before rinsing away.
- Key Ingredients: Flax protein, loquat leaf, willow bark, ginseng, jojoba seed oil
- Best For: People who want gentle scalp exfoliation
For a Grease-Free Finish: Isdin Lambdapil Hair Loss Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Dr. Mariwalla also recommends this strengthening shampoo because of its nourishing formula, which "really makes the hair look and feel thicker and fuller." Ginseng promotes scalp circulation, and you'll also find hydrolyzed wheat protein, a quiet superhero for strengthening hair inside and out.
- Editor Tip: Isdin's Lambdapil formula contains conditioning agents and gentle cleansers so you can use it daily. (Though, for most hair types, hairstylists don't recommend you wash so frequently.)
- Key Ingredients: Zinc, biotin, ginseng, hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Best For: Dull hair, Product buildup, fine hair
Best Lightweight Cleanser: Briogeo Destined For Density Caffeine + Biotin Peptide Density Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Briogeo has a shampoo for just about every concern, including people who want the appearance of thicker, fuller hair. Meet Destined For Density, which is chock-full of what the brand calls "Energy Complex," a.k.a. a mixture of caffeine, CoQ10, and green coffee oil to stimulate the scalp. Biotin and copper peptides also join in on the fun to improve elasticity and support healthy hair function. And that scent? An enticing blend of fruity, gourmand, and clean notes? Don't mind if we do.
- Editor Tip: Use the Scalp Revival Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo (which won a Best of Beauty Award in 2018, FYI) once a week for a deep cleanse so your usual shampoo — Destined For Density, of course — works even harder for the health of your hair.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, coffee seed oil, copper tripeptide-34, panax ginseng root extract, biotin, caffeine
- Best For: All hair types
What causes hair thinning?
Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, says that thinning hair can be linked to many things. "It could be from over-processing color, medication, medical conditions like anemia and vitamin deficiency, menopause, or it could just simply be your genetics," Dr. Gohara explains.
Stress is directly liked to hair thinning as well, as witnessed by the meteoric rise of patients with hair loss during COVID-19. When confronted with a major physical or emotional stressor, the body eventually responds by pushing more hairs than usual into the telogen, or resting, phase of the hair cycle, Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, previously explained. Over time, this signals them to stop growing and then, months later, fall out simultaneously.
Telogen effluvium is the name given to temporary hair loss caused by a shock to the system. For example, the jolt of postpartum or menopause — and the hormonal swings associated with these conditions — will commonly trigger telogen effluvium in women, according to Nazanin Saedi, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. But in terms of demographics, hair loss "does not discriminate," Corey L. Hartman, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine previously said. "It can be seen across races, ethnicities, skin types, and hair textures," he affirmed.
Do hair thinning shampoos really work?
No products are cure-alls but experts agree that cleansing your scalp regularly and boosting scalp circulation are key to healthy, fuller hair — and shampoos targeted towards thinning hair, especially those with exfoliating ingredients, are essential. Not doing so "can lead to buildup on the scalp and contribute to seborrheic dermatitis, which may lead to redness and inflammation," Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, told Allure.
Incorporating scalp massages is a great practice as well, according to Devin Toth, a hairstylist at Salon SCK in New York City. "Scalp massages can help boost circulation, remove the buildup of dead skin and excess oil, as well as help to enhance penetration of certain products such as scalp serums, oils, foams, and shampoos," Dr. Garshick previously explained. "Circulation to the scalp is important to help promote hair growth as the hair follicles depend on nutrients from the blood, so this helps to keep the hair follicles in their growing phase," Dr. Garshick adds. Here you have it, folks. Shampoos are just one part of the equation, so take note.
What ingredients should I look for?
New York City board-certified dermatologist Neil Sadick, MD, says an ideal shampoo for thinning hair needs to not only improve the volume of your strands but also encourage the growth and circulation of hair follicles. "Amino acids provide the building blocks to build new strands, while biotin, part of the B-vitamin complex, is required by hair to metabolize amino acids and can help strengthen hair," he says. Additionally, Dr. Sadick notes that antioxidants, such as vitamin E and ginseng, are beneficial for promoting hair growth "because they reduce free radicals from sun, stress, or overprocessing and have anti-inflammatory properties."
Ginger King, a New Jersey-based cosmetic chemist and founder of Grace Kingdom Beauty, also recommends looking for shampoos that tout their "styling" capabilities as they work more like styling hairsprays. These shampoos typically contain what King refers to as film formers, which are ingredients like acrylate copolymer. "There are also silk proteins and keratin proteins that can help to add a moisturizing layer for hair to look thicker," says King.
Lastly, King cautions against products containing silicones if your main concern is thinning hair. "Personally, I am not opposed to the use of silicones in hair care, but for people who have thinning hair, silicones can build up and weigh hair down," she says.
When should I see a doctor about thinning hair?
The short answer? As soon as you notice something's off. It's pretty normal to lose between 50 to 100 or a little bit above 100 hairs a day," New York-based board-certified dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD, previously told Allure. "Much more than that becomes concerning, and that's really important to let your dermatologist know." Try a hair count test, where you count your hair fall each day to see if it's within that 50 to 100 range.
But even if you haven't done that, it's okay to make an appointment with your board-certified dermatologist as soon as you wish. They can look at your scalp, administer relevant blood tests (typically hormone, nutrient, and thyroid panels), and talk to you about your symptoms to see if they align with different types of alopecia.
The sooner you talk about it openly with your medical provider — whether that's a derm, OB/GYN, primary care provider, or endocrinologist — the sooner they can help get you to a diagnosis and regrowth treatment plan. In case you need a reminder: Your concerns are valid, and hair loss is connected to so many hormonal and autoimmune conditions that it's always worth seeking out a medical professional.
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls — right?
For our review of the best shampoos for thinning hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and board-certified dermatologists — who are . Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
More products for healthy hair:
- 17 Best Hair Masks for Every Hair Type
- 20 Best Volumizing Hair Products to Say Goodbye to Flat Styles
- The 15 Best Leave-In Conditioners for Smooth, Tangle-Free Strands
Now, watch Becky G break down her most iconic music videos:
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