With aromatic options from John Masters, Bumble and bumble, and Ouai
A good-smelling shampoo can mentally transport you anywhere from a tropical beach vacation to an Amazonian rainforest, all without leaving the confines of your shower. And we’re not just saying that on a superficial level. According to a 2016 study, the fragrances we come by everyday psychologically impact our mood, stress, and working capacity.1
It’s true that making the extra effort to pick your shampoo based on pleasing scents can actually impact your general well-being. But with so many on the market to choose from, it can feel tricky to pick one that best suits your personal preference.
On top of boasting a great fragrance, a shampoo worth your hard-earned dollar should also benefit your scalp and hair health, whether that means adding moisture and protection to dry, dull strands, ridding your scalp of product buildup that turns into itchy flakes, or helping restore your natural curl pattern. We researched the best shampoos, from drugstore classics to high-end faves, nourishing daily options to clarifying must-haves. After consulting with a cosmetic chemist, we narrowed our list down to the best-fragranced picks across a variety of scent profiles.
Best Fruity: Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Wash
Whether you have wavy strands or tight coils, you need a curly hair shampoo that’ll hydrate and soften your strands—bonus points if it leaves them smelling deliciously fruity for the rest of the day. Curls’ Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Wash is beloved by curly-haired folks for its ability to moisturize hair enough to prevent curls from looking frizzy and dried-out, all while smelling like blueberries thanks to the inclusion of certified organic blueberry extract. This same ingredient can also help stimulate hair growth due to the plant chemical proanthocyanidins, which is found in blueberries.2 Curls’ Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Wash additionally includes aloe leaf juice and chamomile extract in its formula, which is said to add moisture and shine to your locks—these benefits are evident from the results of using this shampoo. What’s better? This sweet-smelling formula is made without synthetic fragrance, silicones, sulfates, parabens, or mineral oil.
Best WoodsyRahua Classic Shampoo
Using a nice-smelling shampoo is one thing, being transported to the Amazon rainforest during wash day is a whole other experience—one you can have with Rahua’s Classic Shampoo in your routine. This woodsy scent comes from the Palo Santo oil included in Rahua’s formula and is just one of the many reasons why so many people, including us, are obsessed with it. Its natural, antioxidant-rich formula make it one of our favorite shampoos for men. Rahua oil is the Classic Shampoo’s other main ingredient, which is said to be the ultra-nourishing, shine- and bounce-inducing elixir used by women in the Amazon, according to the brand’s founder, Fabian Lliguin. It’s rich in omega-9, which is thought to add hydration to your strands, therefore making them look lustrous and feel ultra-soft. Aside from enjoying the hair and scent benefits of this shampoo, you can feel even better about this formula because it’s ethically sourced; Rahua has a trademarked Symbiotic standard ensures that the rahua oil used is rainforest-grown in an “undisturbed virgin forest, harvested and prepared using indigenous knowledge by people indigenous to the virgin forest environment, and it must be purchased at a price that helps to grow and sustain these traditions, build economies, and empower the indigenous people,” claims their site.
Best Floral: Ouai Detox Shampoo
It’s always a good idea to add a clarifying shampoo into your wash routine once in a while to remove product buildup, flakes, and anything else possibly making your scalp greasy or irritated. While beloved hair and bodycare brand Ouai is known for their variety of sweet-smelling hair products, our personal favorite is their Detox Shampoo. Made with notes of jasmine, peony, rose, freesia, bergamot, to name a few, this flowery fragrance (known to Ouai as “Melrose Place”) is simply divine. The main cleansing agent in this formula is apple cider vinegar, which works to remove dirt and oil from the scalp, leaving a perfectly refreshed (not stripped!) feeling behind. Plus, chelating agents help get rid of hard water deposits and other impurities.
One thing that’s important to remember about this formula: it’s not suitable for everyday use. Using the Detox Shampoo more than once a week can leave you hair feeling frail and stripped. Considering its limited use in your routine, you’ll find that this bottle will last you forever—a plus!
Best Drugstore: Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo
The drugstore shampoo aisle is typically a wonderland of different brands, bottle shapes and sizes, and, (maybe) most importantly—scents. While tons of budget-friendly, easily-accessible shampoos on the market may smell delicious, not all drugstore picks can perform like Maui Moisture’s Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo. Formulated with ultra-moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, macadamia oil, and aloe leaf juice, this shampoo takes the “Heal and Hydrate” claim in its name seriously, providing any dry, damaged strands with some relief. The sweet scent, created from a combination of shea butter and melon fragrance, makes the experience of using this on wash day that much better—pair it with the corresponding conditioner (one of my favorite drugstore buys!) for the best-smelling shower ever.
One thing to keep in mind is that this formula is best suited not only for anyone with significantly dry and damaged hair, but also for those with wavy, curly, and coily strands on the normal to coarse texture spectrum. If you’re someone with fine, straight locks on the oilier side, you may not see the same results.
Best Budget: Pantene Advanced Care 5 in 1 Pro-Vitamin B5 Complex Shampoo
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King uses this tried-and-true drugstore brand in her hair wash routine, and we can understand why. Not only do you get over 38 ounces of product for under 20 dollars, but the ultra-creamy, light floral-scented formula itself works wonders on tired, dry strands by aiming to limit your hair’s protein loss and making it look (and feel!) way stronger. This is clear in the post-wash results from this shampoo—your locks will feel hydrated and soft and look shinier thanks to this budget-friendly formula. What’s better? If you have color-treated hair you won’t have to put this bottle back on the shelf in fear of it stripping your beloved hue thanks to its dye-friendly formula.
Best Vanilla: Phillip Adam Orange Vanilla Shampoo
Sometimes a classic vanilla scent is all you need for a wash day pick-me-up, and this gentle Philip Adam formula delivers the perfect, subtle version of this scent. With its own take on the signature “creamsicle” scent, this orange and vanilla fragrance combination is just one of the reasons why this shampoo is a favorite of ours—the apple cider vinegar-based formula not only aptly cleanses your scalp and hair, but can even have a pH-balancing effect that results in less dull, frizzy locks.3 This sweet-smelling shampoo is not only made with naturally-derived ingredients (like vanilla extract and orange oil for its fragrance), but also without sulfates, parabens, silicones, or dyes, so it’s an ideal option for those looking for a “clean” option on the market.
Best Subtle Scent : Act + Acre Curl Cleanse Shampoo
Seeking another scent that isn’t reminiscent of something you might unwrap from an ice cream truck? You may love Act + Acre’s Curl Cleanse Shampoo, especially if your hair type is somewhere on the wavy or curly spectrum. The subtle, clean and fresh scent from this formula not only provides a refreshing air during your wash day routine, but also provides the same effect for your hair and scalp. This glycerin and fulvic-acid based formula works to properly cleanse your hair and scalp of everything from product buildup to oil, while adding hydration back in in order to restore moisture levels and your natural curl pattern, whether you’re on the waiver side or have coily strands. We love this formula to revive dull, dry, and frizzy hair without weighing it down or stripping the scalp.
Best Tropical: Bumble and bumble Creme De Coco Shampoo
Craving a coconutty smell? Look no further than Bumble and bumble’s Creme De Coco Shampoo, which is sure to add a tropical air to your wash day routine. This formula is nothing short of nourishing, and that’s all thanks to the inclusion of ingredients like coconut oil, kukui nut oil, and murumuru seed butter, all known as moisturizing powerhouses that transform locks from dry to luscious. Best for those with medium to thick hair (anyone with fine strands may find that this formula is too heavy), Bumble and bumble’s Creme De Coco Shampoo is suitable as a daily shampoo and even comes in a jumbo, 33-ounce size with a pump (alongside its standard, eight-ounce size option) so you won’t have to worry about running out as often if you become as obsessed with this product as we are.
One thing to note: Although it is formulated without parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, and formaldehyde, the Creme De Coco Shampoo is still made with sulfates, which is not ideal for anyone seeking a sulfate-free option.
Best Fresh: SEEN Skin-Caring Shampoo
Those with sensitive skin and scalps deserve a solid scented option in their routine—SEEN’s Skin-Caring Shampoo helps answer that call. We love this formula for a few reasons, the first being that it was created by a dermatologist Iris Rubin, who wanted to create a product that would eliminate irritation and breakouts, a common post-wash problem for many with sensitive skin. This formula is made sans any pore-clogging oils to reduce the risk of any bumps surfacing after a shampoo, as well as without sulfates, silicones (this formula uses plant-derived hemisqualane as a silicone alternative), phthalates, parabens, dyes, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
Further, this formula’s fresh scent, made up of notes of apple dew, orange peel, and leafy greens, is something that any user of this shampoo can get behind. Not only will your scalp and skin feel clean after using this shampoo, but you’ll smell clean too!
Best Splurge: Leonor Greyl Bain Traitant À La Propolis Treatment Shampoo
If you suffer from a flaky scalp from time to time, it can be tricky to find a solid dandruff shampoo that isn’t stripping. Enter Leonor Greyl’s Bain Traitant À La Propolis Treatment Shampoo, which, although priced higher than other options on this list, is worth the splurge because of its beautiful, subtle scent and healing abilities. This gentle daily shampoo, which smells like ylang ylang flowers, is formulated with ingredients like wild pansy and sage extracts, which are known to help soothe the scalp and bee propolis, which works as an anti-inflammatory agent that can provide relief for itchiness and irritation on the scalp.4
For best results, Leonor Greyl suggests using a small amount (a little goes a long way due to the formula’s high concentration), working it into every area of your scalp until a lather forms, and then leaving it on for about three minutes before rinsing.
Best Natural: Ingreendients Daily Shampoo
If you’re seeking a shampoo that smells fantastic (and not too overwhelming) and doesn’t have any questionable add-ons on its ingredients list, consider Ingreendients’ Daily Shampoo. Formulated with only plant-derived ingredients, indicating no artificial fragrances used, as well as no sulfates, parabens, betaines, or silicones, this apple cider vinegar-based formula has a clarifying effect on your scalp, removing product buildup from throughout the week and leaving a squeaky-clean feeling behind.
Besides having a slew of natural ingredients that we love, the scent in this shampoo is another aspect that keeps us hooked on this formula. Both herbal and citrus notes are prominent in this fragrance, with Ingreendients noting the use of cedarwood virginia, orange oil, and patchouli oil, to name a few, to create this aromatic blend.
Best Citrus: Pharmacopia Citrus Shampoo
Another naturally-derived fragrance favorite in our book is Pharmacopia’s Citrus Shampoo, which utilizes grapefruit, orange, and bergamot oils in its formulation to create the perfect invigorating citrus scent. Not only does this formula smell amazing, but its inclusion of jojoba oil, aloe vera, and coconut oil help moisturize your locks, leaving them feeling soft and shiny post-wash. Alongside its absence of synthetic fragrances, the Citrus Shampoo also is formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, or any animal-derived ingredients.
One thing to note, based on numerous reviewer comments, is that the pump dispenser is too small for the 16-ounce bottle, therefore making it tricky to get enough product each time you use it. However, most reviewers claim that the benefits of this formula outweigh that one con.
Most Energizing: John Masters Volumizing Shampoo With Rosemary And Peppermint
If you need a scent for those early-morning showers before long days at the office, seek out an energizing shampoo with ingredients like peppermint oil. One of the star ingredients in John Masters’ Volumizing Shampoo, peppermint oil not only provides an invigorating fragrance that feels like a breath of fresh air during wash day, but it also works to soothe your scalp. Rosemary leaf oil is the other main ingredient in this shampoo, which is ideal for cleansing and hydrating the scalp simultaneously. Your scalp and hair will have that squeaky-clean feeling without feeling stripped, as well as aptly hydrated.
This is one of our favorite shampoos for fine hair, although it’s worth mentioning that this formula may not work as well on other hair types. If your strands are on the thinner side, though, this energizing scent is sure to perk up your wash day routine.
Best Smoothing: R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo
If you gravitate towards warm, romantic scents, this suitable-for-all-hair-types shampoo is worth checking out. As a member of R+Co’s “Dark Waves” fragrance family, it offers notes of cardamom, pineapple, tangerine, lavender, bamboo, and blonde woods. The results are dreamy.
And, of course, shampoo promising camera-ready hair should do more than make your locks smell good. We love how this product softens, smooths, and strengthens to deliver body and shine.
Most Gentle: Blu Atlas Shampoo Coconut Apricot
You don’t have to identify as a “modern man” (as the brand’s messaging implies) to enjoy this beloved shampoo. It’s a great choice for anyone who loves the combination of coconut and apricot scents. Just lather a quarter-size amount to release a fruity aroma into your steamy shower. It’s a great way to channel your next tropical vacation after a long day in the office or an exhausting workout.
And to sweeten the deal even more, this gentle shampoo is designed to repair stressed-out strands and soothe the scalp. So if you’re tempted to use this product for daily washes, know it’s up for the job. Blu Atlas is gentle enough for daily use and even has a matching conditioner that finishes the job right.
Final Verdict
With tons of sweet-smelling shampoos on the market, we can comfortably say there’s one for every scent preference, hair type, and concern in mind. For curly hair types seeking a shampoo that will add moisture and revive long-lost curl patterns, Curls’ Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Wash and Act + Acre’s Curl Cleanse Shampoo are must-haves. Those with any hair type looking for a clarifying option to remove buildup consider, Ouai’s flowery Detox Shampoo or Ingreendients’ naturally-scented Daily Shampoo—two of our favorites from this list. And if you’re looking for a budget-friendly buy, check out Pantene’s Advanced Care 5 in 1 Pro-Vitamin B5 Complex Shampoo.
What to Look for in Shampoos
Type of Scent
According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, whichever scent you’re interested in for your shampoo will likely last only a little bit, yet you should still choose a scent that speaks to you “as washing hair is an experience,” she says. However, it’s important to note that scented shampoos will either be formulated with synthetic or natural fragrances; synthetic fragrances “are made with chemical synthesis to simulate a certain odor,” says King, whereas natural fragrances “are distilled or collected via extraction from natural sources.” Synthetic fragrances can often include harmful ingredients like phtalates, which are known to be endocrine disruptors, which is why many would prefer to steer clear of beauty products that contain them.
Further, King mentions that “if you are allergic to fragrances, you may not want to use highly perfumed shampoos. This is also why many retailers have a 1% limit when it comes to shampoo as the water rinsing down from your head can go to your skin and you can be allergic to it.” Make sure to look out for this when picking out a scent, as well.
FAQ
Is fragranced shampoo bad for your hair?
There is often chatter in the beauty space surrounding fragranced products and whether or not they can irritate the user. King says that fragrance is “not bad for hair,” unless you are allergic to it. “Usually people are afraid of fragrance causing […] reactions,” yet if “it is a rinse-off product,” it will likely not irritate the user. Rather, fragrance is added to enhance the “experience for shampooing.”
What shampoo scents do people find attractive?
While people are attracted to all sorts of scent profiles, whether they’re considering a scent for themselves or have a preference for a partner, you can always get others to notice you with a fragrance less on the subtle side. Something significantly fruity like Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Wash or ultra-herbal like John Masters’ Volumizing Shampoo With Rosemary And Peppermint is sure to attract the attention of anyone thanks to their more noticeable aromas, but keep in mind that many shampoo scents fade quickly, as King mentioned earlier.
What ingredients make shampoo smell good?
If a shampoo has a naturally-derived fragrance, then essential oils on the shampoo’s ingredient list are likely what’s creating the scent, according to King. Otherwise, synthetic fragrance, typically listed in the ingredient list as “fragrance” or “parfum,” can mimic certain scents and make the formula smell good.
