The 6 Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos For Afro Hair

Sulfate-free shampoos are a must for people with Afro hair. It’s one of the most important hair products if you want to get silky smooth hair. I have been using multiple different shampoos over the past five years and through that experience.

I’ve found out that most of them didn’t work well with my hair. The shampoos made my hair very dry and sometimes even itchy.

After trying many different hair products, I’ve finally found a few ones that actually worked. It was very expensive trying out those products, but it was all worth it in the end.

Why You Should Use A Different Shampoo For Afro Hair

When you start using a sulfate-free shampoo, it will have many benefits to hair. These shampoos have less harmful ingredients and are often better for the hair. It does take some time before actually seeing some results, but it’s definitely worth it.

For me, it made my hair a lot smoother and shinier. I have no regrets using sulfate-free shampoos and am still using it to this day.

At first, I was a bit hesitant, and in the beginning, it didn’t have results immediately. However, over time it got better, and eventually, my hair improved significantly.

1. SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo

This shampoo is one of the best hair products that I’ve ever used. It works excellent for people with afro hair and restores damaged hair as well. It’s infused with honey and other healthy oils, those are really beneficial to the hair.

What I like about this shampoo is that it makes the hair very soft and smooth. You get that silky feeling from it, and it keeps the hair healthy. Keeping hair healthy is the most important key for most people.

I made this mistake in the past where I just went with every shampoo that I got recommended. What you have to keep in mind is to only try shampoos that work for your hair type.

This one from SheaMoisturze absorbs the afro hair extremely well while it also keeps it healthy. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals, and if you want results fast, this is the one to go for.

It has a lot of essential oils inside, leaving the hair frizz-free and smooth. That’s what I like the most about this shampoo; it does the job well and gives results fast.

Pros:

• Restores Damaged Hair – It helps damaged Afro hair restore fast while also keeping it healthy.
• Lathers Well – The shampoo lathers extremely well, and you only need a tiny amount.
• Smoothens The Hair – The shampoo makes the hair extremely smooth and makes it very shiny.

Cons:

• Small Bottle – The bottle itself isn’t that big, so you need to buy a new one every couple of months.
• Scent Is Average – The scent of this shampoo isn’t something special, it’s just normal like most others.

2. Renpure Biotin and Collagen Shampoo

The Renpure biotin is great for afro hair since it has a lot of vitamins in it, which are great for the hair. Another plus is that it’s sulfate-free and specifically made to thicken the hair.

The quality is outstanding and does the job well, I have been using this for around three months now, and the results were pretty much instant. It doesn’t make the hair feel heavy when using and lathers well.

The bottle itself is also pretty big and will last you at least 4 to 6 months. That’s what I find important when buying a good shampoo for afro hair.

You can use this shampoo for male and female and works for all hair types. It does work better for frizzy African American hair. This shampoo scent is also pleasant, but it won’t stay in your hair throughout the day.

What I like about this shampoo is that it also works for people with color-treated hair. It’s pretty much an all in one shampoo that everyone can use.

Pros: 

• Color-Treated Hair – Works well with color-treated hair and won’t strip out the oils from the hair.
• Works Well For Thin Hair – This shampoo prevents hair from shedding and makes it less thin
• Anti-Dandruff – It makes the hair less greasy and removes dandruff from the hair.

Cons:

• Can Be Heavy – The shampoo can be heavy for some people; it makes the hair weight down.
• Build Up – Can build up if overused, so, use it moderately.

3. Design Essentials Oat Protein & Henna Deep Cleansing Shampoo

This shampoo is perfect for people that are looking for getting fuller hair. It makes the hair look thicker and gives the scalp more strength. It’s made in the USA, which is great.

The shampoo doesn’t strip out natural oils from the hair; it makes the hair very soft and smooth. The bottle itself feels very premium and is pretty big. It will last you between 4 to 5 months when used 3x a week.

If you’re just that person that has starter locs, this is the one you should go for. It does the job well and works as a clarifying shampoo.

What I do recommend is to use a conditioner after this sulfate-free shampoo. Conditioners will make afro hair very soft and will also work as protection.

This is one of the best shampoos that I’ve used so far for my locs, and it has never been this easy while also feeling so clean. If you haven’t tried this one yet, just give it a try, and you’ll see for yourself.

You only need a small amount of the shampoo for it to work; it feels very lightweight and pleasant when applying.

Pros:

• Works Well With Thin and Damaged Hair – This shampoo restores the damaged hair and keeps it healthy, especially when people with thin hair should try this.
• Amazing Scent – The scent is very strong and pleasant; it stays in the hair throughout the day and isn’t overpowering.

Cons:

• Bad Packaging – The shampoo came in a damaged package, which is pretty bad, but it shouldn’t be a big problem.

4. Cantu Sulfate-Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo

This shampoo is great for people with curly/wavy hair; it lathers well and feels very gentle on the scalp. The shampoo doesn’t make the hair heavy at all, and the price is affordable for everyone.

The bottle shampoo will last you very long, generally speaking, it will last you between 5 to 6 months when used 3x a week. That’s way longer than your average shampoo bottle in department stores.

I like this shampoo because it prevents breakage and keeps the hair very smooth and doesn’t dry out. That’s what happened a lot of the times when using other shampoos.

Dry hair is something that a lot of people deal with, and it’s a big problem in the afro community. So, by using this shampoo, you don’t have to deal with that anymore.

The price is very good, and everyone should be able to afford this. So, if you haven’t tried this one yet, I highly recommend you trying this out.

Pros:

• Made in The USA – This shampoo is made in the USA, which is great because it’s not imported from a third world country.
• Detangles Hair Well – It makes the hair detangle very well. The shampoo makes the hair soft and smooth, which makes combing a seamless experience.

Cons:

• Doesn’t Moisturize Very Well –  It does the job, but it’s not enough for some people.

5. Aloe and Micellar Water Sulfate-Free Shampoo

This shampoo from Carol’s Daugther is great if you’re looking for restoring damaged hair. This works very well with afro hair and keeps the scalp clean. The shampoo doesn’t strip out the natural oils from the hair while also keeping it healthy.

What I like about this shampoo is that it feels very premium, for the price you can’t really go wrong and it’s affordable for everyone.

Another plus is that it reduces detangled hair. This shampoo is also silicone and paraben-free, which means there aren’t any harsh chemicals inside that could damage the hair.

I have been testing this out for the last couple of months, and it has been great. It does the job well, and you can expect results pretty fast. Within only a couple of weeks, I noticed that my hair got shinier and smoother.

So, if you haven’t tried this already, I highly recommend it. Just give it a try, and you’ll see for yourself.

Pros:

• Silicone and Paraben-Free – There aren’t any harsh chemicals in the shampoo, which is great.
• Perfect For Curly/Wavy Hair – This shampoo works excellent for those hair types and keeps the scalp clean.
• Doesn’t Strip Out Natural Oils – It doesn’t strip out oils that could be necessary for hair growth or strength.

Cons:

• Could Dry Out Hair – Some people have had experiences with this shampoo that dried out the hair.
• Doesn’t Work Well With Other Hair Types – I only recommend it for people with curly and wavy hair.

6. OGX Extra Strength Damage Remedy + Coconut Miracle Oil Shampoo

This shampoo from OGX is very popular in the USA, it’s used by lots of people and has a great reputation. What I like about this shampoo is that it feels very soft when applying it to the hair.

Another plus is that this shampoo makes the hair extremely shiny, so if you’re looking for getting shinier afro hair, this is the one you should go for.

The quality of this is amazing, and the bottle is easy to use and pretty big for its price. It’s also affordable for everyone and not too expensive.

This shampoo scent is a bit like coconut and vanilla, which is pleasant; it’s not too overpowering either. Just make sure to use a conditioner after this shampoo for an extra layer of protection.

One of my friends has been using this shampoo for the last couple of weeks, and her hair improved significantly. So, if you’re considering this, just give it a try.

Pros:

• Great Shine – Makes the hair shinier fast and keeps it like that throughout the day.
• Affordable –  The price is affordable for everyone and does the job very well.

Cons:

• Scent – The scent could be a little stronger, but it’s your personal preference.

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FAQs

Is Sulfate-Free Shampoo Good For African American Hair?

Yes, Sulfate-Free Shampoo is great for every hair type. Therefore, it’s also good for African American hair. In other words, it’s great for Afro hair. I have been using these shampoos for the last couple of years and only have had great experiences with it.

What Is The Best Shampoo For Afro Hair?

The best one that I’ve personally used is this one here. This shampoo has made my afro hair get way healthier than before. My hair was very damaged and dry back in the days until I started using this shampoo.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it’s up to you which shampoo you’re going to buy. Just make to do some research first before actually doing the purchase. I’ve made this mistake in the past where I would spend a lot of money on hair products that I wasn’t even going to use.

So, think thoroughly and I hope this article has helped you find the right sulfate-free shampoo for your afro hair.