Anyone who has ever shared a bathroom with me can confirm that despite being relatively low-maintenance with my locks, I collect hair products—from leave-in conditioners to hair oils and heat protectants—like it's a (very competitive) sport. But when I'm caught up in all of the luxurious shower picks out there, it's easy to forget about the bread and butter of haircare: a really good clarifying shampoo. Though certainly not as sexy as, say, a new hair perfume, I often need something strong to tackle the buildup from all those other products.
"Clarifying shampoos are formulated to cleanse the hair and scalp of buildup and impurities," explains Gretchen Friese, a certified BosleyMD trichologist. "They're often used by people who are infrequent washers, swimmers, have problems with oily hair, or simply want to refresh their scalp." Celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez adds that clarifying shampoo is especially helpful for someone with a lengthy, product-heavy styling routine.
How do they work, you ask? Most boast a unique formula with ingredients like charcoal that work like a magnet to attract, dissolve, and flush away dirt. She adds, "They're specifically formulated to clear buildup and remove any residue from styling products. They prevent bacterial buildup on the scalp, create volume, restore your hair’s pH, and prepare hair for coloring services."
Even if your scalp is feeling particularly fresh right now, future grease is inevitable. A hairspray-necessary style will come for you at some point, and you're going to want a proper cleanse. Keep reading to discover the best clarifying shampoos on the market—plus how to take proper care of your hair while using them.
The Best Clarifying Shampoos
- The Best Clarifying Shampoo Overall: Living Proof Clarifying Detox Shampoo
- The Best Classic Clarifying Shampoo: Aveda Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo
- The Best Exfoliating Clarifying Shampoo: Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo
- The Best pH-Balancing Clarifying Shampoo: Goldie Locks Clarifying Shampoo
- The Easiest-to-Apply Clarifying Shampoo: R+Co Lost Treasure Apple Cider Vinegar Cleansing Rinse
Ready for some brilliant science? Living Proof's Clarifying Detox Shampoo features activated charcoal and magnetic polymers to draw impurities (such as product and pollution buildup, excess oil, and heavy metals deposited from hard water) out of your hair and away from your scalp. Anyone, with any hair type or curl pattern, can use this brilliant product, as well as those with colored or bleached hair.
Size: 8 oz.
Key Ingredients: Magnetic polymers (attract and remove product buildup); Activated charcoal (detoxifies)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Prevents color fading; Combats pollution and the effects of hard water; Hair and scalp feel oh-so clean after use; Lathers nicely
What I Don't: Nothing
Review for MC: "I wish I wish I wish that this shampoo wasn't a once-a-week product for my hair type, because I really do love it so much. There's something about its deep, dark gray color (all thanks to that activated charcoal!) that gets me mentally prepped to be clean as can be while the formula itself does the actual work. It's so sudsy and I leave the shower with strands that feel fresh and light but never thirsty. Also, my color still looks amazing after I use it." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
Contributing Beauty Writer Sophia Vilensky loves Living Proof's Purifying Detox Shampoo for many reasons, including its dark gray color. Most importantly, though? How soft and nice it makes her hair feel.
A staple for literal decades, Aveda's Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo is a classic clarifier formulated with 97 percent natural ingredients. While its main power comes from buildup-removing micelles and purifying white vinegar, you won't leave the shower smelling like a pickle. The rosemary and peppermint scent is divine and nostalgic, too.
Size: 8.5 oz.
Key Ingredients: White vinegar (purifying)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Super nostalgic and nice smell; Smart ingredients; Fair price
What I Don't: Nothing
Review for MC: "I'm a Minnesota girl, which means I made plenty of visits to the Aveda Institute for hair modeling sessions throughout college. I won't say those were the best haircuts/dye jobs of my life (they were learning!!), but they were some of the best smelling appointments. To this day, there's something so magical about the brand's signature Rosemary Mint scent. It helps that the product delivers on its other promises (ie. purifying), too." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
Aveda's Rosemary Mint shampoo is iconic, unlike the greasy "before" hair pictured here by Contributing Beauty Writer Sophia Vilensky.
If you're dealing with dandruff or a generally flaky/dry scalp, you're going to love what's inside this jar. Formulated for all hair types and textures, Briogeo's Scalp Revival is an exfoliating, sulfate-free scrub made to lift away buildup while soothing your itchy, irritated, oily, or dry scalp. In a clinical study, it was shown to reduce up to 82 percent of dry scalp flaking. And unlike some of its counterparts, it's also super moisturizing.
Size: 8 oz.
Key Ingredients: Binchotan charcoal (detoxifies); Coconut oil (moisturizes and balances); Microcrystalline cellulose (exfoliates)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Cooling and exfoliating; Made with 95 percent naturally derived ingredients; Works with both oily and dry hair
What I Don't: Doesn't lather much, I don't love the scoop-from-tub application format
Review for MC: "When I say this shampoo is soothing, I mean it's soothing. It features a peppermint, spearmint, and tea tree oil complex that has a real-life cooling effect that my scalp adores. While I don't love scooping product from a jar in the shower (it's too finicky!), I make do for the Briogeo. And if you need any more proof of its greatness, my friend Maddi's coworker told her that her hair looked really nice and her curls had been popping all week after she tried it for herself." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
After Contributing Beauty Writer Sophia Vilensky realized her fine strands couldn't support constant clarifying, she asked her friend Maddison to contribute some photo proof of Briogeo's excellence.
While the Goldie Locks Clarifying Detox Shampoo first had me hooked because of its soft pineapple and lily scent, the real draw here is its pH-balancing prowess. It was designed with a "pH harmonizer" and 5.0-6.0 pH of its own to restore a healthy basicity/acidity balance to your scalp, adding a boost of hydration along the way. It also does a great job getting rid of all that buildup (because I know that's the reason you're here in the first place).
Size: 8.45 oz.
Key Ingredients: None listed
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Lovely scent; pH balancing; Does the trick when it comes to removing buildup (and then some)
What I Don't: The scent is fairly strong
Review for MC: "This is one of my favorite products from a truly great hair brand. There's something special about a super sudsy shampoo, and this one can lather right up and deep clean your scalp and make your hair smell like vacation. My strands always feel so soft and appear so shiny after I use my Goldie Locks. It really is just right." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
As you can see in these before and after testing photos, Goldie Locks Clarifying Detox Shampoo really is just right.
Previously called Acid Wash (I guess "Lost Treasure" has a less intense and better-for-your-body connotation), this brilliant formula makes good use of old faithful apple cider vinegar to cleanse your strands without removing color or natural oils. It's also designed to strengthen your hair when you use it regularly.
Size: 6 oz.
Key Ingredients: Apple fruit extract (conditioning); Aloe vera leaf juice (hydrating); Tamanu seed oil (strengthening)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Smart elongated tip design makes application easy; A great pick if you have hard water; Cute bottle
What I Don't: Smaller size than most—with a similar price tag
Review for MC: "As someone who always forgets to use my scalp massager, my favorite part of this product might just be the lengthy dispenser tip. It's specifically designed so you can apply product directly to the scalp, making it easy to target areas with extra buildup and give yourself a little massage along the way. What's more, my hair is so shiny after I use it. Am I the treasure? Serious question." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
Emma tested R+Co's Lost Treasure after a hot lake day where she dunked her head under water. As you can see, it smoothed her strands right out.
Jen Atkin, queen of dry shampoos and style maintenance products, knows the importance of ridding the hair of buildup. This product proves it—just ask the thousands of happy customers who’ve made it go viral on social media. It's helpful for a hard reset or just combatting bleach damage and highlight-destroying buildup, and it's keratin-infused formula supports strong, shiny strands from top to bottom.
Size: 10 oz.
Key Ingredients: Chelating agents (remove hard water deposits and other impurities); Apple cider vinegar (exfoliating); Hydrolyzed keratin (smoothing)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: A constantly viral favorite for fighting buildup; Hydrolyzed keratin give the hair some post-cleanse love; Great for oily scalps
What I Don't: Scent is fairly strong
Customer Review: "Ouai is that girl (so is her little sister Mane!) because founder Jen Atkin is that girl. Whenever my hair is feeling especially greasy, I whip this stuff out and solve the problem in one quick, great-smelling shower. Though its a little stronger than I typically like, the fruity and rose-y Melrose Place scent is a favorite." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
As team Marie Claire explained when naming Malibu C's Un-Do-Goo the Best Clarifying Shampoo in the 2025 Hair and Skin Awards, these products often get a bad rap as being too harsh for the hair follicle. It's true that we shouldn't use them all the time, but adding them into our routine every once in a while to clear away buildup is important. The good news? This one is nice and gentle. "It’s not overly harsh and it helps clear away styling product resin without stripping your hair’s natural oils or disrupting your scalp’s pH," shared the editors. "Manageability is restored and hair feels softer and looks shinier, instantly."
Size: 9 oz.
Key Ingredients: None listed
Color Safe?: No
What I Love: Hair feels softer and looks shinier after use; Not overly harsh for your sensitive strands; Works to restore your scalp's natural pH; Fair price
What I Don't: Not explicitly safe for color-treated hair
Customer Review: "There is no clarifier quite as effective as Un-Do-Goo. been using for years. It's the gentlest, most effective and non-drying shampoo I've found." — Malibu C
Bumble and bumble's shampoos and conditioners have long had a cult following. This luxurious-feeling, cleansing formula works quickly to tackle buildup, leaving you with voluminous strands (starting at the root!) once your hair dries. The vegan formula promises to cleanse excess oil from the scalp, eradicating issues like dandruff and acne.
Size: 8.5 oz.
Key Ingredients: Ginseng root (cleansing); Rosemary leaf extract (stimulates scalp and promotes growth); Sage leaf extract (clarifying)
Color Safe?: No
What I Love: Leaves hair voluminous; Vegan; Great for all hair types; Rosemary oil is a stellar ingredient
What I Don't: Contains sulfates; Not explicitly safe for color-treated hair
Customer Review: "Simply the best clarifying shampoo I’ve ever tried, will not go looking for another. [ ... ] I don’t know why I overlooked this brand for so long in favor of the some newer brands. Bumble and bumble has been around for a long time! This product especially is a star." — Sephora
This gentle, vegan, cruelty-free shampoo is infused with natural ingredients like lemongrass and argan oil, which effectively cleanses the scalp without stripping the natural oils that protect your skin and strands. Though it rings in at a fraction of the price of other options, it's equally effective at removing buildup and leaves you with lasting volume.
Size: 8 oz.
Key Ingredients: Argan oil (nourishing)
Color Safe?: No
What I Love: Affordable; Includes natural ingredients like Argan oil; Cruelty-free; Gentle enough to use regularly
What I Don't: Works better in soft water than in hard water
Customer Review: "I have thick, oily hair that requires daily washing. Even though this is advertised as a clarifying shampoo, it’s gentle enough to use every day and makes my hair feel soooo clean, soft, and hydrated. Smells great, too!" — Amazon
Alvarez's top choice in the clarifying shampoo world is the Urban Alchemy Salt Scrub Cleansing Shampoo. "It has a sea salt exfoliator, which deep cleanses the scalp as well as the hair. It also nourishes your hair while preparing it to receive the full benefits of a deep conditioning treatment and/or a conditioner," she explains. "Another huge plus is that it's gentle yet effective and promotes hair growth!" According to the brand’s instructions, customers should use the scrub once a week for best results.
Size: 8.8 oz.
Key Ingredients: None listed
Color Safe?: No
What I Love: Expert-approved; Exfoliating; Made from natural ingredients; Promotes hair growth
What I Don't: Exfoliating salt crystals can irritate especially dry or cracked skin
Customer Review: "I was recommended this shampoo by my instructor in cosmetology school! I’ve always had a flaky, itchy, dry scalp. Since using this, my scalp has never felt better!! I use this once or twice a week before my regular shampoo routine and it helps so much! You just have to use it on your scalp, not ends! Highly recommend!!" — Amazon
Tracee Ellis Ross's popular natural haircare brand, Pattern, designed this shampoo specifically for low-porosity, hydration-craving hair so that it could clean without stripping the scalp of essential nutrients. With soothing ingredients like matcha green tea, panthenol, and aloe vera, the formula leaves hair feeling soft and moisturized and is perfect for washing hair after taking it out of a protective style.
Size: 7.8 oz.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin B5 (promotes strong hair); Matcha green tea (rich in antioxidants)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Great for natural hair; Moisturizing; Scent isn't overpowering
What I Don't: Nothing
Customer Review: "I can't tell if it's a clarifying or moisturizing shampoo. I'm used to clarifying shampoos making my hair feel like sandpaper, but not this one. Both cleansing and moisturizing for my hair type: 4A tight curls." — Ulta
If you’re struggling with frizz as a result of hard water, pollution, and product buildup, consider this shampoo from Virtue. It contains a number of healing ingredients like coconut fatty acids, hops extract, and charcoal powder. Still, its -star ingredient is alpha Keratin 60ku, a healing protein identical to the keratin that makes up 90 percent of human hair. The influx of protein provided by this shampoo helps restore damaged strands every time you use it.
Size: 4 oz.
Key Ingredients: Charcoal powder (extracts oil and impurities); Hops extract (purifying); Coconut fatty acid blend (cleansing and moisturizing)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Suited for all hair types; Contains a healing protein that offers a mini keratin treatment every wash
What I Don't: Expensive for a small bottle
Customer Review: "I absolutely love this purifying shampoo. My hair gets oily easily, and I only wash my hair once or twice a week; and I use dry shampoo. Other detox shampoos would leave my hair super dry and tangled or wouldn’t work at all. This shampoo has made my hair look so healthy and it feels clean without drying my hair out." — Sephora
Curly girls, Act+Acre is here for you. Founded with the idea that your scalp deserves skincare-level care, the trichologist-owned brand crafted this particular shampoo to gently cleanse your scalp and hydrate your hair. In the end, with all that dirt, oil, and buildup gone, it helps define the natural pattern of your curls.
Size: 10 oz.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin (hydrating); Fulvic acid (probiotic)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: Gently cleanses while still removing buildup; Helps define your curl pattern; Supports overall scalp health
What I Don't: Often out of stock
Customer Review: "I found this shampoo this past spring after months of terrible hair days. This shampoo saved my hair. I was experiencing new hair growth, defined curls, and no frizz." — Dermstore
Just because you're going to town on your scalp doesn't mean your ends should suffer. This product is a pharmacy favorite in France for its delightful lemon-cream scent and its effectiveness. It’s color-safe and cruelty-free, with a formula free of harsh, harmful ingredients. Just be sure that when you’re using it you scrub thoroughly and spend enough time lathering it up; it's worth it.
Size: 7 oz.
Key Ingredients: Linden extract (antioxidants); Wheat protein extract (hydrating and protecting); Sage extract (anti-inflammatory)
Color Safe?: Yes
What I Love: French pharmacy finds are always especially chic; Delightful scent
What I Don't: More expensive than other options; Contains sulfates
Customer Review: "Love the texture of the foam and the very light yet lux smell. I have been using this shampoo for years, and it really does what it says. Haven't been able to find anything else to replace it." — Dermstore
What Should I Look for in a Clarifying Shampoo?
- Ingredients
According to Friese, there are three common ingredients in clarifying shampoos that make them especially advantageous. First up is ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate, which provides the deepest cleanse. "This may be best for extreme hair care product buildup or very oily hair," she notes. However, if you have any kind of keratin treatment in your hair—including at-home keratin treatments—"you should stay away from this ingredient as it will strip the treatment from the hair."
For those in need of milder ingredients, she recommends looking for cetyl-fatty alcohols as well as chlorides and bromides. The latter "can help make your hair soft," but it isn't great for fine hair.
And then there are moisturizing ingredients like aloe, seaweed, and wheat proteins. Mega cleanliness can come at a price for your strands, so it's best to treat them nicely with some additional hydration.
- Labels
While labels like "color safe" and "sulfate free" float around on clarifying shampoo bottles, master stylist Yvey Valcin notes that you still need to be wary of how your hair will be influenced."There’s still often sodium and alcohol in the product, which will look for any moisture in the hair and drain it off," he says. Always do your own research to make sure a product is right for you.
How Often Should I Use a Clarifying Shampoo?
For swimmers, people with super oily scalps, and those who don't wash their hair often, Alzarez recommends using a clarifying shampoo regularly. If your hair leans a little oily, you should use one about every third wash.
And if you have naturally dry hair? Proceed with caution! You only need to use a clarifying shampoo when you think your hair needs a really good cleanse. After a hairspray-forward dance recital bun, perhaps?
What Do I Need to Use After a Clarifying Shampoo?
A good clarifying shampoo treatment should be followed up with a good conditioner or hair mask. Think of it this way: Your hair has been weakened and it needs some sustenance.
"Imagine you're thirsty and someone makes you run," Valcin explains. "You need to drink water and then take a little time before you start moving again. Let the hair soak in that moisture for a good five minutes and then rinse it out like 90 percent of the way—especially for high-density hair. The best thing to do is a deep conditioning treatment. Soak the hair in some deep conditioner and let the hair drink it up."
Is Clarifying Shampoo Bad For My Hair?
While clarifying shampoo isn't necessarily bad for your hair, it's important to use it only when a deep clean is necessary and to make sure you rehydrate your locks afterward.
“You have to have a reason to use clarifying shampoo," explains Valcin. "Let’s say you’re doing a keratin treatment. It’s important to [preemptively] remove dirt and product buildup, so that would be a good reason to use clarifying shampoo. But let’s say you have virgin hair, you don't use a lot of product, you've never done anything to it. It might strip out the moisture and the nutrients that your scalp produces."
How We Tested
Contributing Beauty Writer Sophia Vilensky found the best clarifying shampoos on the market based on customer reviews, Marie Claire editor recommendations, expert recommendations, and her own testing. After receiving samples of numerous clarifying shampoos and returning to some old favorites, she took about a million showers, evaluating each product based on texture, price, smell, and most importantly how clean it made her dirty post-summertime sweat hair. No oil overload here.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Experts
Yvey Valcin is a celebrated Master Stylist and Founder of Yvey Salon. Known for his superior cutting technique and unique gift for uncovering the individual beauty within his clients, Yvey has styled top editorial and fashion events such as New York and Paris Fashion Week and was one the highest rated stylist at the flagship Gene Juarez salon in Seattle. His passion for hair extended his training to the most respected names in the beauty industry including: Jacques Dessange Paris, Raffel Pages Barcelona, La Biosthetique Canada, and Bumble and Bumble New York. The combination of his passion and technical skills enables him to bring out the best version of each individual sitting in his chair.
Bosley MD’s Certified Trichologist and go-to education authority on all things hair loss and hair thinning, Gretchen always had a genuine passion for hair care and developed her expertise specifically in hair loss and hair thinning, making it her continued mission to help women and men find solutions to their hair loss concerns.
Gretchen has over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry, from being hands-on behind the chair in salons, to educating consumers on hair loss solutions and stylists about haircutting techniques. In 2016 she received a certification in Trichology/Hair Loss through the United States Trichology Institute.
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Cynthia Alvarez is a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with clients of all hair types, including Shakira, Alicia Keys, Dascha Polanco, and more.
