We’ve Tested Hundreds of Hair Care Products This Year — These Are the Ones We Think Make the Best Gifts

We’ve tested many, many Ouai products this year, and each time we do, we fall in love. “My hair looks healthy and shiny in a way I haven’t seen it be in years after just one wash,” says editorial director Simone Scully, who tested Ouai’s Fine Hair Shampoo.

Health writer Raki Swanson, who tested Ouai’s Detox Shampoo, had a similar experience. “For the first time, in my adult life, I got compliments on how my hair looked after using this shampoo,” she says.

This brand really gets hair and knows how to make products that truly work on different hair types, and that’s what makes this build-your-own gift set so great: Whether you have thin hair, thick hair, need a clarifying shampoo, or something to fight dandruff, you can find an Ouai product for it.

Plus, when you purchase this bundle, you also get to select a conditioner, a treatment mask, a treatment, or a styling product, and the option to choose a free mini product.

This shampoo made our list of best men’s shampoos this year for a reason. “The incredible aroma — a mix of basil and verbena — that filled the house whenever anyone used this shampoo made me feel like I was in a spa,” says editor and writer Olivia Campbell, who tested it for us. “It smells absolutely amazing, and it lingers until the day after washing.”

Plus, it has ingredients like macadamia oil and rosemary extract, which may help enhance hair growth. It’s also free of sulfates (lathering agents) and parabens (preservatives), so your hair is left shiny and clean.

Got a friend who complains of dry hair? Then this Shu Uemura Urban Moisture gift set is for them. The shampoo alone will leave hair feeling smoother, and that’s before you even add the conditioner, which just seals the deal.

“Almost from the second it starts getting rinsed from your hair, it feels HYDRATED,” says writer Swanson, who tested this shampoo for us. “There is no squeak, there are no tangles or snarls. It’s just pure moisture,” she says.

For the friend who’s tried everything for their greasy hair, this weekly clarifying shampoo can help.

Swanson tested this shampoo with her daughter, who struggles with oily hair. “After about 12 hours of washing her hair, it looks like she hasn’t washed her hair because it gets that greasy, especially in the summer,” she explains. “With this shampoo, she didn’t look this way, even 24 to 48 hours later.”

Though The Body Shop locations are no longer open in the United States, this is one of its products you can still order online for delivery in the United States.

Real talk: Shaz & Kiks Balancing Clay Hair Cleanser is a totally different kind of shampoo than most shampoos you’ve probably used on your hair.

“It may take a few times to get used to the clay texture,” says Swanson, who tried this shampoo. It’s thick and dry upon scooping out of the pot, but put it under the showerhead, and it’ll melt into a lather.

Plus, that’s just one item in the trio gift set. With this gift, your friend also gets a prewash mask that nourishes the hair with more than 35 vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory ingredients, and a conditioner to lock in moisture to leave behind soft, shiny hair.

You can also choose between a formula for fine, thin hair to medium, thick, curly, or coily hair when ordering.

This travel set is a great way to try three luxury products from Oribe that we loved testing this year. “My hair felt very nourished and easy to brush,” says writer Ysolt Usigan, who tested Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo. “I loved the smell, too. You can smell the sweetness of the floral, lychee, and watermelon — these are scents I really love.”

Editor Ashley Ziegler had an equally great experience when she tested the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, which made our list of the best dry shampoos. “This is a really effective dry shampoo,” she says. “It worked so well I didn’t have to reapply throughout the day.”

Health and beauty writer Jill Di Donato, who has double-processed platinum hair, tried this shampoo and wrote about it in her article about the best gray hair shampoos. She says it left the ends of her hair feeling silky smooth and toned her yellowing hair white after just one wash.

This shampoo is paraben-free, sulfate-free, alcohol-free, and vegan-friendly. “Alcohols tend to dehydrate the skin,” says Sandra Marchese Johnson, MD, FAAD, dermatologist at Johnson Dermatology in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It’s best to avoid them, especially if you already have a dry scalp to begin with.

“This shampoo is said to restore moisture while stimulating the scalp to promote hair growth,” he says. “However, I’ve found that the shampoo has helped with some light dandruff that I’ve been actively trying to treat with another brand of shampoo.” He also appreciated the earthy, botanical scent, which is right up his alley in terms of fragrances.

Has a holiday baby arrived in the family? This darling shampoo, body wash, and lotion set makes a gorgeous gift.

All three products are hypoallergenic and cruelty-free.

If damage is the issue, Olaplex The Wash Day Essentials shampoo and conditioner set is formulated to repair bonds within the hair shaft as well as reduce breakage and restore strength. This duo uses panthenol and glycerin to draw moisture to the hair, hydrating it and helping prevent breakage. It’s also vegan, sulfate-free, and paraben-free. 

“​​My hair dries naturally, so when it was finally dry, it was very shiny, there were a limited number of snarls, and it felt clean,” says Swanson about the shampoo. She did note that her hair became oily about a day after washing, so this is best for those whose hair doesn’t get oily quickly. 

The shampoo and conditioner in this bundle are probably much different than ones you’ve used before. They’re formulated into a bar, so you won’t be pouring liquid into your hand. This makes for a more environmentally friendly product, since you’re not using a big plastic bottle.

“You can either lather the shampoo/conditioner bar in your hand, then rub it into your hair, or you can run the bar over your hair or on your scalp,” says Swanson. “I did both, and it is easier to run the bar over your head. Once it gets wet and you’ve got the right amount of lather to either apply from your hand or on your scalp, it’s like any other shampoo.”

Swanson loved both products, but she really loved the conditioner and said she could see herself using it with other shampoos as well. This kit also comes with a rosemary and biotin scalp and hair oil meant to treat dry scalp and hair.

Prose is the gift that keeps giving — literally. This subscription-based hair care company creates unique hair care products catered to your individual needs.

Whether you have curly hair, thick hair, oily hair, thinning hair, or any other matter of scalp or hair concern, Prose tailors a shampoo and conditioner for you. All you have to do is take an online quiz about your hair, lifestyle, color or texture treatments, and styling habits.

“My scalp felt less dry and my hair seems shinier and softer,” Scully said after testing this shampoo on her hair, which she describes as dry with a sensitive, dry scalp. “After using this, at first, my hair felt great. It was clean, it was soft, and there was no residue left. My hair did not look or feel oily. It felt nice.”

Scully did say her hair needed to be washed again after 24 hours, but, because everyone receives a unique formula, that may not be an issue for all users. 

If you’re interested in gifting Prose to someone who either already uses Prose or has never used the service before, you can select a gift card amount they can use toward a subscription or toward Prose accessories, like brushes, hair towels, and more. 

For itchy and irritated scalps, a good scalp scrub just might do the trick. “This stuff is incredible. Truly,” says Scully. She tried the Fable & Mane SahaScalp Wild Ginger Purifying Scrub included in this set. “My new go-to scalp mask. It doesn’t take much for my scalp to get itchy or dry, but this stuff gets rid of all that.”

Scully says she has hard water in her home, and this product helped make her scalp feel healthier overall. 

Treat your friend with the SahaScalp Cooling Scalp Mud Mask to hydrate, purify, and detox the scalp, and they’ll be on their way to a balanced head of hair.

After many years away, I’m back to using mousse on my curly hair. I’ve found it gives me the hold I’ve been looking for in gels.

What I love best about this mousse is that it’s alcohol-free, but it’s still a mousse rather than a foam or a cream, which is what I have found many alcohol-free “mousses” to be.

It still dries lightweight, so your hair won’t be weighed down by the product. It’s available in travel size, so you’ll never have to be without it. It pairs well with other Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk products.

This frizz-busting hair mask would fit great in a stocking for anyone who needs a little extra hydration.

Everyday Health tester Siobhan Neela-Stock says this mask made her hair very smooth. “Normally, I don’t use hair masks, but I really liked this one because it’s easy to use, smells really good, and leaves my hair smooth,” Neela-Stock says. She also loved the scent — a beachy, coconut fragrance.

The mask is meant to be left on the entire head and hair, from root to tip, for 5 to 10 minutes after washing with shampoo. It’s formulated without parabens or sulfates, and is vegan and safe for color-treated hair.

Aesop Rose Hair & Scalp Moisturizing Mask is safe for chemically treated hair, whether you’ve been bleached, dyed, or gotten a keratin treatment or perm.

Our tester, Caroline Lubinsky, who has dyed blond hair, tried this post- and prewash, and was happy with the results both ways. It’s meant to be left in the hair for at least 20 minutes.

“As someone who doesn’t spend that long in the shower, I felt like a prune by the time I was supposed to wash it out, but it did make my hair and scalp feel very clean and hydrated,” she says. “After a few weeks of use, my hair felt smoother and my scalp was less dry.” She also says she loves the lavender and rose scent.

It’s a normal part of pregnancy and postpartum recovery, but it can be a rough haul for someone struggling to find themselves again after giving birth.

I found it helpful to feel like I was doing something about it with this rosemary and castor oil mixture and a bit of scalp stimulation with the scalp massager. I do think I saw a bit of regrowth, which was surprising since my hair typically grows very slowly.

I still use the scalp massager in the bath to lather my shampoo, scrub, and stimulate my scalp.

Give the gift of hydration with this two-piece gift set that includes a serum and a powder. They are meant to be used together but have been intentionally separated to avoid the need for preservatives. Just knowing the brand is intentional with its ingredients gives us comfort in how this product is made.

“This product made my hair feel strong and silky,” says Grace Gallagher, a writer for Everyday Health who tested this product. She also mentioned that she loved the earthy, botanical smell.

When I’m heat-styling my hair, I always reach for this heat protectant first. I was enticed by its claim to cut down drying time, and it absolutely does for me.

My hair usually takes forever to blow-dry, but this mist drastically cuts it down to a manageable session. Kristin Ess Style Assist Blow Dry Mist protects your hair from heat up to 450 degrees F. It smells like a luxurious perfume, with notes of magnolia, pear water, white amber, and sandalwood.

It adds shine and is color-safe, cruelty-free, and free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.

We’re not saying anyone needs to get rid of their gray hairs. But if you’re looking to reverse the appearance of gray hair, this serum can help do so with its peptides, antioxidants, and plant extracts that target melanin loss.

Everyday Health writer Jen Sinclair tested this serum and found it very easy to use. “The spray bottle worked very well in concentrating efforts on specific areas,” she says. “I used the pump spray to apply the serum on my scalp in areas that are full of grays, mostly the sides and top of my head.”

Users should give the product time to work. It may be best for those with dry, brittle graying hair.

This is one of my favorite curly hair products and has been for over 10 years. I have 2C to 3A curls, which means my hair is a mixture of waves and curls.

It’s easy to get a beachy ‘do with just a bit (okay, a lot) of this sea salt spray. I’ve been using some type of sea salt spray since middle or high school, sometimes even making it myself, but this is by far the best I’ve ever used.

While I prefer the Textured iteration, which has extra salt, there’s also a Soft Curls version that adds less texture. What’s great is that you can use it on wet or dry hair, so it can be a main part of your routine, a reset the next day, or both.

It also lends ultraviolet (UV) protection, so it’s a great tagalong for the beach or outdoor activities as well.

When my hair needs a little extra nourishment, I just add a little of this cold-pressed Moroccan argan oil. I find it adds hydration, shine, and bounce to my curls.

This product is formulated to be taken before, during, and after menopause — specifically for women ages 45 and older.

This supplement made our list of supplements that are best for hair growth, and registered dietitians recommend it, too.

It’s important for buyers to know that Nutrafol is a subscription service, but it’s possible to purchase one-off bottles of the vitamins elsewhere, like Amazon and Ulta.

If someone on your list is hoping for a glow-up in the new year, a supplement that targets hair, skin, and nails can certainly make things easier.

Olly Undeniable Beauty packs in biotin, vitamin C, and keratin into a delicious grapefruit gummy that only contains 2 grams of sugar per serving. It made our list as the best hair, skin, and nails gummy in our best hair, skin, and nails vitamins and supplements roundup because it also includes keratin in addition to other nutrients.

With 20 grams of collagen peptides per serving and zero added sugar, this collagen supplement aims to improve nail, skin, and hair health as well as support healthy joints.

Editor Katie Tuttle sampled Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder for a protein powders test. “The texture is thin and incorporates well into other liquids,” she says. “This powder mixed fairly well, with no lumps or grittiness.”

It comes in six flavors: lemon, pumpkin spice, salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and unflavored. You can drink it mixed with plain water or add it to tea, coffee, or a smoothie.

Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo ranked as the best dry shampoo for curly hair on our list of best dry shampoos.

“When I sprayed Moroccanoil’s dry shampoo for dark tones, I was instantly pleased,” says health writer Julia Childs Heyl, who tested this on her long, thick, curly hair. “The product was dispersed in a fine translucent mist. No texture or notable volume was added as a result. No white blotches on my roots, no tangles forming anywhere.”

I was impressed by how truly translucent Amika’s dry shampoo formula is when I tested this product for our best dry shampoos article. It lasted all day, keeping my hair looking clean and presentable, and I didn’t detect a speck of residue when using this dry shampoo.

I prefer to avoid talc in my dry shampoos, so I love that it’s advertised clearly as talc-free. Instead, Amika uses natural rice starch. In some of its dry shampoo products, Amika uses arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, and bamboo stem extract. 

Because of its effectiveness and translucent appearance, this is a great gift for someone who wants a quick spray before they get out of the house, with no need to tote the product along for a re-up.

Of course, if they do want to tote some along, there’s a travel size available. The bonus is that they won’t have to worry about getting any on their outfit before they walk out the door.

This dry shampoo from K18 also made our list of the best dry shampoos. I had no idea that dry shampoo could come in a non-aerosol spray form until I tried this product.

I’ll be honest — I was skeptical. Since I have curly hair, I suspected that my head would explode into frizz if I sprayed moisture onto it from a pump bottle. I was surprised when it didn’t.

K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo sprays on wet and dries into an absorbent powder. It soaked up oil well, didn’t leave a white cast, and left my hair looking cleaner. 

It comes in a discreet 4-ounce spray bottle, which is handy for when you’re on the go, and you won’t have a halo of aerosol spray or leave behind any major scent. 

Pro tip: Spray as close to the roots as possible to avoid drying out your tresses.

Vegan and formulated without silicones, talc, or benzene, your vegan friend will thank you when they unwrap this gift set.

And since your hair can look flat after a day (or more) without washing, this set also includes the brand’s Uplift Volumizing Hair Foam to put a little height in your giftee’s locks.

Since I began using this microfiber hair towel years ago, I almost can’t believe anyone is still wrapping their delicate hair in a heavy bath towel. A towel like this can gently squeeze the moisture from your tresses while helping you avoid breakage and frizz.

It’s been a key component of my curly hair routine, and I can’t imagine ever going back to using a regular towel.

You simply slip it over your head when you get out of the shower, twist the back around your hair (the back is longer, so you can twist it into a ponytail-like shape), and clip it up against your head. It’s even great for scrunching water out of your curls.

A satin pillowcase is another strand-saver, but it’ll also make your giftee feel like a queen (or king!).

This is the gift I get for the people on my list who are extra hard to buy for because they have it all. Sleeping on a satin pillowcase is said to lessen frizz, bedhead, and even cut down on breakage. It’s much smoother than cotton or linen, and it creates less friction on the strands.

I notice a major difference in how long a hairstyle lasts when I sleep on satin as opposed to other, less-smooth materials. It also feels really comfortably cool to sleep on.

Many people filter their drinking water. But what about the water that comes out of the shower? We’re typically much less concerned with that, as we’re not putting it directly into our bodies.

That’s where this water filter comes in. Scully has hard well water at home, so she was the perfect candidate to test the Canopy Filtered Showerhead (she tried its bath filter as well).

“With these, I felt better about the safety of our water,” she says. “I also felt like my skin was softer after using both of these, and my son also was less itchy. My hair seemed softer, too, and shinier.” Setup was easy, she adds. The showerhead comes in a variety of finishes to match your bathroom hardware, too.

There are three stream settings — wide, narrow, and dual — so you can customize the water flow to your liking. This showerhead fits standard showers, and you don’t need any tools to attach it.

The Canopy Filtered Showerhead comes with everything you need: the showerhead, a filter, a Canopy Signature aroma sample, aroma diffusers, a wrench, plumbers tape, and a how-to guide.

I was pretty skeptical about this brush. As a curly-headed lady, I’ve always been told that we really should only be brushing our hair in the shower, unless we want to walk around looking like a ball of frizz.

That was something I adhered to most of my life, until I started watching videos about how some brushes can help create curl clumps if used correctly (i.e., on damp hair with product).

This curl-safe detangling brush helps add volume and definition to curls. It’s not my everyday method, but when I want my curls to really pop, I reach for this brush.

This head massager is a novelty, for sure, but who doesn’t love the tingly feeling of raking a head massager over their scalp?

What’s great about a scalp massager is that you can give yourself a massage, no masseuse needed.

Since becoming a mom, these scrunchies have been my best friend. I’m easily overstimulated, and my hair tickling my face, neck, or shoulders is often the final thing to set me off. But since losing a lot of hair after two pregnancies, I’m extra careful to be gentle to my tresses to avoid any further breakage.

These satin scrunchies are super soft and meant to be gentle enough to sleep in. They can help cut down on frizz, creases, and breakage. I love that they’re OEKO-TEX certified, meaning they’re free of harmful substances and environmentally friendly.

I also love that they come in a five-pack (with plenty of color options) because my kids like to play with them, often misplacing them around the house.

This scalp brush is meant to do exactly that while also helping remove oil and dead skin cells. We also love the handle made from sustainable beechwood, natural rubber pad, and iron and copper bristles meant to last.

If you’ve got curly hair (and even if you don’t), this is the ultimate shower brush. Wet Brush has a variety of brushes for the shower, but I prefer this one because of its vented design.

Other brushes I’ve used eventually get mildewy since I tend to leave them in the shower when not in use. While this one does eventually, it takes much, much longer, thanks to the airflow afforded by its vents.

The vents are actually designed to help reduce drying time during blow-drying, so you can expose your hair to less heat and keep it healthier for longer.

I wouldn’t be caught dead without these clips at my house. I’ve been using these exact clips since high school or college, and they’re just the perfect clip for sweeping a layer of hair off your forehead or clipping back some baby hairs.

I go back and forth between having bangs and growing them out. When I’m growing them out, I like to twist them out of the way on either side. These clips help it look like more of a style rather than a coping mechanism. 

I do the same thing when I wear my hair curly, as the under-layers curl better than the top, so this is a great way to expose the better curl patterns. The clips hold well, and even though they’re small, they’re sturdy. And they’re a perfect fit in a stocking for the holidays.