HERBAL ESSENCES
Herbal Essences’ infusions, made with coconut extract and aloe, boasted the highest level of conditioning in the GH Beauty Lab’s test of hydrating shampoos and conditioners. “My dry hair was much more moisturized,” a tester marveled. This pair performed best in a test with the Lab’s Instron machine to gauge combing force through wet hair, proving strong conditioning benefits.
JOICO
A sulfate-free 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner with a higher ratio of conditioning ingredients, Joico’s cleansing conditioner was a winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s cleansing conditioners and co-washes test for giving parched, damaged hair a nourishing cleanse. “My hair is noticeably softer and healthier-looking than with my regular formulas,” a tester said. In Lab testing, it rated highest for making hair feel stronger and look smoother and less frizzy.
Garniner
This argan oil-infused Garnier Fructis cream, a winner of the Beauty Lab’s test of smoothing styling products, effectively fends off frizz and makes strands sleek. The formula earned high marks with testers for daylong frizz defense and for immediately smoothing hair with no oily or sticky effects. “It rained for almost a solid week, and I didn’t have a problem with frizz,” a user revealed. “I love the texture it left my hair with — smooth and bouncy,” another said.
L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL
A GH Beauty Breakthrough Award winner, L’Oréal Professionnel spray is misted onto your brush to minimize damage, and it’s great for long hair. “The unique application prevents too much product from going on hair, which can make it greasy or weigh it down,” says GH Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. “The best detangler I’ve ever used — it took only one stroke,” a tester said.
KERASTASE
A salon splurge that’s worth it, Kérastase’s indulgent duo tied for best in the Beauty Lab’s volumizing shampoos and conditioners test for thickening strands using skincare ingredients like peptides and hyaluronic acid. Testers “loved” this fine-hair “Holy Grail” that “truly worked” for “all-day body.” These won for thickening strands and making styles fuller compared with regular shampoo and conditioner, data revealed, and also earned top points for weightlessness.
DRYBAR
A GH Beauty Award winner, this inventive 2-in-1 Drybar hair styling tool combines a blowdryer and a hairbrush in one wand that dries strands as you brush through. The top-ranked hair dryer brush was “comfortable to hold” and glided smoothly through hair, testers reported, and it didn’t overheat the hair or scalp. “I loved it!” one raved.
TRESEMMÉ
The Tresemmé duo tops the Beauty Lab’s test of hair color-preserving shampoos and conditioners. Post-use, hair sample color faded least after 20 washes and 10 hours of UV exposure in Lab testing. One tester marveled that they were “like expensive salon products.”
GARNIER FRUCTIS
Get bigger, bouncier hair with this Garnier pair, which tied for best in the Beauty Lab’s volumizing shampoo and conditioner test. “My hair felt fuller after just one use,” a tester raved. In Lab evaluations, these came in highest for noticeably upping hair’s volume.
HEAD & SHOULDERS
A GH Beauty Breakthrough Award winner, this next-level Head & Shoulders mask treats both hair and scalp, softening strands with coconut oil and fighting flakes with the active ingredient pyrithione zinc. Many testers praised its scalp-itch relief. “Flakes disappeared” and “hair was softer than it’s ever been,” they said. In Lab evaluations, it scored high for reducing hair and scalp dryness in tests on women with textured strands, including curly hair.
DOVE
This light, refreshing Dove shampoo (used with the matching conditioner) was by far the tester favorite in the GH Beauty Lab’s test of hydrating shampoos and conditioners, with 100% stating that they would continue using it. “The effects were wondrous,” a fan raved. “My hair was fantastic — brushable, silk
