The 10 Best Shampoo for Hair Growth and Thickness

To those with thin or fine hair, having thick hair is the dream! A full, dense, Ariana-style ponytail, waves that stay for days, healthy-looking hair that sits perfectly still—there are definitely benefits to thicker locks.

If you’ve been growing your hair for what feels like forever but aren’t seeing any results, it could be time to mix up your hair care routine. Shampoo for hair growth and thickness will help pump up the volume and give you a fuller head of hair.

Long, thick hair can come with its own set of challenges (tangles anyone?), but a good shampoo for thick hair will help. Using a shampoo for thick frizzy hair will help tackle stubborn knots without yanking fragile hairs out. Humidity can also create a wealth of problems for those with thicker hair. The hotter the sun, the higher your hair? Shampoo and conditioner for thick hair can help calm things down when the weather warms up.

Whether you’re looking to grow a long, thick, and healthy head of hair, or you want to nourish your hair as it is, a thick and long hair shampoo will help. 

What Shampoo is Best for Thick Hair?

If your thick hair has you craving smooth, manageable hair that’s knot-free, you’ll want to find the best shampoo for thick coarse hair. If you have a thicker texture to your locks and want to keep your lengths shiny, avoid using products that include sulphates. Sulphates can leave hair dry and unruly, which is exactly what you don’t want!

When you choose a shampoo for fine thick hair, look for nature-inspired ingredients like Shea Butter, Cactus Extract, and Aloe Vera to soften the texture and keep tangles at bay. If your hair is damaged but you’re still craving a bit more length, look for nourishing shampoos that help ease breakage and ward off split ends.

How Do You Know if You Have Thick or Thin Hair?

If you can’t quite work out whether you have thin or thick hair, it’s time to do the strand test. Run a single strand between your thumb and your finger. If you feel nothing or next to nothing, you probably have fine hair. If you feel a little something, you have medium hair. And if your strand feels obvious and dense, you have coarser, thicker hair!

You could also hold all your hair in a ponytail (if it’s long enough) and consider the density of your hair. If you can see your scalp, you probably have fine hair. If you see no sign of your scalp, you have thick hair. And if you’re somewhere in the middle, well, you’re somewhere in the middle!

Whatever your hair type, a shampoo for thick straight hair will get your hair care routine off to a good start.

How to Get Volume in Long Thick Hair?

Having thicker hair can mean your locks stay still and flat. If you lust after hair that has a little movement, there are things you can do to help. For an airy look that’s light and effortless, a cut that thins out the ends can help.

Ask your hairdresser to use thinning shears towards the ends of your hair to give your look a lighter touch. Plus, by taking out some of the weight, you can make your hair look more lifted and voluminous at the roots!

A lightweight shampoo for thick hair will also help your hair stay airy and voluminous. Lather up with a gentle sulphate free shampoo for thick hair. Follow with a light conditioner to hydrate.

How to Keep Thick Hair Healthy?

A good shampoo that lathers up your hair and gives it a thorough, deep clean without stripping it of its natural oils will help the hair stay healthy. If you’ve been hitting the box colour and the bleach a little too hard recently (who doesn’t love a colour change?), the best shampoo for thick coloured hair is one that hydrates, nourishes, and doesn’t cause any further damage with unnecessary chemicals.

Use products that won’t dry out your hair. And make sure you cleanse the hair thoroughly to prevent product build-up at the scalp. Use a nourishing conditioner to finish, and try not to blast your hair with too much heat.

If you want a healthy head of hair that’s free to grow thick and long, you’ll want to invest in a shampoo that nourishes every strand from root to tip. We’ve done our research and found the formulas that will help keep your locks swishy, shiny, and super-soft.

Two big things will stop your hair from growing long: heat damage and overdyeing. Possibly the best shampoo for thick dry coloured hair, this one from Kérastase gets right to the heart of your damage using a powerful blend of ingredients to restore and improve the hair cuticle. Ceramides soften and rebuild the texture of the hair. The Taurine included in Kérastase Résistance Extentioniste Bain Shampoo protects strands from future abuse. Massage a small amount into your hair and work up to a luscious lather.

Fanola Nutri Care Restructuring Shampoo has a sumptuous Butterscotch scent that leaves you wanting more. Ideal for all textures and curl types, this restructuring formula gently cleanses the hair while keeping it moisturised. Full of Amino Acids and Proteins, this restructuring shampoo improves the hair’s elasticity over time. Whey Proteins provide nourishment and hydration, keeping the hair soft and manageable. Apply this shampoo to wet hair and gently massage. Rinse out and repeat if necessary.

Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo 250ml will rid the scalp and hair of any impurities without risking the health and hydration of your hair. Frizz will be tamed, and each strand will feel softer and more manageable. This unique, luxe formula will also help keep your hair protected from harmful UV rays and any other environmental factors that might damage your hair. Cypress Oil, Argan Oil, and Maracuja Oil work to hydrate lacklustre locks. To use, simply apply a small amount to wet hair and work it into a lather. Rinse thoroughly and follow with a nourishing conditioner.

If growing your hair feels like an impossible task, injecting some hydration into your locks will help. evo the therapist hydrating shampoo 300ml helps strengthen the hair without any harsh chemicals while also replacing moisture and eliminating frizz. To maximise the effect of this nourishing product, wet your hair and apply a small amount from root to tip. Lather and rinse thoroughly to prevent any clogging product build-up. Follow with a nourishing conditioner.

If you’re looking to improve the strength of your hair and protect it from further damage, Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Shampoo 300ml will help. Co-Emulsion Technology softens damaged hair without any weighty agents dragging it down. The shampoo penetrates the hair and leaves it feeling purified and nourished. If you have an oily scalp, you might benefit from a double shampoo before you add conditioner.

A great shampoo for thick oily hair, L'Oreal Serie Expert Absolut Repair Gold Quinoa & Protein Shampoo will help resurface the hair’s fibres and bring everything back into balance. Cleansing the scalp and the hair by removing impurities, this nourishing shampoo will help smooth, strengthen, and restore very dry, damaged hair. Always rinse the product from your hair thoroughly, and wash a second time if you have a very oily scalp.

If you’ve been bleaching your hair and using colour to enhance your look for years, your hair will start to feel the damaging effects quite quickly. Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo 250ml is a super-reparative shampoo that strengthens and nourishes dry, damaged hair. This vegan, cruelty-free and sulphate-free formula has been formulated with the ever-popular, super-effective Olaplex Bond Building Chemistry. When used in conjunction with Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner 250ml and Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3 Home Treatment, this shampoo will leave your hair healthier and in excellent condition.

A shampoo formulation that features a number of superfoods is sure to help your hair feel soft and shiny again. Redken All Soft Mega Shampoo 300ml features a Sacha Inchi Extract that’s rich in healing antioxidants and nourishing omega-3 fatty acids. Redken’s unique ingredient, RCT Protein Complex, works to fortify the hair at the strand level. This nourishing shampoo will help rebuild the hair from the root, so you can feel confident swishing your locks once again.

With a natural blend of Organic Aloe, Maize, and Guar Bean, this formula revitalises the surface of your hair, leaving you with a smoother finish. Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo will help protect your hair from any heat damage. The Babassu cleansing system will keep hair feeling fresh with its luxurious lather. This formula is one of only seven groundbreaking products to have been honoured with the Gold-level Cradle to Cradle certification.

To help protect and repair the hair, Iles Formula Haute Performance Shampoo 200ml is full of powerful antioxidants that have been hand-picked from botanical extracts. The caring formula will help your hair stay protected from daily aggressors, and the overall health of your hair will improve. The infused Silk Proteins leave hair softer, shinier, and healthier than ever before. For those who are new to sulphate free shampoos, it might take a couple of weeks for your hair to get used to the kinder, gentler formula.

How To Use Iles Formula Haute Performance

Thick, long hair doesn't have to be a thing of dreams. You can build hair back up to its best by kick-starting your routine with a softening, caring shampoo. If you’ve been struggling with the texture of your hair, give the above shampoos a go and try stepping away from the straighteners!

Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty’s highly trained Customer Service team. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.

Now, let's recap! What are the Best Shampoos for Hair Growth and Thickness?

1. Kérastase Résistance Extentioniste Bain Shampoo

2. Fanola Nutri Care Restructuring Shampoo

3. Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo 250ml

4. evo the therapist hydrating shampoo 300ml

5. Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Shampoo 300ml

6. L'Oreal Serie Expert Absolut Repair Gold Quinoa & Protein Shampoo

7. Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo 250ml

8. Redken All Soft Mega Shampoo 300ml

9. Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo

10. Iles Formula Haute Performance Shampoo 200ml

Looking for a different kind of hair volumiser? Check out our guide on The 9 Best Volumising Root Sprays