Best Softening Shampoo of 2025

Lisa Bechard Avatar
Lisa Bechard
Last Updated: Jan 10, 2025

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Softening Shampoo is a must-have for anyone looking to achieve silky, smooth hair. This specially formulated shampoo is designed to gently cleanse and nourish hair, leaving it feeling soft and manageable. Its unique blend of natural ingredients, including aloe vera and jojoba oil, work together to hydrate and soften hair, while also promoting healthy growth. Whether you have dry, damaged hair or just want to maintain a healthy shine, Softening Shampoo is the perfect addition to your hair care routine. It's gentle enough for daily use and suitable for all hair types.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Redken All Soft Shampoo Cover #TOP 1
Redken All Soft Shampoo
ftb score rating icon 9.8
AVEDA Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo Cover #TOP 2
AVEDA Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo
ftb score rating icon 9.7
MATRIX Food For Soft Shampoo Cover #TOP 3
MATRIX Food For Soft Shampoo
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Softening Shampoo

Redken All Soft Shampoo

3474636919987
Cranberry
Redken All Soft Shampoo Cover
Redken All Soft Shampoo | Deeply Moisturizes and Hydrates | Softens, Smooths, and Adds Shine | Safe for Color-Treated Hair | Nourishing Shampoo for Dry Hair | With Argan Oil

Redken All Soft Shampoo is a professional salon shampoo formulated with Argan Oil, a plant oil that softens and moisturizes and conditions hair from root to tip. It provides hydration, moisture, and softness for all dry hair types looking to condition. It also protects color-treated hair, leaving it looking vibrant, soft, and hydrated. Customers report that it leaves their hair feeling silky soft with increased manageability, suppleness, and shine. It also helps alleviate dry scalp issues.

What We Like
Moisturizes and conditions hair
Protects color-treated hair
Leaves hair silky soft and manageable
Helps alleviate dry scalp issues
Pleasant scent

AVEDA Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo

18084997444
AVEDA Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo Cover
AVEDA Cherry Almond softening shampoo 8.5oz/250ml

AVEDA Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo is a 99% naturally derived, color-safe shampoo that deeply conditions and restores softness and shine to normal to dry hair. With cherry blossom extract, almond oil, and certified organic shea butter, this shampoo provides superior slip and effortless detangling, leaving hair touchably soft and full of weightless bounce. It is gluten-free, vegan, and silicone-free, making it perfect for all hair types.

What We Like
99% naturally derived
Color-safe for all lengths of normal to dry hair
Gluten-free, vegan, and silicone-free

MATRIX Food For Soft Shampoo

MATRIX
0884486506986
MATRIX Food For Soft Shampoo Cover
Matrix Food For Soft Shampoo | Hydrating Shampoo for Dry & Brittle Hair | Moisturizes, Softens, & Smooths | With Avocado Oil & Hyaluronic Acid | Suitable for Color Treated and Natural Hair | Vegan

MATRIX Soft Shampoo is a hydrating shampoo that contains avocado oil & hyaluronic acid. It cleanses hair by removing excess oil without stripping the hair, providing healthier hair. This shampoo provides 72 hours of moisture retention, 7x more moisture and 5x smoother hair when used as a system of shampoo, conditioner or mask, & oil. It leaves hair hydrated and smooth with a soft finish and extra shine, achieving frizz-free and less porous hair. MATRIX Soft Shampoo is safe for color-treated hair. For best results, apply a quarter size amount of product, lather and rinse thoroughly. Repeat if desired. Follow with Conditioner or Treatment Mask & Oil.

What We Like
Hydrating & Moisturizing
Provides smoother hair
Leaves hair hydrated and shiny

Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo | Softens and Deeply Hydrates Dry Hair

P1863500
9 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo | Softens and Deeply Hydrates Dry Hair Cover
Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo | Softens and Deeply Hydrates Dry Hair | For Medium to Thick Color Treated or Natural Hair | Sulfate Free Shampoo | Vegan

Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo is a vegan and sulfate-free shampoo that deeply hydrates and moisturizes hair of all types and textures. It is ideal for normal to thick, dry, color-treated and natural hair, and the creamy, moisturizing formula works into a luxurious lather. It is trusted by salons and professionals, and the Hydrate range provides maximum moisturizing benefits. Reviews have been mostly positive, with customers noting that it leaves their hair feeling soft and hydrated, but some have mentioned an odd scent and that it may strip hair color faster.

What We Like
Deeply hydrates and moisturizes hair
Creamy, moisturizing formula
Safe for color-treated hair
Leaves hair soft and hydrated

OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo

OGX
4091005
White
OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo Cover
OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo, Hydrating & Restoring Shampoo Moisturizes for Soft Hair After the First Use, Paraben-Free, Sulfate-Free Surfactants, 13 fl. oz

The OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo is a creamy, nourishing shampoo that contains coconut oil, coconut milk, and whipped egg white protein to strengthen and hydrate hair. Suitable for all hair types, this shampoo leaves hair shiny, healthy, and beautiful while also providing up to 24-hour frizz control and humidity protection. The sulfate-free surfactant hair care system is paraben-free and gentle on your tresses, while the delicious scent of creamy coconut, white peach, and shea butter leaves locks smelling irresistible.

What We Like
Strengthens and hydrates hair
Provides up to 24-hour frizz control and humidity protection
Suitable for all hair types

Aveeno Farm-Fresh Oat Milk Sulfate-Free Shampoo

4067300
pink
Aveeno Farm-Fresh Oat Milk Sulfate-Free Shampoo Cover
Aveeno Farm-Fresh Oat Milk Sulfate-Free Shampoo with Colloidal Oatmeal & Almond Milk, Moisturizing Shampoo for All Hair Types, Safe for Color-Treated Hair, Paraben & Dye-Free, 12 Fl Oz

Aveeno Farm-Fresh Oat Milk Sulfate-Free Shampoo with Colloidal Oatmeal & Almond Milk is a moisturizing shampoo for all hair types. It is free of sulfates, dyes, and parabens, and is safe for color treated hair. It is infused with almond milk for lightly nourished, soft strands from root to tip and a healthy scalp. Customers have noted that it lathers well, has a pleasant scent, is gentle, and helps with dry scalp. However, some customers have noted that it has a strong scent and can cause build-up on the scalp.

What We Like
Lathers well
Pleasant scent
Gentle
Helps with dry scalp

Aunt Jackie's Oh So Clean Shampoo for Natural Curls and Waves, 12 oz

Aunt Jackie's Oh So Clean Shampoo for Natural Curls and Waves, 12 oz Cover
Aunt Jackie's Curls and Coils Oh So Clean Deep Moisturizing and Softening Hair Shampoo for Natural Curls, Coils and Waves, Enriched shea Butter, 12 oz

Aunt Jackie's Oh So Clean Deep Moisturizing and Softening Hair Shampoo is a 12 oz shampoo that cleanses and softens the most difficult to manage hair with a blend of healthier ingredients and natural conditioners. It is enriched with coconut oil, shea butter, and extra virgin olive oil that thoroughly and gently cleanse natural hair curls, coils, and waves while keeping them moisturized. This shampoo is proudly made in the USA.

What We Like
Enriched with coconut oil, shea butter, and extra virgin olive oil
Thoroughly and gently cleanse and soften the most difficult to manage hair
Made with healthier ingredients and natural conditioners
#TOP 8

Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner

Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner Cover
Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner | For Dry / Brittle Hair | Provides Intense Softness and Shine | With Argan Oil

Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner are designed to restore moisture and add shine to dry, brittle hair. The shampoo gently cleanses and softens dry hair, while the conditioner detangles and increases manageability and shine. This product is best for fine to medium hair types in need of moisture and nourishment, and features Redken's Moisture Complex with Argan Oil.

What We Like
Intense softness and shine
Effective for maintaining blonde hair
Pleasant smell

Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore Bamboo Fibers Shampoo

4018561
Green
Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore Bamboo Fibers Shampoo Cover
Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore + Bamboo Fibers Strengthening Shampoo to Soften Transitioning or Natural Hair & Renew Brittle Hair, Vegan, Silicone & Paraben-Free, 13 fl oz

Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore plus Bamboo Fibers Shampoo is a strengthening formula that helps densify and revive brittle curls to their fullest bounce. Ideal for wavy to tight curls, this vegan shampoo contains 100% aloe as the first ingredient along with coconut water, bamboo fibers, castor oil and neem oil, to help fortifying locks. It is sulfate-free, free from silicones, parabens and mineral oil and contains no synthetic dyes. Customers have praised its ability to soften and thicken hair, as well as its pleasant scent.

What We Like
Softens and thickens hair
Ideal for wavy to tight curls
Vegan, free from silicones, parabens and mineral oil
Pleasant scent

SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo

764302231042
gold
SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo Cover
SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo for Dry, Damaged Hair Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Sulfate-Free 13 oz

SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo is a sulfate-free shampoo formulated with Manuka Honey, Mafura Oil, and Fair Trade Shea Butter to cleanse and hydrate dry, damaged hair. Customers have reported that it leaves their hair feeling soft and manageable, with minimal static and improved condition. However, some have noted that it can leave a residue feeling and can be difficult to rinse out.

What We Like
Formulated with Manuka Honey, Mafura Oil, and Fair Trade Shea Butter
Leaves hair feeling soft and manageable
Minimizes static
Improves hair condition
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our softening shampoo research, we found 48 softening shampoo products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 371,067 customer reviews through our big data system to write the softening shampoo list. We found that most customers choose softening shampoo with an average price of $13.94.

The softening shampoo are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of softening shampoo, including Redken, Aveda, MATRIX, Pureology, OGX. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 385 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Lisa Bechard Avatar

Lisa Bechard is a skin therapist with 12 years of working experience in the beauty industry and also an experienced beauty writer who has expertise in skincare, medical aesthetics and cosmetic surgery, and wellness. Her writing skills are excellent and all her content is very persuasive and insightful.