Which shampoos actually help with Hair Loss?
I always thought shampoo could only ever be cosmetic. However, after navigating hair loss myself, and watching formulation change, I've had a change of heart...
In 25 years of writing about beauty, I’ve noticed few things change as dramatically as the way we talk about hair. Once, the focus was on colour, cut and style. Now the language is far more granular: density, follicles, growth cycles, scalp health. Hair has gone forensic.
This shift isn’t abstract for me. I have androgenic alopecia, which means I’ve spent years navigating a market heavy on promise and light on proof. I’ve tried the supplements, the serums and the supposed breakthroughs, and most of them did very little. It wasn’t until 2020, after seeing a trichologist and starting a treatment plan that included topical minoxidil, that I saw a meaningful improvement in density.
That moment coincided with the pandemic, when hair loss entered the mainstream conversation as a post-viral and stress-related issue. Demand rose sharply, innovation followed, and the language of haircare became more sophisticated and, at times, more misleading.
This is where scepticism becomes essential.
The encouraging news is that formulation has genuinely advanced. There are now products capable of doing more than offering a cosmetic fix; some can make a measurable difference to hair health. The less encouraging news is that it takes discernment to find them.
Because of my own experience, I approach this category with caution. Because it’s my job, I approach it with rigour. I question claims, ask to see clinical data and examine before-and-after results before deciding whether something is worth recommending.
The haircare market has expanded enormously in the last two decades. Scalp scrubs, tonics, exfoliants and masks now sit alongside products that didn’t exist when I started out. Which raises a practical question: what about shampoo? One of the most functional products in the entire routine. Can it really contribute to hair health in a meaningful way?
A few years ago, I’d have answered that without hesitation: no.
Now, there are a small number of shampoos I feel confident standing behind, and that’s what I want to share here.
