Beauty The 2021 Shape Beauty Awards: Best Hair Products These must-have hair products will give you healthy, Rapunzel-like locks. By Kate Sandoval Box, Kate Sandoval Box Instagram Kate Sandoval Box (she/her) is a writer, editor, and cross-platform beauty expert with over 15 years of experience at national women's brands, where she has interviewed the nation's top aesthetic experts and culled the beauty market for the most innovative products that deliver next-level results. She was the beauty director at SHAPE for eight years and held the same title at Parents and Parents Latina. Previously, Sandoval Box held beauty editor roles at Self, Latina, Cosmopolitan, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Her skin content has been nominated for multiple Skin Sense Awards and has won a media award from the Women's Dermatologic Society. She has profiled celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laura Dern, Jennifer Lopez, Kristen Bell, Eva Mendes, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas and has appeared as an expert on The Dr. Oz Show, Fox, CBS, and many news syndications across the country. Sandoval Box graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is originally from New Mexico. She now resides in Hoboken, NJ with her husband and two children. Shape's editorial guidelines Shannon Bauer, Shannon Bauer Instagram Website Shannon M. Bauer is a Senior Commerce Editor for Dotdash Meredith's Beauty & Style Group. She joined the Shape team in 2022 and works with a team of talented freelance writers to create expert- and research-driven product roundups. Shannon has seven years of experience writing, editing, and producing beauty and wellness content for top print and digital publications. Shape's editorial guidelines and Chloe Irving Chloe Irving Instagram Chloe is a beauty and wellness ecommerce writer at InStyle and Shape where she pitches and writes shopping stories on fitness, skincare, and hair care. Chloe began her career in media as Shape's editorial assistant in 2021. Since then, she's covered a wide range of topics in the wellness and beauty categories, and has published stories in Health, PEOPLE, Shape, and InStyle.Prior to joining Dotdash Meredith, she received her bachelor's degree from Brown University in 2021. As a commerce writer, she loves researching and testing products, interviewing experts, and closely following TikTok and Instagram to stay on top of trends and celebrity happenings.Chloe has a special place in her heart for running shoes and SPF. Outside of writing, you can find her trying out a new workout class, hosting a movie night, or reciting jokes she heard on TikTok. Shape's editorial guidelines Published on September 9, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Photo: Claire Benoist The Shape Squad — a group of dermatologists, fitness pros, and staffers — put the year's new beauty products through their paces and 83 winners came out on top. Here, their picks for the best hair products on the market right now. Best Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner: Herbal Essences Smooth Rose Hips Shampoo and Conditioner Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $16 Testers are so in for the nostalgic, 1990s-era scent of Herbal Essences Smooth Rose Hips Shampoo and Conditioner. Plus, "they clean deeply and leave my hair feeling soft." (Might as well give yourself a celeb-approved, '90s-style 'do while you're at it, right?) Best Dry Shampoo: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $30 Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo is "the ultimate sweat-absorbing formula, especially if you spray it on before you exercise." (Related: How to Get the Most Out of Your Dry Shampoo) Best Brush: Wet Brush Refresh & Extend Paddle Detangler Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $11 "The gentlest brush I've tried," says one tester, Wet Brush Refresh & Extend Paddle Detangler quickly works through post-workout knots without pulling or ripping. Best Hair Growth Treatment: BosleyMD Hair Regrowth Treatment Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $40 A 5 percent minoxidil leave-in foam, BosleyMD Hair Regrowth Treatment has a "no-mess sprayer to target the areas where you need it." (Related: The Best Hair Growth Serums If You're Thinning Out or Shedding a Worrisome Amount) Best Scalp Scrub: Innersense Organic Beauty True Enlightenment Scalp Scrub Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $42 Innersense Organic Beauty True Enlightenment Scalp Scrub "tingles in the best way thanks to refreshing peppermint — I felt like my scalp could finally breathe." (This minty avocado scrub will get the job done too.) Best Color-Treated Shampoo and Conditioner: Love Beauty and Planet Aluminum Refillable Murumuru Butter & Rose Shampoo and Conditioner Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $10 The hydrating, sulfate-free Love Beauty and Planet Aluminum Refillable Murumuru Butter & Rose Shampoo and Conditioner is "great for my curly, color-treated hair and smells amazing," says fitness trainer Ashley Joi. And the high-end-looking bottles are keepers. Best Curl Enhancer: Ouidad Coil Infusion Give a Boost Styling + Shaping Gel Cream Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $30 Ouidad Coil Infusion Give a Boost Styling + Shaping Gel Cream "left my 4A curls hydrated and defined with no crunch. It's a 10 out of 10 for me." Best Strand Smoother: OGX Frizz-Free + Keratin Smoothing Oil Smoothing Spray Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $7 Bad hair day, we don't know you, thanks to OGX Frizz-Free + Keratin Smoothing Oil Smoothing Spray. "I'm pleasantly shocked at how well this stands up to Florida humidity," one tester shares. Best Hair Spray: Nexxus Weightless Style Ultra Fine Hair Spray Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $10 We're sold on the brushable hold minus the crunch that Nexxus Weightless Style Ultra Fine Hair Spray offers. Best Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner: Monday Haircare Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $19 Thirsty strands soak up the shea butter and coconut oil in Monday Haircare Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. "And the deep clean means I have to wash my hair only once a week." Best Co-Wash: Matrix Total Results A Curl Can Dream Co-Wash Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $17 Free of sulfates and silicones, Matrix Total Results A Curl Can Dream Co-Wash uses manuka honey to condition as it lightly cleanses curls and coils. (Wait, what is co-washing, anyway?) Best Mask: Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $28 Avocado oil and squalane in Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask help repair dyed or damaged hair. (P.S.: The in-salon treatment is so worth it too.) Best Blowout Styler: IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Blowout Balm Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $33 Apply IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Blowout Balm to coarse, thick hair before a blowout to help create keratin-level sleekness. Best Leave-In: Odele Leave-In Detangling Tonic Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $11 Odele Leave-in Detangling Tonic is a milky spray that hydrates, adds shine, and helps unravel tangles. "It came in clutch after some windy runs and beach days." (Related: The Best Leave-In Conditioners — Plus, Why You Should Be Using One) Best Volumizer: Revitalash Cosmetics Volume Enhancing Foam Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $150 Fine-hair types found that Revitalash Cosmetics Volume Enhancing Foam"made hair appear more voluminous." Best Tool: T3 Airebrush Duo Courtesy of Merchants Coming Soon Blow-dry and style in one go with the T3 Airebrush Duo, which comes with round and paddle brush options. While it's not available for purchase until September 15, it'll be worth the wait. Best Color Enhancer: Schwarzkopf Color Boost Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $10 Thanks to Schwarzkopf Color Boost, you can tone hair while you shower: Mix a few drops of color into your conditioner, smooth through strands, then rinse after five minutes. Easy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit