By The Charlemagne Editorial Team · Published 30.09.2026 · Last updated 30.09.2026
The best men's shampoo is the one built for your scalp and hair type, and the right conditioner follows the same rule. Dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) start their hair care guidance (updated 12.08.2024) in exactly that place: learn your hair type, then wash based on how quickly your hair gets oily or dirty. The AAD's curly hair guidance (updated 29.06.2022) notes that washing curly hair too often can leave it dry, frizzy and hard to manage, while an oily scalp with straight hair may need washing every day.
There is no single winner, so there is no ranked list here. Find the situation below that sounds like your hair, see what to look for on the label, and check where the conditioner should go. The last section shows how to read the back of a bottle, with our own shampoo and conditioner as the worked example.
What decides which shampoo is right for you?
Three things, in this order. How oily your scalp gets matters most, then the texture of your hair, then whether you put styling product in it most days.
Shampoos are formulated around those differences. A review in the Indian Journal of Dermatology (D'Souza and Rathi, 2015) explains that makers choose cleansers with strong oil removal for shampoos meant for oily hair, and milder ones for dyed or permed hair. The same review says most shampoos combine two to four cleansers, and the one listed first is the primary cleanser, present in the highest concentration.
Conditioner has a separate job. According to the AAD, it moisturises and detangles hair after washing and makes it easier to manage. Where you put it depends on your hair.
| Your hair | How often to shampoo | What to look for | Where conditioner goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight, scalp gets oily | Daily if you need to | A strong oil-removing cleanser, such as a lauryl sulfate | Ends only |
| Dry, coarse or curly | When needed, at least every 2 to 3 weeks | A moisturising shampoo; a conditioner with argan oil, glycerin or a fatty alcohol | Full length |
| Fine, falls flat | As often as it gets oily | Milder cleansers, such as a betaine | Ends only |
| Pomade, clay or wax most days | Your usual schedule, plus a thorough clean about once a week | A deep-cleaning or clarifying shampoo for that weekly wash | As for your hair type |
| Flakes or itch | Regularly | If washing alone doesn't settle it, a dandruff shampoo with a listed active ingredient | Your normal conditioner |
Sources: AAD hair care, curly hair and dandruff guidance; D'Souza and Rathi, Indian Journal of Dermatology, 2015. Each row is explained in the sections below.
If your scalp gets oily by the evening
Wash as often as your scalp asks. The AAD says that with straight hair and an oily scalp, you may want to shampoo every day. According to the 2015 review, frequent washing with a well-formulated shampoo does not damage hair, and the review sets no upper limit on frequency as long as you use conditioner.
On the label, shampoos for oily hair often lead with a lauryl sulfate, which the review describes as an excellent cleanser that works in hard or soft water and rinses out easily. Work it into the scalp rather than the lengths. The AAD recommends shampooing the scalp to clear oil and product build-up without drying out the rest of your hair. Then keep the conditioner on the ends.
If your hair is dry, coarse or curly
Wash less, condition more. For dry, textured, curly or thick hair, the AAD's advice is to shampoo when needed, and at least once every two to three weeks. Its curly hair guidance suggests a moisturising shampoo made for curly hair.
Here the conditioner goes on the whole length, not just the ends. When you choose one, the AAD suggests looking for ingredients such as argan oil, glycerin, or a fatty alcohol like cetyl or stearyl alcohol. If your hair knots, comb it through in the shower with a wide-tooth comb before you rinse the conditioner out (the AAD says wet hair is delicate, and that for thick, curly hair this is the best moment to comb).
If your hair is fine or falls flat
Go lighter at the roots. The AAD recommends applying conditioner to the ends only if your hair is fine or straight.
For the shampoo, the 2015 review describes amphoteric cleansers such as cocamidopropyl betaine as foaming well and leaving hair manageable, and notes they are used for fine and damaged hair. When a betaine appears second on a label, it is working as the secondary cleanser, which the review says is there to offset the shortcomings of the first.
If you use pomade, clay or wax most days
Styling product adds one step to the routine. The 2015 review describes deep-cleaning shampoos for people who use styling products often: the product builds up on the hair shaft and leaves it looking dull and feeling harsh, so these shampoos use a strong primary cleanser and are typically used about once a week. Curly hair gets the same advice from the AAD: if you style it with gels, creams or pomades, it suggests a clarifying shampoo before your moisturising one.
In practice, shampoo on your normal schedule and give the scalp a more thorough wash once a week. How much work that takes depends on the product. We cover the method in how to wash pomade out of hair and beard, and if you are still choosing a styling product, our guide to hair clay vs pomade vs wax sets out hold and finish by hair type.
What about scent?
Scent deserves a thought too. When we read through our own customer reviews of our styling products and beard oils, scent is the attribute people talk about most, praised and criticised in the same breath. Shampoo, conditioner and styling product all end up on the same head. If you wear a scented pomade or a fragrance, a shampoo with a lighter scent keeps them from competing.
If you see flakes or your scalp itches
Flakes are usually a scalp question rather than a hair-type one. The AAD's dandruff guidance (updated 11.12.2023) describes dandruff as a common scalp condition in which small pieces of dry skin flake off, with causes that include hair care habits and oily skin. Mild dandruff can usually be handled at home by washing your hair regularly. The AAD's general hair guidance also lists not shampooing often enough, or not using the right conditioner for your hair type, among the common reasons for flakes.
If regular washing doesn't settle it, the AAD suggests an over-the-counter dandruff shampoo with an active ingredient such as zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide or ketoconazole, used as the bottle directs. Should the flaking not clear, or become severe, see a board-certified dermatologist, who can tell whether it is a sign of another condition.
How to read the back of a shampoo bottle
You can check most of this yourself in half a minute, because the order of the cleansers tells you what kind of wash you are buying. Here is how it works on our own two bottles.
Charlemagne Coffein Shampoo lists water first, then sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine and lauryl glucoside. Read against the 2015 review's categories, that is a laureth sulfate as the primary cleanser with a betaine working as the secondary. Further down, the label lists caffeine, hydrolysed wheat protein, panthenol and nettle extract. It is made in Germany for daily use, and designed to be paired with our conditioner.
Our Hair Conditioner and Straightener starts with cetearyl alcohol, then behentrimonium chloride and cetrimonium chloride. The review calls cationic surfactants such as behentrimonium the backbone of a conditioner. Their positive charge is drawn to the negatively charged surface of the hair, which reduces static, flattens the cuticle and makes combing easier. The same review names fatty alcohols such as cetyl and stearyl alcohol as the bodying agents. Later on the label come glycerin and argan oil, two of the ingredients the AAD suggests looking for if your hair is dry or curly.
The conditioner softens hair and makes it more manageable. Use an almond-sized amount on damp hair after shampooing, leave it for three to seven minutes, then rinse. Used together, the two bottles are the wash step of a daily routine, before any styling product goes in.
Questions men ask about shampoo and conditioner
What is the best shampoo for men overall?
There isn't one overall. The best shampoo is the one made for your scalp and hair type, which is where the AAD's own hair care guidance begins. Start with how oily your scalp gets, then your hair texture, then how much styling product you use.
What kind of shampoo and conditioner should a man use?
Match both to your hair. With an oily scalp, wash as often as needed and keep conditioner on the ends. Dry, coarse or curly hair needs washing only when needed, with conditioner on the full length. For fine hair, choose a milder cleanser and condition the ends only. If you style every day, add a thorough wash once a week.
How often should men wash their hair?
As often as the scalp gets oily or the hair gets dirty, which is the AAD's rule. For straight hair and an oily scalp that can mean every day. Dry, textured, curly or thick hair needs washing when needed, and at least once every two to three weeks.
Should I use conditioner every time I shampoo?
Yes. The AAD recommends using conditioner after washing your hair, and the 2015 review's finding that frequent washing doesn't damage hair assumes regular conditioner use.
Is a 2-in-1 shampoo good enough?
It can be. The 2015 review describes 2-in-1 shampoos as a mild cleanser combined with a silicone conditioner, usually dimethicone, and says they suit men who want to shampoo daily and those with dry, damaged or chemically treated hair. If you wear styling product every day, the weekly deep clean still applies.
Does dandruff mean I need a special shampoo?
Not always. The AAD says mild dandruff can usually be treated at home by washing regularly. If that doesn't help, it suggests a dandruff shampoo with a listed active ingredient, and a dermatologist if it persists or becomes severe.
The short version
Choose the shampoo for your scalp and the conditioner for your hair. An oily scalp can be washed often, with conditioner kept to the ends. Dry or curly hair gets washed when needed, with conditioner on the full length. Daily styling product earns a thorough wash once a week, and persistent flakes are a job for a dandruff shampoo or a dermatologist.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
Next step: the routine after the rinse
Once the wash step is settled, the rest of the morning routine is styling. Our hair styling tips for men pick up where the shower ends, and the complete men's grooming kit covers what else earns a place on the shelf.
