# Shampoo for curly hair Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/beauty/shampoo/for-curly-hair/ Category: Beauty > Shampoo. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 350 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Nov 2014 to Sep 2026. **Question:** Which shampoo is good for curly hair? **Short answer:** We count reviewers who said they have curly, coily or wavy hair, and among them Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo leads at 23 of 28 and is the best pick sold on Amazon. Raw Sugar Mighty Curl Shampoo has the highest share at 7 of 8, but that rests on a small group. The other five land between about half and two thirds, with Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo the weakest record here at 14 of 26. **What stands out:** Dry, stripped curls are the common complaint, in 41% of Function of Beauty reviews, 38% of Kristin Ess reviews and 36% of Maui Moisture reviews. SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo draws the opposite problem, with 20% mentioning build-up and 20% saying hair got greasy fast. ## Ranking (buyers who said whether it worked) | Rank | Product | Curls stay soft | Share | Amazon | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo | 23 of 28 | 82% | yes | | 2 | Raw Sugar Mighty Curl Shampoo | 7 of 8 | 88% | yes | | 3 | OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Shampoo | 15 of 23 | 65% | yes | | 4 | Maui Moisture Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Shampoo | 16 of 27 | 59% | no | | 5 | Function of Beauty Wavy Hair Shampoo | 10 of 16 | 63% | no | | 6 | Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo | 14 of 26 | 54% | no | | 7 | SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo | 9 of 16 | 56% | no | Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works. ## Product notes ### 1. Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo More curly and wavy reviewers weighed in on this shampoo than on any other here, and 23 of 28 said it cleaned without stripping their curls. 22% say it left hair soft and 15% call it good value, though 15% still found it drying. Reviews copied from Aussie's site are a little more mixed at 6 of 8, which we show but don't count. - Praised for: Nice scent (38%), Leaves hair soft (23%), Good value (15%) - Complaints: Itchy or irritated scalp (8%), Frizzy (5%) - Reports counted: 40 ### 2. Raw Sugar Mighty Curl Shampoo Just 8 reviewers with curly or wavy hair said how it worked, and 7 of 8 said it cleaned without stripping their curls, so treat this record as thin. 15% praise the scent. Raw Sugar's own site also comes in at 7 of 8, which we show but don't count. - Praised for: Nice scent (15%), Hair looks fuller (5%) - Complaints: Frizzy (5%) - Reports counted: 40 ### 3. OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Shampoo Soft hair is the main praise, in 22% of its reviews, and 12% say their curls looked defined. The complaints are spread out: 18% found it drying, 10% say hair got greasy fast and 8% mention build-up. - Praised for: Nice scent (33%), Leaves hair soft (23%), Curls defined (13%) - Complaints: Bad or strong scent (13%), Frizzy (10%), Hair gets greasy fast (10%) - Reports counted: 40 ### 4. Maui Moisture Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Shampoo Scent is the draw, praised in 46% of its reviews. Dryness is the catch: 36% say it left hair dry or stripped, and 11 of 27 reviewers with curly or wavy hair said it let their curls down. - Praised for: Nice scent (46%), Curls defined (13%), Good value (8%) - Complaints: No difference (10%), Tangles hair (8%), Frizzy (8%) - Reports counted: 39 ### 5. Function of Beauty Wavy Hair Shampoo Made for wavy hair, it gets definition praise in 21% of its reviews. It also draws a long list of complaints: 41% found it drying, 15% say hair got greasy fast and 13% mention an itchy scalp. - Praised for: Nice scent (28%), Curls defined (21%), Leaves hair soft (10%) - Complaints: Hair gets greasy fast (15%), Itchy or irritated scalp (13%), Tangles hair (10%) - Reports counted: 39 ### 6. Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo 12 of 26 reviewers with curly or wavy hair said it left their curls dry, frizzy or weighed down. Dryness comes up in 38% of its reviews and frizz in 20%, while 15% say it left hair soft. Reviews copied from Kristin Ess's site are kinder at 7 of 8, which we show but don't count. - Praised for: Nice scent (25%), Leaves hair soft (15%), Curls defined (10%) - Complaints: Frizzy (20%), Hair gets greasy fast (13%), Itchy or irritated scalp (10%) - Reports counted: 40 ### 7. SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo Build-up, not dryness, is the issue here: 20% mention build-up and 20% say hair got greasy fast. On the plus side, 31% like the scent and 14% say it left hair soft. - Praised for: Nice scent (31%), Leaves hair soft (14%), Curls defined (11%) - Complaints: Build-up (20%), Hair gets greasy fast (20%), Tangles hair (6%) - Reports counted: 35 ## Questions **Which shampoo works for curly hair?** Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo leads at 23 of 28 among reviewers with curly, coily or wavy hair. Raw Sugar Mighty Curl Shampoo follows at 7 of 8 from a much smaller group, and OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Shampoo comes next at 15 of 23. **Is Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo good for curly hair?** Reviewers mostly say yes: 23 of 28 with curly or wavy hair said it cleaned without stripping their curls, and 15% of its reviews call it good value. 15% still found it drying, so watch how your ends feel after a few washes. **Does a sulfate-free label mean my curls won't dry out?** Not going by these reviews. Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo and Function of Beauty Wavy Hair Shampoo are both sold as sulfate-free, yet dryness comes up in 38% and 41% of their reviews. Give a new shampoo a few washes before you judge it, and follow it with a conditioner. **How often should I shampoo curly hair?** Many people with curls wash a few times a week rather than every day, and focus the shampoo on the scalp. If hair feels greasy or coated between washes, as 20% of SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo reviews say, a lighter shampoo may suit you better. ## Method HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/