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It's safe to say all of us are in pursuit of healthy, hydrated hair. To achieve said beauty goals, it's important to use products that are thoughtfully formulated and effective. Over the past year, we've tested and tried countless shampoos, conditioners, and styling products to find out what makes our hair the happiest. And after months of testing, we managed to narrow it down to the 17 best products. Ahead, find our 2023 Beauty Awards winners in the hair category.
Best Hydrating Shampoo: 4U by Tia Moisturizing Shampoo
"Honestly, the entire 4U by Tia range is a hit. However, the Moisturizing Shampoo is a standout. The creamy formula thoroughly cleanses curls and coils without stripping them. It can do this because of moisture-boosting ingredients like hemisqualane, watermelon extract, and hibiscus oil. My curls always look and feel rejuvenated after lathering up with this shampoo." — Olivia Hancock, editor
Best Hydrating Conditioner: Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner
"Keeping my wavy 2b/2c hair properly hydrated has always been a struggle for me, as many formulas weigh my pattern down with silicones that leave a build-up of residue. Enter: Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner. It's formulated with green caviar and elastin protein to replenish proteins lost due to hair damage, restoring volume and life to dull, dry strands. Side perk—this silicone-free conditioner has also managed my frizz, and my hair has never felt softer." — Abby Dupes, associate editor
Best Volumizing Shampoo: TRESemmé Full Fiber Volume Shampoo
"It's unoriginal, but I'm a big fan of huge fluffy hair. Unfortunately, my roots did not get the memo. Flat roots are a key concern for me when it comes to styling my hair, and it turns out the perfect blowout actually starts in the shower. This TRESemmé shampoo lifts my roots into a gravity-defying position, so it's easy for me to get that effortless, Farrah Fawcett–inspired look that's full of body and volume. Be sure to really work it into your roots until you reach a glorious, sudsy lather." — Holly Rhue, associate editorial director
Best Volumizing Conditioner: Redken Volume Injection Conditioner
"I have a lot of hair, but my strands are also long and on the finer side, and I find volume to be harder to achieve without a little help. I'm constantly gravitating toward volumizing products that nourish my strands while encouraging every last bit of my 1c/2a texture to shine, and Redken's Volume Injection Conditioner is a shining example of such a formula. It features the brand's Bodifying Complex to boost strands from root to tip, plus the formula simultaneously makes damage repair a priority, which I appreciate as a frequent heat tool user. If you're searching for a conditioner with deep nourishment that won't weigh you down, this one is absolutely worth a try." — Ali Webb, associate editor
Best Edge Control: The Frontal Queen Baby Hair Control
"Believe the TikTok hype—The Frontal Queen Edge Control is the best edge control I've tried all year. It provides a strong hold that lasts days at a time and keeps my edges moisturized minus any white residue. To my fellow type 4 hair girlies: This one is for us." — Jasmine Phillips, social media editor
Best Scalp Product: Anablue Scalp Cleanser
"As a category, I do not “get” scalp care. Most scalp-focused products have done nothing but make my hair feel disgusting, but this one may be the one to convert me. The Anablue Scalp Cleanser is a gentle scalp scrub that uses Himalayan sea salt to exfoliate (it never leaves my hair tangly or dry) and Moroccan argan oil to nourish. It always leaves my scalp feeling extra fresh and my hair feeling bouncy and smooth." — Bella Cacciatore, news editor
Best Hair Mask, Moisture: Alodia Nourish and Hydrate Deep Conditioning Hair Masque
"I’ve tried countless hair masks to hydrate my 3c/4a curls, and none of them stand up to Alodia’s Nourish and Hydrate Deeping Conditioning Hair Masque. First, I love the consistency of this mask. It's thick, so I only need a small amount to coat my curls. I apply it on freshly washed hair in the shower and use it as slip to help me detangle. The mask should stay on for at least five to 10 minutes, but I love to leave it on for 30 minutes to really soak up the benefits. It's made with avocado oil, which repairs the hair shaft, protects strands from UV and environmental pollutants, and soothes the scalp to minimize scalp irritation. It’s also made with peppermint oil, which gives it a sweet scent and promotes hair growth, balances oil, and can increase hair thickness. Most importantly, it's made without phthalates, sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances. After rinsing, I can always feel that my hair is stronger and softer, which makes for the perfect canvas to apply the rest of my products. This is hands down my favorite hair mask, and it always guarantees my most hydrated and softest wash-and-go styles." — Star Donaldson, associate social media director
Best Hair Mask, Repair: K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
"For the third year in a row, K18 has won a Byrdie in the hair mask category. It's simply the best and most advanced technology on the market. I first started using K18 in 2021 (the first year it won a Byrdie), and it has completely transformed my hair. Before using it, my hair was dry, damaged, prone to breakage, and unable to grow past my collarbone. Now, my hair is supremely soft with healthy, well-defined waves past my chest. I use it every other weekend instead of conditioner—just like the bottle says—and my hair just keeps getting better with every use." — Holly Rhue, associate editorial director
Best Detangler: Pattern Beauty Detangling Nectar
"Detangling my hair is typically a hassle, but using Pattern Beauty’s Detangling Nectar makes it much more manageable. The slippery formula combines sea moss, aloe vera, and grape-seed oil. Raking this through my curls adds tons of hydration, allowing tangles to unravel faster. The scent of this dynamic detangler is another selling point, as it contains notes of neroli, rose, and patchouli." — Olivia Hancock, editor
Best Hair Oil: Dae Prickly Pear Hair Oil
"This is just everything you could want in a hair oil. It’s not too heavy, makes my hair feel soft, tames frizz, and smells like fresh flowers. I use it on wet hair to lock in moisture and on dry hair to tame frizz and shape my waves. It’s the perfect multitasker to always have on hand, and the cute bottle looks great in my bathroom." — Bella Cacciatore, news editor
Best for Shine: Pantene Mix-In Shine Hair Treatment
"I've never had particularly shiny hair—it's prone to breakage, dryness, and damage courtesy of my affinity for bleach. That all changed when I tried this innovative mix-in treatment. All you have to do is blend it with your favorite conditioner and condition as you normally would (I leave it in for about five minutes in the shower) and then rinse thoroughly. After a few weeks, I noticed a visible difference in softness and shine." — Hallie Gould, editor in chief
Best for Blocking Humidity: Color Wow Extra Strength Dream Coat
"My natural waves are pretty frizzy, and while I embrace the frizz when I'm not heat-styling, I want my hair to stay smooth when I take the time to blow-dry and style it. Enter: Color Wow's Extra Strength Dream Coat. While I've always loved the original Dream Coat, the brand's new extra-strength edition really is *extra* powerful. This watery formula moisturizes, provides thermal protection, and creates a humidity-proof seal on the hair without weighing it down or feeling greasy. The result is a sleek, shiny (I'm talking glass hair levels) blowout every time—even on a rainy day." — Holly Rhue, associate editorial director
Best Curl Cream: Salwa Petersen Chébé Buttercream Styling Cream
"The first time I used this cream, I was truly stunned by how soft my curls felt—and several days later, I was equally stunned by how soft they still were. It’s formulated with moisturizing, strengthening chébé seeds and leaves my type 4 hair so hydrated, with the soft, natural definition I crave. And it manages to do all this without any of that dreaded stiffness." — Eden Stuart, editor
Best Mousse: Camille Rose Spiked Honey Mousse 4-in-1 Styler
"My braid-outs have never looked better since swapping out my go-to cream for this mousse. My hair is shiny and super defined, and my results last for five-plus days. Sure, it smells like maple, but with results like these, I’ll take it!" — Jasmine Phillips, social media editor
Best Dry Shampoo: Prose Dry Shampoo
"I’m a bit of a dry shampoo connoisseur. That’s not a flex; that’s a confession: Dry shampoo is usually a last-ditch effort for the dirty, desperate, and disillusioned (myself very often included). But not Prose’s dry shampoo—it’s so much more. First, the formula is fully customizable for the ideal mix of hold, translucence, and styling power based on the brand’s super in-depth questionnaire. Your final result from Prose takes into account your porosity, lifestyle, styling needs, and a host of other factors for the perfect dry shampoo that’s more of a top-shelf hero than a last resort." — Madeline Hirsch, news director
Best Hair Spray: Sisley Paris The Invisible Hold Hairspray
"Last year, I swore off hair spray for good. While there are plenty of sprays capable of holding my blowout, they've all left a crunchy residue on my hair that's challenging to wash out (and only builds up over time). So when Sisley Paris launched an "invisible" hair spray this year, I broke my hair spray ban to test it. Let me tell you: This is unlike any hair spray you've tried before. It looks like a hair spray, it acts like a hair spray, but it feels absolutely nothing like a hair spray. This formula will hold my blowout for two days without a retouch, and it feels like there's absolutely nothing on my hair. It's truly, inconceivably, an invisible hair spray." — Holly Rhue, associate editorial director
Best Tool: T3 AireBrush Duo
"I am useless when it comes to hairstyling, and this tool is the only reason I can even attempt an at-home blowout. I love this thing so much—all I do is let my hair air-dry, and then I divide it into four to six sections before running the brush through. It’s that simple. The round brush—a rarity when it comes to all-in-one tools—makes for the perfect ’90s bouncy blowout in under 10 minutes." — Bella Cacciatore, news editor
