Best Keratin Shampoo: 4 Top Picks for Smooth, Stronger Hair

Keratin shampoos can be a game changer if your hair is frizzy, rough, or damaged from color and heat. The tricky part is that not every formula works for every head of hair, and too much protein can actually make some hair feel stiff or brittle.

This guide focuses on a few standout keratin shampoos that suit different hair types, budgets, and concerns, so you can choose confidently instead of guessing in the aisle.

Quick picks

• Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo – Best overall keratin shampoo for frizz and color-treated hair. Gentle, sulfate free cleansing with keratin, proteins, and emollients that leave hair smoother and more manageable without stripping color.
• TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo – Best budget option for thick, frizz-prone hair. A drugstore classic that tames puffiness and flyaways, especially on medium to coarse textures that are not ultra dry.
• OGX Ever Straightening + Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo – Best drugstore sulfate free pick. A creamy, affordable formula with keratin, coconut oil, and cocoa butter that suits dry, wavy, and curly hair that needs both smoothing and moisture.
• Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo – Best for fine, damaged, or overprocessed hair. Lightweight, protein-rich, and fully color safe, it strengthens fragile hair without weighing it down or making it feel coated.

In-depth reviews

Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo review

Best for: Color-treated, frizz-prone, or slightly coarse hair that needs smoothing without losing volume.

This shampoo comes from a line known for salon keratin treatments and is designed to extend those results, but you do not need a treatment to benefit. It is sulfate free and uses keratin, proteins, and gentle surfactants to cleanse while keeping the cuticle smoother and more sealed. If your hair gets puffy and dull between washes, this can make it look more polished and reflective.

The texture is lightly creamy and produces a soft lather that feels more like a salon shampoo than a typical drugstore option. Compared with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo, this formula is less harsh and more color friendly, so it is the better choice if you have balayage, highlights, or a keratin treatment you want to protect.

The tradeoff is price. It costs significantly more than the drugstore options and you will want to follow with a conditioner or mask for best results. If you are currently using a harsher shampoo and your color fades fast or your hair feels stiff, switching to this as your main shampoo can make a noticeable difference in softness and shine within a couple of weeks.

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo review

Best for: Thick, frizzy, or coarse hair on a budget, especially if your scalp gets greasy quickly.

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo is easy to find, very affordable, and delivers visible frizz control for many people with thicker strands. It contains keratin and silicones that coat the hair cuticle to make it feel sleeker and less rough. If your hair tends to expand in humidity or looks puffy after blow drying, this can help it lay flatter.

Compared with Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo, TRESemmé lathers more, cleans more aggressively, and is not the best option if you have very dry ends or highly sensitized color. It can be slightly stripping on fine or already brittle hair, and over time that may increase dryness if you do not pair it with a rich conditioner or mask.

If you have an oily scalp but frizzy lengths and want smoother hair without spending salon prices, this is a solid starting point. Use it mainly on the scalp and mid-lengths, then rely on a nourishing conditioner on your ends to balance its deep cleansing effect.

OGX Ever Straightening + Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo review

Best for: Dry, wavy, or curly hair that needs both moisture and smoothing in a sulfate free formula.

This OGX shampoo stands out because it combines keratin with coconut oil, cocoa butter, and avocado oil. That mix gives it a rich, almost lotion-like feel that can be very comforting to dehydrated hair that naturally lacks shine. The sulfates are swapped for gentler cleansers, so it works better than harsher formulas for curls and waves that tend to frizz.

In comparison with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo, OGX is less stripping and more nourishing, but may leave fine or oily hair feeling a bit too coated. If your scalp gets greasy quickly or your strands are very fine, you might feel like there is a residue after a few washes, especially if you use a lot of styling products.

Used on the right hair type, though, it gives a soft, pleasantly heavy feel that reduces halo frizz and helps curls form more defined clumps. If your hair is both dry and unruly and you prefer drugstore pricing and a more natural-leaning ingredient list, this shampoo is a strong match.

Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo review

Best for: Fine, fragile, or highly processed hair that breaks easily.

Pureology Strength Cure is a protein and keratin rich shampoo designed for damaged, color-treated hair. It is sulfate free, highly concentrated, and includes ceramides, amino acids, and antioxidant ingredients that support the hair fiber. Despite its repair focus, it feels very lightweight in the hair and rinses clean, which makes it an excellent choice for anyone who needs strength without heaviness.

Versus Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo, Pureology leans more toward repair and less toward a slick, smoothed finish. You will likely notice less glassy shine than with some other picks, but more improvement in breakage and snapping on fine, compromised hair. If your hair tangles easily, breaks when you brush, or feels like wet noodles after bleaching, this formula is more appropriate than a heavier, silicone-laden shampoo.

The main downside is cost, and some people find the fragrance strong. However, because it is very concentrated, a small amount goes a long way, and it can replace harsher shampoos that are quietly undoing the benefits of your treatments and masks.

How to choose the best keratin shampoo for your hair

The right keratin shampoo for you depends less on the word “keratin” on the bottle and more on your hair type, level of damage, and how often you wash. Here is how to narrow it down.

Match the formula to your hair type

• Fine or easily weighed down hair: Look for lightweight, sulfate free shampoos that emphasize protein and repair without heavy oils, like Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo. Avoid very creamy shampoos packed with butters and thick silicones.
• Medium to thick, frizz-prone hair: You can usually handle a richer formula. Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo and OGX Ever Straightening + Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo both offer smoothing without feeling greasy on thicker strands.
• Very coarse or high-density hair: You may prefer stronger cleansing and more surface smoothing. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo can be effective here, especially if your scalp tends to get oily.

Consider your scalp needs

• Oily or easily congested scalp: A foaming, more clarifying keratin shampoo like TRESemmé Keratin Smooth can keep buildup in check. To avoid dryness, work it mostly into the roots and let the lather lightly run through your ends as you rinse.
• Dry, tight, or sensitive scalp: Focus on gentle, sulfate free options such as Keratin Complex Color Care or OGX Brazilian Keratin Therapy. These tend to be less irritating while still giving a clean feel.

Account for color and chemical services

• Fresh color or highlights: Prioritize shampoos labeled color safe and sulfate free, like Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo and Pureology Strength Cure. They are less likely to strip dyes and toners.
• Keratin or smoothing treatments: Many stylists recommend staying strictly sulfate free to maintain your results. Keratin-focused lines such as Keratin Complex Color Care are designed with this in mind.
• Heavily bleached or overprocessed hair: Choose something with a clear strengthening focus, such as Pureology Strength Cure, and pair it with deep conditioning to balance the extra protein.

How to use keratin shampoo for best results

Keratin shampoo works best when you treat it as one piece of your routine, not a magic fix. The way you apply and rotate it matters almost as much as the formula itself.

Set the right frequency

• Daily washers: If you wash every day, stick to a gentle, sulfate free keratin shampoo like Keratin Complex Color Care or Pureology Strength Cure. Alternate every few days with a more hydrating, low-protein shampoo if your hair starts to feel stiff.
• Every other day or twice weekly: You can use most keratin shampoos at this frequency. Watch how your hair feels; if it becomes crunchy, alternate with a moisturizing shampoo that has little or no protein.
• Once weekly users: If you only wash once a week and use a lot of styling products, you might need a clarifying step occasionally to remove buildup, then follow with your keratin shampoo for smoothing and strength.

Use the right amount and technique

• Start with a quarter-size amount for medium hair; adjust up or down based on length and density.
• Apply primarily to the scalp and roots, massaging for 30 to 60 seconds to lift oil and debris.
• Let the lather travel down the lengths as you rinse; avoid rough scrubbing mid-lengths and ends, which can cause more breakage.
• Always follow with a compatible conditioner, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends where hair is older and more damaged.

Avoid protein overload

Keratin is a protein, which your hair needs, but too much of it without enough moisture can leave strands rigid and prone to snapping. Signs include hair that feels dry yet strangely hard, tangles more than usual, or breaks easily when brushed.

If that happens, reduce how often you use keratin shampoo and balance it with moisturizing products that emphasize oils, humectants, and fatty alcohols rather than proteins. You can still keep your favorite keratin shampoo in rotation; just treat it as a strengthening step, not the only product you rely on.

Final thoughts

If you want a single, do-it-all keratin shampoo that smooths, protects color, and feels salon quality, Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo is the most balanced place to start. It suits the widest range of hair types and pairs well with both budget and high-end conditioners.

If you are working with a tight budget and have thick, frizzy hair, TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo is an accessible pick that noticeably tames puffiness. For dry, wavy, or curly hair that needs more moisture with its protein, OGX Ever Straightening + Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo offers a creamy, sulfate free option. And if your hair is fine, fragile, or heavily processed, Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo gives you targeted repair without weighing strands down.

Pick the formula that best fits your hair type and routine, then give it at least a few weeks of consistent use to see how your hair responds. From there, you can fine-tune how often you use it and what you pair it with to get smoother, stronger, more manageable hair.

See also

To get the most from your keratin shampoo, pair it with the right conditioner for damaged hair and a weekly hair mask for frizz-prone hair so your routine balances strength and moisture.

• Read our full review of the K18 leave-in repair mask if you need intensive damage repair beyond shampoo and conditioner.
• Rotate in one of the best clarifying shampoos for heavy product build-up to keep keratin shampoos performing their best.
• For extremely fragile strands, explore our top deep conditioners for overprocessed hair to pair with your keratin routine.

FAQ

Is keratin shampoo safe for daily use?

It can be, but it depends on the formula and your hair type. Gentle, sulfate free keratin shampoos are usually fine for daily washers, especially if you have an oilier scalp. If your hair is dry or already protein sensitive, daily use may lead to stiffness or breakage, so you are better off alternating with a hydrating, low-protein shampoo.

Will keratin shampoo straighten my hair?

No. Keratin shampoos do not permanently straighten hair the way in-salon keratin treatments do. What they can do is smooth the cuticle, reduce frizz, and make waves or curls look more defined and polished, which can create the impression of slightly straighter, sleeker hair without changing your natural texture.

Is keratin shampoo good for curly or coily hair?

Yes, as long as you choose the right formula and do not overdo protein. Many curly and coily hair types benefit from keratin shampoos that are sulfate free and rich in moisturizing ingredients, like oils and butters, because they help smooth frizz while maintaining curl definition. Avoid very harsh or drying formulas, and always follow with a nourishing conditioner or mask.

Can I use keratin shampoo on color-treated hair?

Many keratin shampoos are suitable for color-treated hair, but you should look specifically for ones labeled color safe and sulfate free. Options like Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo and Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo are formulated to minimize color fading while strengthening damaged strands. Stronger, sulfate-based shampoos may strip color faster, so reserve them for occasional clarifying if needed.

How long does it take to see results from keratin shampoo?

You can often notice smoother texture and less frizz after the first few washes, especially with silicone-containing formulas that coat the hair. Deeper benefits, like reduced breakage and stronger-feeling strands, usually appear after two to four weeks of consistent use as your new growth and previously stressed areas get repeated exposure. If you see increasing dryness or brittleness instead of improvement, scale back your usage and add more moisture to your routine.

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