The Best Custom Shampoos for a Personalized Wash Day
Are personalized shampoos actually worth the money?
Tested by Chiara ButlerBeauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst
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With so many shampoos tailored to different hair types on the market, it might seem like it would be easy to find one that meets all your needs — but that's not always the case. If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider a custom shampoo. After completing a brief online questionnaire — or even providing hair samples for more precise results — these personalized products offer unique formulas based on your specific hair type and goals.
The downside? Custom shampoos are typically subscription-based and pricey. To find out if these formulas are worth the money, our beauty editors and Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab scientists tested several popular brands. We also spoke to Perfect Image cosmetic chemist David Petrillo and hairstylist Angel Mendez to get their insights and recommendations. In the end, our experts agree the products on this list are worth it, as long as the surveys ask the right questions and you provide accurate information about your hair.
Pros
- Formulated by in-house chemists
- Great scent options
- Comprehensive online consultation
- Sustainable formulation and packaging
Cons
- One tester felt conditioner was too lightweight for her thick hair
"Prose stands out for its impressive in-house R&D labs and manufacturing facility, as well as rigorous formula testing," says GH Beauty Director April Franzino of this Good Housekeeping Sustainable Innovation Award winner.
The site hosts a "consultation," an online survey that asks you specific questions about age, hair type and length, lifestyle activities and hair goals so it can send the best custom formula for you. "Plus, beyond your hair type, they even take into consideration factors like the season, your local climate and water quality when formulating your custom products," says Franzino. And if you aren’t satisfied with a product, they will reformulate it for you at no cost until it’s to your liking.
When GH Institute Commerce Editorial Director Jessica Teich tested Prose, she found the shampoo to be sudsy for a sulfate-free formula, and particularly loved the scalp mask, which helped to quell dryness and flaking, but found the conditioner to be too lightweight to actionably detangle her thick, curly hair. Mendez and Butler also like this brand's offerings for their truly customizable options and easy-to-navigate questionnaires. "Prose has nice, sophisticated scent options," says Butler.
The Hair Lab by Strands Moisturizing Shampoo
Pros
- Very well-priced compared to other custom shampoos
- Uses science-backed technology to determine hair needs
Cons
- This is a customized haircare routine, not a customized product
For a customized yet affordable haircare routine, turn to The Hair Lab by Strands. While this isn't a custom shampoo product, The Hair Lab employs a questionnaire to create a custom haircare routine made up of the brand's various unique shampoo, conditioner and dose set products at a cheaper price than other custom options. The questionnaire takes into account hair texture, scalp type and more. "It cleaned my hair very well and gave my hair life back," a reviewer notes. "Also has a pretty good scent but not too strong."
Function of Beauty PRO Bond Repair Custom Conditioner Mask
Pros
- Multi-purpose
- Makes hair styling easier
- Softens strands
- Can be customized with concentrates (sold separately)
Cons
- Strong, fruity scent
While not a shampoo, this two-in-one GH Beauty Award-winning hybrid product from Function of Beauty self-adjusts to your hair's unique damage level. It can be used as either a conditioner or a treatment mask and uses a patented "Adaptive f3 Bonding Complex" to target different levels of damage and breakage within hair to bring hair back to a healthy state. It also can be customized with concentrates (to add volume, reduce frizz and more) that are sold separately. There is one element you can't customize: the strong fruity scent, which was too intense for some reviewers.
"As a not-a-hair mask user, I can now say that I have been converted into a regular one," says GH Institute Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. "For someone with fine and limp hair, I have tried masks tailored to my hair type, but I have never fallen in love with one. I did not use the booster provided as an extra, which was unnecessary for me — the mask produced lovely results on its own; it gave it a natural bounce and manageability and allowed for easy styling."
Wizemann felt that her hair was a pleasure to style after using the mask "as the conditioning gave it a silkiness and softness but also provided a good grip for a round brush to grab it."
RELATED: Best Hair Masks
Strands The Starter Set
Pros
- Offers a 30-day, risk-free trial
- One-time and subscription offers available
Cons
- You initially have to get both shampoo and conditoner
First things first: Strands' requires a sample of your hair sent in via a testing kit. The brand's scientists then study the composition of your hair under a microscope to evaluate factors like hair cuticle, texture and scalp health to create a special formulation based on your hair type, environment and lifestyle. Using this info, Strands then sends over a complete shampoo and conditioner set.
Products can be reordered individually or via a subscription option. If you're not satisfied with your results, you can have products reformulated for free or receive a full refund. "The smell is immaculate and what it does to my hair is indescribable," a reviewer raves. "I've gotten more compliments on my hair than I ever have."
RELATED: Best Conditioners
Pros
- Offers optional semi-permanent pigment or neutralizer in your formula
- Color-safe
Cons
- Some users experienced dry, brittle strands that are difficult to blow dry after using
Aura's customized shampoo is developed by cosmetic chemists and hair experts to meet your hair and scalp goals. The questionnaire asks about hair density, scalp sensitivity and more. What sets this formula apart is the ability to add semi-permanent pigment or neutralizer. If you want to add this feature, it'll help enrich your color, neutralize brassiness or add some extra new color. "I don't need a big amount of shampoo to clean my hair; the formula is very efficient," writes one reviewer.
RELATED: Best Shampoos for Colored Hair
Schwarzkopf Fibre Clinix Shampoo
Pros
- SalonLab Analyzer scans hair to identify its condition and needs
- Price range starts at $20
- Chemist-created brand and data-driven formula
Cons
- Salon exclusive
Recommended by Petrillo, Schwarzkopf Professional is a global haircare brand that uses advanced technology to curate the best products for your hair type.
The experience is salon-exclusive: Hairdressers first use a handheld device called the SalonLab Smart Analyzer. It uses light sensors to scan the inner and outer structure of your hair, moisture level and true hair color to create a digitized hair model for both hairdresser and client to better understand your hair type. Then, the SalonLab Customizer prescribes a specific haircare regime based on your hair data.
Clients can use the Hair Expert app to consult with experts or re-order products. "My hairstylist used this product and my hair was shiny and soft," one reviewer raves. "My wash has lasted me almost a week now which is amazing because I usually wash my hair two to three times a week."
How we choose the best custom shampoos
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has tested hundreds of shampoos, including shampoo for colored hair, shampoo for oily hair and more.
In these tests, our chemists evaluate formulas in the Lab and with consumers, taking note of attributes such as application, scent, cleansing ability, weight and feel on hair and more. For example, in the shampoo for colored hair tests, Lab scientists reviewed more than 160 shampoo and conditioner duos before narrowing them down to the 10 best formulas for consumers to test.
While the Lab hasn't formally tested custom shampoos, this compilation includes GH Award winners, editor and expert picks and highly-ranked and vetted products.
What to look for when shopping for the best custom shampoos
"Not all custom shampoos are created equal," notes Mendez. "If you are unsure about how to answer a question about your hair, you should consult with your stylist." He also recommends taking into account your lifestyle and how often you wash your hair.
✔️ Fill out a questionnaire: Both Mendez and Butler strongly recommend filling out a questionnaire before ordering your customized haircare routine. "Is your hair long, short, color-treated, straight, curly, gray, fine, thick, dry, oily and so on? All of these factors will play an important role in which custom product is right for you, and you want to make sure the questionnaire addresses your specific hair concerns (i.e. color protection, smoothing, volumizing, hydrating, etc.)," recommends Mendez.
✔️ Note your scalp oiliness: When it comes to choosing your formula, both Mendez and Butler note how important it is for you to address your scalp oil level. For example, "Those with oily scalps will need a more cleansing formula," says Butler.
✔️ Determine if you want a subscription service: Many custom shampoos are offered via a subscription service. "Consider whether you just want to try the products once or subscribe to recurring shipments and check your selection before you place your order," advises Butler.
✔️ Check for ingredient allergies or sensitivities: Make sure to avoid any ingredients you're allergic or sensitive to. Mendez recommends reaching out to the brand's customer service to confirm ingredients if needed.
Does custom shampoo work?
It depends on the manufacturer and how effectively the algorithm of the questions matches up to what actually goes into the products, according to Petrillo. A company can ask 25 targeted haircare and lifestyle questions about the consumer, but to be effective, the product must include the right ingredients to address the user's specific issues. If so, personalized haircare can actually eliminate the use of multiple haircare products. "Otherwise, the consumer has done nothing more than answer a lengthy questionnaire," Petrillo says.
"It is possible to customize shampoos and conditioners based on a number of factors including hair type, environmental factors, lifestyle and scalp issues," he continues, but this requires the company have a chemist, dermatologist or hair restoration physician who truly understands the ingredients and delivery systems needed to make that possible. "Don't be fooled just because a product says it's personalized," says Petrillo. He recommends researching the brand and studying how it develops formulations, as well as looking for brands that are transparent in sharing its team of engineers creating the custom shampoo formulas.
Who should use a custom shampoo?
"Nothing can take the place of getting regular trims and avoiding damaging your hair by using too many heated devices," Petrillo says, but using the right haircare that meets your hair needs can help. Here are specific cases for when you should look for personalized haircare options:
✔️ Your hair is unhealthy, overly frizzy and unmanageable
✔️ Your hair is damaged and breaks easily
✔️ Your hair hasn't met your goals, even after trying multiple haircare brands
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Good Housekeeping Contributing Beauty Editor Dori Price updated this article, adding new picks and data about custom shampoos. She has over 15 years of experience researching and writing haircare and hairstyling stories and is an expert in all hair product categories, from shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products and tools to hair color, professional services and more.
Good Housekeeping Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzahn works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to help deliver fact-based, science-backed beauty coverage. Over the years, she has interviewed experts, written product reviews and tested hundreds of hair products, including professional hair treatments, tools, shampoos, conditioners, styling products and more.
She authored this article, working alongside Good Housekeeping Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler to gather expert advice and product recommendations. Butler previously worked as an R&D chemist in the cosmetics industry, where she formulated new haircare products.
Catharine (she/her) is the former beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and Prevention, working closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to write science-backed beauty content. She was previously an assistant beauty editor at Group Nine Media and returned to Hearst in 2022 after having held editorial internships at Harper’s Bazaar and CR Fashion Book. Catharine received a B.A. in journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Dori Price is a New York City-based freelance writer and editor and beauty, style and wellness expert who was the Beauty & Fashion Director at Family Circle for 13 years before she joined Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman’s Day as a freelance beauty editor. She has also written for WomensHealthMag.com, Elle.com and HealthCentral.com.
Chiara (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she conducts hands-on testing of health and beauty products. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Columbia University. Before joining GH in 2022, she worked as a cosmetic chemist, formulating skincare products for a variety of brands and learning to decode ingredient lists, evaluate ingredient efficacy and scrutinize product claims.
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