16 best shampoo bars that really work, tried and tested by 650 people

Score: 85/100

Our panel loved this gentle bar, praising it for lathering well and leaving their hair feeling clean, shiny and soft. This made it easier to detangle and more manageable to style, with some curly-haired testers saying it helped define their ringlets.

In the lab, it also proved highly effective at smoothing hair. This sweetly scented bar is one of the largest we tested and should last for at least 60 washes.

Score: 85/100

Lush is proof that you don’t need fancy packaging to make a great product. This bar eliminates waste but still managed to give a thorough clean, leaving testers with softer, nourished lengths.

It didn’t cause any irritation and lasted well throughout the six weeks, with one tester describing the yummy honey scent as "divine".

Score: 83/100

You don’t have to invest in an expensive bottle of shampoo to keep your colour in tip-top condition. This boosted the vibrancy of our testers’ colour-treated strands, leaving everyone pleased with the deep clean it provided.

Everybody felt it would last them longer than their usual bottle, and it also improved softness and hydration.

Score: 82/100

Designed for dry, dull and damaged hair, this affordable bar is packed with nourishing sweet almond oil to bring lacklustre locks back to life. It left our panel with squeaky clean yet thoroughly moisturised hair, including those with curls, and it smoothed brilliantly in the lab.

Testers found the size and shape easy to hold and said it lathered up generously, but a reusable tin for storage in between uses wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Score: 81/100

Our lab team declared this vegan shampoo bar the best for smoothing hair on test, describing it as “extremely effective” at calming frizz. Our panel agreed and said it left their hair feeling softer, shinier and more hydrated.

Those with fine hair enjoyed "more body and volume", and it helped to reduce breakages by making hair less knotty. The bar’s “bitty” texture and decorative flower raised a few eyebrows, but those were minor complaints.

Score: 81/100

Not only is the packaging fully plastic-free, recyclable and biodegradable, but this shampoo bar is also vegan and cruelty-free – and all for under a fiver.

The formula itself turned up the shine and eliminated dehydration for our panel. Lengths looked softer and more nourished, with testers loving their “swishy” results.

Score: 81/100

This travel-friendly shampoo bar comes with the option to purchase a sustainably-made watertight case, which helps drain out excess water to keep it in good shape. It performed well in our lab test for smoothing, with testers noting how much easier it was to brush through their hair after use.

The end result? Our panel reported stronger, more nourished hair, including those with damage from colour treatments or heat styling.

Score: 80/100

Enriched with sustainably sourced honey, this 97% biodegradable formula aims to restore frazzled, damaged locks to their former glory.

Though some would have preferred a string or tin to help store it, everyone agreed it lasted them throughout the test and left their hair looking and feeling fresher. It also worked wonders for those with colour-treated hair, helping to boost vibrancy.

Score: 79/100

This mango-scented number was another star in our lab test for smoothing frizzy strands, while still creating a rich lather.

It softened frazzled hair up a treat, leading one tester to say that hers "had never looked better". In fact, it was so impressive, the majority said they'd ditch their current plastic bottle for this bar.

Score: 76/100

Those with curly hair may be sceptical of a shampoo bar that claims to treat their kinks and coils, but this blend of natural oils and emollients did an excellent job.

The formula features a sulphate-free foaming agent to gently cleanse scalps, which testers found made their hair more manageable to style. Most were happy with the condition it left their hair in, and it was also a top pick for those struggling with frizz.

Score: 76/100

If you need that "just washed" feeling daily, note that our testers found this bar gentle enough for frequent use. It left them with softer, more hydrated hair that was "noticeably fuller in volume", and some found it helped to soothe scalp itchiness.

The oaty smell proved divisive, but overall, this is a trusty shower staple.

Score: 76/100

Packed with nutrients and pro-vitamins, this bar aims to give your hair an all-round health boost. Most testers said their hair felt nourished and moisturised after use, and everybody found it quick and easy to rinse — a big pro if you need to wash your hair every morning in a hurry.

Its cleansing effects didn't last as long as hoped for some, but in our wet combing lab test, it did a decent job at smoothing.

Score: 75/100

If you struggle with a tangled mane post-washing, this bar is full of helpful ingredients that can make a difference, such as moisturising coconut and shea butter.

The panel found they didn’t have as many knots in their hair as normal after using it, and our lab analysis found it extremely effective at smoothing. It left testers with hair that felt squeaky clean, but some noted that it took a while to fully rinse out all of the residue.

Score: 75/100

If you like to keep your shower regime short and snappy, an all-in-one bar speeds up showers and takes out the fuss of having lots of products.

Targeted at men, it's formulated with a soft PH and is gentle enough to be used on the face, while testers said it kept their hair “cleaner for much longer”. It’s enriched with cedarwood essential oil, giving it an intense woody fragrance.

Score: 73/100

Some shampoo bars struggle to foam up, but not this one; our panel found it quickly produced a lot of creamy lather that rinsed out easily.

It left most testers with smoother, more nourished hair, and many said it made their scalps feel less dry and itchy. It dried rapidly, minimising bathroom mess, but some found it crumbled slightly after a few uses.

Score: 72/100

This high street brand has successfully moved into the shampoo bar sphere. This moisturising offering kept its shape and cleaned thoroughly without drying, and our panel noted that colour-treated hair retained its bold vibrancy.

Though not a star performer for smoothing in our lab, it did an okay job of minimising frizz, and the rich lather rinsed out quickly to leave hair feeling softer and looking noticeably shinier and bouncier.