ᐅ 10 Best pH-Balanced Shampoos and Conditioners [Buying Guide]
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Ever wonder why you have dull hair and an unhealthy scalp? You probably don’t have a balanced shampoo and conditioner in your hair care routine.
When purchasing hair care products, scents, ingredients, and claims are the only things we look at most of the time.
But did you know that you should also check the product’s pH levels?
The pH level says A LOT about how our products truly care for our hair and scalp.
Ideally, low-pH shampoo is the one you should use. It’s the finest option to avoid breakage, frizzy hair, and tangles. We listed the top 10 options below!
Joico Moisture Recovery Moisturizing Shampoo
- Paraben, sulfates and fragrance free
- pH 4.5 – 5.5 formula
- For thick, coarse and dry hair
SexyHair Big Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner
- Provides moisture and hydration
- SLS & SLES Sulfate free
- For all hair types
Unwash Anti Residue Hair Cleanser: pH Balanced Clarifying Shampoo
- Has lower pH levels
- For oily, fine, curly, coarse, damaged hair
- Sulfate and paraben free
| List of the best pH-balanced shampoos and conditioners | pH Level | |
| Best Overall | Joico Moisture Recovery Moisturizing Shampoo | pH 4.5 – 5.5 |
| Runner-Up | SexyHair Big Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner | pH 4.5 – 5.5 |
| Best Value | Unwash Anti Residue Hair Cleanser | pH 3.5 – 4.0 |
| Best for Oily Scalps | Videri Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo | pH 4.2 – 5.8 |
| Best for Sensitive or Itchy Scalp | SebaMed Everyday Shampoo | pH 5.5 |
| Best for Dry Hair | Nexxus Therappe Moisturizing Shampoo | pH 4.8 – 5.5 |
| Best for Curly Hair | dPHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse | pH 4.0-5.0 |
| Best for Natural Hair | Keracare Moisturizing Shampoo | pH 6.0 |
| Best for Color-Treated Hair | Herbal Essences Repairing Argan Oil Shampoo | pH 3. 5 – 5.0 |
| Best for Thinning Hair | Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo | pH 4.5 – 5.5 |
The 10 Best pH-Balanced Shampoos and Conditioners List
It may be difficult to look for the best pH-balanced shampoos and conditioners for the following reasons:
We have researched and selected our top 10 picks for low-pH shampoos and conditioners to suit various hair types, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right one for your hair.
1. Best Overall – Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner
Detailed review
This low-pH shampoo and conditioner from Joico is our top pick among all the brands we reviewed in this article. It’s a commonly used professional brand in salons.
As a pH 4.5 – 5.5 formula, this brand perfectly moisturizes the hair, from roots to tips, making it an ideal hair care product for those with thick, coarse, frizzy, and dry hair.
As it replenishes the hair’s moisture, it also restores the smoothness and elasticity of every strand. It’s also versatile with any type of hair and infused with essential ingredients that keep your hair healthy.
Main ingredients
- Brown Algae
- Sea Kelp,
- Seawater Nutrients
- Jojoba oil
- Shea butter
Revitalizes hair by infusing moisture and reinforcing hair’s protective barrier to prevent moisture loss.
Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo is a mild hair cleanser that gently washes without stripping moisture away.
If you’re looking for a low-pH shampoo to help with dryness, frizziness, and tangles, this is the brand we highly recommend for you!
Pros
- Ideal for different hair types
- Restores smoothness and elasticity
- Moisturizes the hair from roots to tips
- Great for chemically-treated hair
The Cons
- Expensive
Compliments Well With
Our experience with the product
“…improves hair texture and softness. It also fortifies weak hair fibers and guards against future breakage.”
2. Runner-Up – SexyHair Big Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner
Detailed review
Next on our list is the SexyHair Big Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner. It shares a similar pH level with the Joico shampoo. Hence, we know it will leave your hair silky smooth and healthy.
It similarly works with ANY hair type and enhances your hair’s shine and elasticity. SexyHair Bug Volumizing Shampoo is ideal for thin flat hair who wish to achieve more volume.
Main ingredients
- Botanical extracts
- Vitamin B3 & Lemon grass
- Hydrolyzed quinoa protein
- Spirulina Maxima Extract
SexyHair Big Volumizing Shampoo/Conditioner is a great formula for a color-treated and chemically-damaged mane. It also helps normalize your hair’s pH, adapting to its needs.
This is a vegan, gluten-free, and sulfate-free shampoo with organic ingredients.
Pros
- Keeps hair silky and smooth
- Enhances the shine and elasticity
- Great for fine, curly hair
The Cons
- Doesn’t lather well in small amounts
Our experience with the product
“Although pricey, this shampoo delivers great results for my delicate curly locks. My hair feels refreshed and nourished, not dehydrated.”
3. Best Value – Unwash Anti Residue Hair Cleanser
Detailed review
For a moderate cost, you’ll already get a 10 Oz. pH-balancing shampoo. It has an even BETTER pH scale than the previous products, with only 3.5 – 4.0.
Unwash Anti Residue Hair Cleanser is a great hair care product that would help strengthen your mane. Given that it’s a thickening formula, it’s also a good option for thinning hair.
Main ingredients
- Cocamide Dipa (Non-DEA)
- Coconut And Babassu Oils
- Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
This product supports a healthy scalp and strong hair, from roots to tips. It gently cleanses the hair, too, with its organic ingredients.
It’s also a cruelty-free, fragrance-free, sulfate-free, and vegan shampoo. No harsh chemicals!
Pros
- Has lower pH levels
- Strengthens the hair
- Promotes hair growth
- Vegan and sulfate-free formula
The Cons
- Doesn’t lather enough
Our experience with the product
“I exclusively use this shampoo for clarifying purposes. It has a fresh scent and effectively removes build-up, without over-drying my hair. The results are always a clean and healthy head of hair.”
4. Videri Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo – Best for Oily Scalps
Detailed review
The best vegan shampoo that cares for people with an oily mane is Videri Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo.
It keeps the hair moisturized and gently cleans the scalp to remove excess oil, dirt, and debris. With this formula, oily scalps are nothing to be worried about!
On top of that, it helps replenish the damage and minimizes breakage, split ends, and brittle hair.
Main ingredients
- Aloe vera
- jojoba oil
- tea tree essential oil
- peppermint essential oil
- lavender flower water
The ingredients of Videri Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo are meant to refresh the hair and get it back in shape.
It also improves your mane’s elasticity and strength to keep it from breaking and becoming dull.
Pros
- Replenish damaged hair
- Minimize breakage, split ends, dullness, and brittleness
- Removes excess oil gently
- Improves hair strength and elasticity
The Cons
- Expensive
- Slight tingling sensation due to peppermint
Our experience with the product
“I was pleasantly surprised by how revitalizing this shampoo was. It gave my hair a lift, without making it feel heavy or stripped of moisture.”
5. SebaMed Everyday Shampoo – Best for Sensitive or Itchy Scalp
Detailed review
If you have an itchy or sensitive scalp, the SebaMed Everyday Shampoo is a good pick for you. It prioritizes scalp health by gently cleansing dirt and debris away without stripping the scalp’s natural oils.
It also prevents scalp irritation with its hypoallergenic formula. Besides that, it also moisturizes your mane to promote bouncy and shiny hair.
Main ingredients
- Botanical cleansing agents
SebaMed’s formula can also help thicken the hair. Hence, if you wish to achieve a voluminous mane while caring for your scalp and hair, it’s a good everyday shampoo to add to your routine.
This is suitable for all hair types and people with sensitive scalps as it doesn’t contain soap and traces of alkali in its formula. We also recommend this brand for those with sensitive skin.
SebaMed is great for those with a flaky scalp, dandruff, scalp psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and oily scalp.
Pros
- Helps thicken the hair
- Controls dandruff and flakiness
- Suitable for people with dermatitis and sensitive scalp
The Cons
- Doesn’t contain essential oils and extracts
- Has sulfates and fragrance
Our experience with the product
“This shampoo is unparalleled and particularly helpful for those with dry hair and dandruff issues.”
6. Nexxus Therappe Moisturizing Shampoo – Best for Dry Hair
Detailed review
Having super dry hair is frustrating. If you have this hair type, your mane may need an extra dose of moisture and a ph-balancing shampoo.
To solve your problems, consider including Nexxus Therappe Moisturizing Shampoo in your routine.
It’s packed with amazing ingredients to help replenish and nourish both your scalp and hair. Plus, it will smoothen your strands to restore elasticity.
Main ingredients
- Wheat protein
- caviar extract
- coconut oil
- fucus algae extract
Nexxus Therappe is a great formula to restore damaged hair from hair color treatment and bleaching.
With caviar complex and elastin protein, this brand will surely revive the moisture your hair and scalp yearn for.
Pros
- Provides extra moisture to revive dry and brittle hair
- Smoothens and restores elasticity
- Great for chemically-treated hair
The Cons
- Not the best formula for oily hair
Our experience with the product
“This shampoo has greatly tamed my frizz, resulting in a level of softness I haven’t experienced in a long time.”
7. dPHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse – Best for Frizzy Hair
Detailed review
Apple cider vinegar hair rinse became a trend for at-home hair care treatment due to its benefits on hair.
What more if it’s infused with other ingredients like argan oil, vitamin E, and aloe vera?
That’s what dPHUE Apple Cider Vinegar offers to its users. It’s a great hair rinse, especially for those with frizzy and textured hair. This is a formula we recommend for Afro hair.
It also has properties that care for the hair cuticles and helps strengthen the hair. Despite being a hair rinse, it cleanses the mane really well, like other low-pH shampoos on this list.
Main ingredients
- Aloe vera
- argan oil
- vitamin E
- lavender extract
This hair rinse is a great formula for those with colored hair. It makes the colors pop and appear more vibrant, as this low pH formula seals the cuticle scales.
It’s a great alternative to natural shampoo, especially if you find it difficult to wash your hair with protective hairstyles (e.g., braids, knots, rows).
Pros
- Suits protective hairstyles
- Great for textured and frizzy hair
- Makes hair color appear vibrant
The Cons
- Not a clarifying formula
Our experience with the product
“At almost 70, I’ve grown my hair out again, and it’s longer than it’s been in years. This shampoo and vinegar rinse combination have been a game changer – my scalp feels rejuvenated, and my hair is silky and smooth.”
8. Keracare Moisturizing Shampoo – Best for Natural Hair
Detailed review
Keracare has a slightly higher pH than the other pH-balanced shampoos on this list. Yet, it’s still a great natural shampoo for those with hair that is natural and NOT chemically treated.
For a low price, you’ll be able to have a good formula for itchy scalp and dandruff control. It will also help moisturize and nourish your hair for a shiny, strong mane.
Main ingredients
- Aloe vera
- apple extracts
- lemon peel extracts
- green tea leaf extract
KeraCare is a good pH-balanced shampoo that can protect you against dry scalp and prevent itchiness. It also minimizes tangles, as well as dry and brittle hair.
Pros
- Relieved itchiness and dandruff
- Moisturize, nourish, and strengthens the hair
- Minimize tangles and brittleness
The Cons
- Almost neutral pH
Our experience with the product
“I’ve been using this product for the past five years and have not had any dandruff issues. It leaves my hair moisturized, not stripped of its natural oils.”
9. Herbal Essences Repairing Argan Oil Shampoo – Best for Color-Treated Hair
Detailed review
If you love going to the salon to get your hair color treatment, there’s also a great possibility that your hair is damaged. You may also need a good shampoo to keep your hair vibrant-looking.
Herbal Essences Repairing Argan Oil Shampoo is our best bet for you!
This formula works great in replenishing damage in color-treated hair. It revitalizes your strands to promote healthy hair, plus a soft and bouncy mane even after chemical treatment.
Main ingredients
- Argan oil
- aloe vera
- natural sea kelp
This formula is paraben-free and dye-free. Plus, it claims to be color-safe. Hence, you can assure that it’s FREE from harsh chemicals that will strip the vibrancy away.
Pros
- Color-safe
- Revitalize damaged hair
- Makes the hair color look vibrant
Cons
- Strong scent
- Limps thin hair
Our experience with the product
A different phrasing could be: “This shampoo has shown significant REPAIRING benefits. My hair feels healthy, soft and has a light bounce to it, it’s also effectively tackled my split ends.”
10. Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo – Best for Thinning Hair
Detailed review
Don’t worry if you have thinning and fine hair. The Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo will help you achieve the fullness and volume you’ve wished for.
It has a revitalizing formula that’s ideal for smoothening hair strands. It will also help detangle your hair for easy combing.
Main ingredients
- Green coconut water
- french oak extract
- iselux
- rosemary
With this formula, you’ll be able to achieve soft, bouncy, and voluminous hair in no time. It will give your flat mane extra volume and minimize frizziness and tangles.
Pros
- Detangle and smoothen hair
- Minimize frizziness
- Gives extra volume to a flat mane
The Cons
- Some users experience irritation and itchiness
Our experience with the product
“A little goes a long way with this product. I highly recommend it to those with flat, limp hair like mine.”
What Does It Mean When a Shampoo or Conditioner Is pH-Balanced?
Who would’ve thought you need to relearn a little chemistry when choosing the right shampoo and conditioner?
The pH level indicates if the product is acidic, neutral, or basic.
Based on a pH scale of 1 to 14, a product that is higher than 7 is considered to have alkaline pH or high pH, while those below are acidic.
If a shampoo and conditioner are pH-balanced, their pH level is close to or ideally lower than the pH of the hair and scalp.
Therefore, we’re aiming for an acidic shampoo.
Generally speaking, acidic shampoos or low pH shampoos are products that have a pH level below 5.5, given that the scalp’s pH is 5.5 while the hair shaft has a pH of 3.6.
What pH Level Should a Shampoo and Conditioner Have?
As previously mentioned, the ideal pH level of shampoo and conditioner should be below 5.5.
However, some consider pH-balanced shampoos with slightly higher levels as long as it does not reach 7 or higher (which is an alkaline pH).
This is important to remember because you don’t want to disrupt the pH balance of your hair and scalp.
pH-balancing shampoos ideally support and jive with your natural pH, thus maintaining your natural shine and vibrancy and giving you overall healthy hair!
Why Get a Low pH/Balanced pH Shampoo and Conditioner?
A low-pH shampoo and conditioner is something you should include in your hair care regimen.
Aside from retaining the pH balance, using a low-pH shampoo and conditioner will help AVOID frizziness, dryness, and tangles, as it lessens friction between hair fibers or the hair fiber surface.
Low-pH hair products can also moisturize and revitalize your hair cuticles and strands, plus it prevents dullness, leaving your hair soft and bouncy.
Such a formula will also keep your scalp from producing too much oil, which could lead to dandruff and itchiness.
Additionally, by using low-pH shampoo and conditioner, you’ll be able to stay below your scalp and hair’s natural pH level and protect hair follicles and cuticles from damage.
Alkaline shampoos and hair products can cause your cuticles to open, thus exposing your hair shaft to harmful elements and debris. Plus, it will cause dryness and hair damage.
Besides hair health, low-pH shampoos also promote hair growth, prevent hair breakage, and replenish high-porosity hair.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best pH-Balanced Shampoo and Conditioner
Several factors you need to consider when scouting for the best low-pH shampoos and conditioners are:
- Ingredients – The ingredients of the products you use say a lot about how they would care for your hair and scalp. Apart from helping to keep your hair pH-balanced, you also need products containing certain components (i.e., panthenol for oily hair, fatty alcohols for dryness, jojoba oil, argan oil, aloe vera, etc.) and other essential ingredients for damaged hair. You should also be aware of the ingredients you must avoid, such as paraben and sulfates. If you have an irritated scalp, alcohol is a big NO for you.
- Scent – We often like shampoos and conditioners that smell like flowers or the tropical breeze. However, if you have a sensitive scalp, we suggest you ditch the super fragrant formula. It might also cause irritation, itchiness, and dryness.
- pH level – Lower pH is a good option as long as it’s only a slightly acidic shampoo and conditioner. Take note that the ideal low-pH shampoo for your scalp and hair ranges between 5.5 and 3.6, respectively. This is a good scale to keep the moisture locked in without disrupting pH balance and causing damage.
- Scalp and hair benefits – The best low-pH shampoos are those that care for the scalp and hair. So, you should choose products that would keep the hair healthy and moisturized and prevent damage, brittleness, frizziness, and hair fall. Other products also support hair growth, which is great for those with flat and dull manes and people experiencing hair loss. Similarly, it should adapt to oily and sensitive scalps and help replenish and relieve them from irritation and damage.
Conclusion – Why Do We Consider Joico Moisture Recovery the Best?
Joico Moisture Recovery pH-Balanced Shampoo is our best pick among the 10 options. It’s infused with essential ingredients that are great for keeping the hair healthy.
Apart from restoring pH balance, it also replenishes and nourishes the hair and scalp, and it’s a great REVITALIZING formula that reverses damage, dryness, frizziness, and dullness.
This product also smoothens the hair, supports its strength and elasticity, and conditions hair follicles.
We also love how versatile this pH-balanced shampoo is. It can work perfectly with any hair type, especially those with thick, coarse, and curly hair.Overall it’s a great clarifying shampoo with pH levels that sits just right to suit your hair’s pH and promote hair health.
Joico Moisture Recovery
Glamour.com Award 2020 winner for the “Best Pro Shampoo + Conditioner for Moisture”
Frequently Asked Questions
Let us answer some of your questions to help you learn more about pH-balanced shampoos and conditioners:
Are All Shampoos and Conditioners pH-Balanced?
No, not all shampoos have a balanced pH. While some products claim to have lower pH, other shampoos and conditioners contain as much as pH 9.0.
This is already too much for human hair to handle. It will likely cause irritation and itchiness to the scalp and dryness to the hair.
How Do I Maintain the pH Level in My Hair?
If you wish to maintain your hair’s pH level, we suggest you use hair care products that are pH balanced or those that are moderately acidic.
Can pH Imbalance Cause Hair Loss?
Hair loss is not necessarily the case for pH imbalance. However, if your pH sits too low or too high, it may cause damage to your hair, leading to breakage, brittleness, and then possibly hair loss.
How Do I Measure the pH Level of Shampoos
Some brands don’t reveal the pH of their products. But, if you’re curious to know, you can use a device called an electronic pH meter to get accurate measurements. Check it out here.
Aida
Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist
I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!