If you are not sure which clarifying shampoos will best suit your needs, here are some recommendations. 

Best clarifying shampoo for all hair types

OUAI Detox Shampoo

£24 for 300ml – buy now

OUAI's clarifying shampoo is a sulphate-free hair cleanser that uses apple cider vinegar to remove dirt, residue and impurities without stripping your colour. Its gentle formula is free from harmful chemicals, making it suitable for all hair types and textures, including colour-treated and keratin-treated hair. Hydrolysed keratin smooths hair fibres and minimises frizz, leaving your hair shiny and manageable – and infused with a blended scent of rose, bergamot and lychee.

Best clarifying shampoo for damaged hair

Kérastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo 

£23.50 for 250ml – buy now

This silicone-free formula is specifically targeted towards frizzy hair or oily roots with dry ends. It contains sulphates that cleanse the scalp by removing excess sebum from hair roots, while simultaneously balancing dryness through its unique formulation of glycerine and vitamin B6 – these help to moisturise dry ends and strengthen hair fibre to give you back your bounce and shine.

Best clarifying shampoo for frequent use

TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish Deep Cleansing Shampoo

£5.40 for 800ml – buy now

Although TRESemme's clarifying shampoo does contains sulphates, its cleansing micellar technology is actually gentle enough for daily use on normal to greasy hair. Infused with multi-vitamins, it removes build-up and impurities, leaving you with clean, purified hair. In addition, it is widely available in supermarkets, pharmacies and drugstores, and so competitively-priced that we just had to include it in our list.

Best high street clarifying shampoo

Klorane Anti-Pollution Detox Shampoo with Aquatic Mint

£8.00 for 200ml – buy now

In addition to TRESemmé's Deep Cleansing Shampoo, there are a number of other well-priced clarifying products available in the high street. A good example is this clarifying shampoo from French plant-inspired beauty brand Klorane, which thoroughly cleanses and eliminates impurities from your scalp and hair caused by daily pollution. Drawing on the refreshing and toning properties of mint, which is high in polyphenols and antioxidants, this shampoo offers an immediate cooling sensation, leaving your hair and scalp feeling refreshed and light. It is suitable for all hair types including colour-treated or highlighted hair.

Best high-end clarifying shampoo

Oribe The Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo

£45.15 for 200ml – buy now 

The high quality of Oribe products ensure they are salon and celebrity favourites. This luxurious clarifying shampoo has a rich mousse texture that smells delicious. It uses volcanic ash and sea kelp extract to exfoliate your scalp and remove oil and product build-up from your hair, while green tea extract and eucalyptus protect your hair from damage and breakage. This shampoo is suitable for virtually all hair types – including curly and afro hair as it helps to retain your hair's natural oils. It is also safe for coloured or keratin-treated hair.

Best clarifying shampoo for oily hair

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Anti-Oil Astringent Cleanser

£39.60 for 400ml – buy now

This anti-oil cleansing shampoo provides a deep-clean for your hair by removing oil and residue, while a yuzu citrus extract rebalances your sebaceous glands to reduce future oil production. Silicone and paraben free, it is packed with volcanic minerals to purify and energise your hair. This shampoo contains sulphates so is best used infrequently.

Best clarifying shampoo for dry hair

Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo

£18.95 for 250ml – buy now

If you have dry, dehydrated hair, Moroccanoil’s Clarifying Shampoo is a great option. Free from sulphates, parabens and phosphates, the satisfyingly foamy mousse strips hair removes everyday build-up and restores your hair and scalp to a healthy balance. Suitable for both fine strands or thick curls, natural or coloured hair, this good all-rounder delivers moisturising argan and avocado oils, keratin, and plenty of nourishing and strengthening ingredients such as lavender, rosemary, chamomile and jojoba extracts to keep your hair silky and hydrated.

Best clarifying shampoo for coloured hair

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox Shampoo

£25 for 160ml – buy now

Clarifying shampoos can strip colour faster than traditional formulas, but there are a number of options recommended for coloured strands. Our pick is Living Proof's shampoo, which uses sulphate-free surfactants and chelating agents to tackle the three main causes of build-up: product residue, pollution and hard water. Activated charcoal absorbs excess oils, soothing the scalp.

Best clarifying shampoo to remove colour

Bumble and Bumble

£23.50 for 230ml – buy now

If you're unhappy with your hair colour and want to reduce it, a clarifying shampoo can actually help, although it may take more than one wash. This clarifying shampoo from Bumble and Bumble is great for natural non-coloured locks, but also a great hack for fading out unwanted colour. Formulated with rosemary, ginseng and sage, it also cleanses away impurities and excess sebum, leaving your hair revitalised and embued with a lovely, herbal fragrance.

Best clarifying shampoo for blondes

Christophe Robin Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower

£25.00 for 250ml – buy now

A chemical-free solution packed with essential oils and botanical extracts including chamomile and cornflower to add radiance and shine. Christophe Robin's colour-sensitive formula eliminates excess pigment post-treatment, brightening your hair while combatting brassiness, making this shampoo particularly good for blondes or lighter-coloured hair types.

Best clarifying shampoo ingredients

Noughty Detox Dynamo Clarifying Shampoo

£6.99 for 250ml – buy now

Containing no parabens, petrochemicals, sulphates or silicones, this 97% natural blend gently cleanses and removes build up caused by pollution, hard water and product residue, leaving your hair feeling fresh and clean. Suitable for all hair types, its unique blend of plant oils, including peppermint and sorrel leaf extracts, improves suppleness and shine.