16 Best Conditioners to Hydrate Dry, Coarse Hair
These picks add insane shine and moisture to even frizzy, dry hair.
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Dry, coarse and frizzy hair is a major beauty bummer: In fact, when we surveyed 2,100 women about their top hair woes, nearly 30% cited coarse, dry strands. Dry hair can come from "chemical damage from permanent coloring or relaxants, mechanical damage from brushing and heat damage from hot tools like curling and flat irons," all of which can affect the structure of your hair fibers, says Danusia Wnek, a chemist in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab. Your hormones, age and ethnicity also impact your hair's health. And while shampoos remove oil, conditioners replace it in the areas where we want to add back moisture and hydration, says Blair Murphy-Rose, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
Our Beauty Lab experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute constantly test the latest and greatest in haircare. Our tests run the gamut from deep conditioning masks to hydrating shampoo-conditioner combos. We test products on hair swatches for variables like strength, softness and color vibrancy after use. Plus, we solicit real feedback from consumer testers who try tens of options and give their honest notes on each conditioner's color protection, volume, smoothing, strengthening and beyond.
How to find the best conditioner for dry hair
Investing in a good conditioner means getting hair that's smoother, softer, better hydrated and less prone to breakage – but it all starts with the ingredients.
Shop by buzzword. "Conditioners contain cationic surfactants that are attracted to hair so they actually coat fibers, making strands feel softer, detangled and easier to comb," says Wnek. Look for words like "moisturizing," "nourishing," "replenishing" and "softening" on the bottle.
Check for key hydrating ingredients. Along with cationic surfactants, look for emollients, oils and humectants, says Dr. Murphy-Rose. "Humectants attract and bind water. Emollients and oils lock in moisture, detangle and protect the cuticle and soften, as well as aid detangling," she says. Celebrity hair stylist Sabrina Porsche also suggests looking for proteins, aminos acids and oils like jojoba, castor, argan and tea tree as key ingredients
Check out the GH Beauty Lab's top conditioner picks below as well as ones beloved by GH editors, hair stylists, dermatologists and verified shoppers. Pair them with the best shampoos for dry hair.
- Best Overall Conditioner for Dry Hair: Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Coconut Milk Conditioner
- Best Value Conditioner for Dry Hair: Dove Hair Nutritive Solutions Daily Moisture Conditioner
- Best Drugstore Conditioner for Dry Hair: SheaMoisture Moisture Retention Conditioner
- Best Lightweight Conditioner for Dry Hair: Garnier Whole Blends Replenishing Conditioner
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Frizzy Hair: John Frieda Frizz Ease Daily Nourishment Conditioner
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Natural Hair: Pattern Heavy Conditioner For Coilies
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Damaged Hair: Briogeo Super Moisture Conditioner
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Thick Hair: Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Conditioner
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Color-Treated Hair: unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner
- Best Conditioner for Dry Hair and Sensitive Scalps: MONDAY GENTLE Conditioner
- Best Scented Conditioner for Dry Hair: SUAVE Coconut Infusion Deep Moisture Conditioner
- Top Salon Formula for Dry Hair: Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner
- Best Deep Conditioner for Dry Hair: It's a 10 Miracle Deep Conditioner Plus Keratin
- Best Sulfate-Free Conditioner for Dry Hair: Living Proof Full Conditioner
- Best Leave-In Conditioner for Dry Hair: Oribe Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream
- Best Conditioner for Dry, Curly Hair: Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Shea Curl Defining Conditioner
Jacqueline (she/her) covers all things e-commerce in beauty, lifestyle and beyond for the Good Housekeeping Institute. Before joining GH in 2021, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication.
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