5 Exfoliating Shampoos That Aren't Nearly As Weird As You Might Think

There's a lot that feels counterintuitive about shampooing your hair with a chunky scrub. To start, the heavy oils used in some formulas seem as if they'd leave any texture a greasy mess — and we haven't even mentioned how odd it is to massage big ol' salty granules into your scalp. But stick with us here, because when properly formulated, hair scrubs actually do and feel quite the opposite.

For one, chunks of salt or sugar quickly disintegrate with a rinse of warm water (rather than getting wedged between stands or feeling overly gritty). And thanks to some smart concocting, oil-based options work to hydrate ends without leaving hair looking like an oil slick.

There's even more at work here, according to stylist Derek Yuen, whose celebrity clients include Constance Wu. "These scrubs are an amazing way to detox and purify the scalp leaving it in a better condition to promote healthier hair growth," he says. "They will help lift dry skin and remove any type of buildup from the hair."

Impressive, yes, but here's what really sold us: After trying a handful of options, we found these exfoliating shampoos work wonders to lift hair at the roots and add overall body without making hair feel squeaky clean. Because some formulas can be drying, Yuen suggests those with medium and thick hair look for ingredients like coconut oil, while stylist Michael Dueñas advises those with C3 and C4 curls limit scrubs to just the scalp. See a few of our favourites, ahead.