We Tested The 12 Best Drugstore Conditioners Of 2024 (2024)

Our Top Picks

This conditioner from Nexxus is seriously good for anyone who wants to repair hair damage, whether it comes from color treatments, heat styling, or just general wear and tear. The key ingredient is something called ProteinFusion, a blend of keratin and black rice extract that strengthens and nourishes the hair shaft (which is also made up predominantly of protein).

As it is quite a rich conditioner, it can weigh down finer hair types and leave strands feeling oily, so it’s best reserved for thicker, damaged hair that needs something quite intensive.

Who It’s For

This is an intensive hair conditioner formulated to repair damaged strands that have been chemically treated, colored, heat styled, or just neglected. Use it every time you wash for best results.

Hair Type: Damaged | Size: 13.5, 33.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This brilliant multitasker does everything from repairing damage to increasing moisture for a smoother finish. It has a lightweight consistency that rinses easily (read: no greasy residue), making it an ideal choice for normal to dry strands. It does this with a formula that’s rich in ceramides and amino acids–both of which help the hair to become 3 x stronger and more manageable with continuous use. We’ve been using Tresemmé for years and it remains a stalwart in our bathroom cabinets for very good reason. It’s also cruelty free which is a major plus.

Who It’s For

This conditioner can be used on all hair types to improve strength and manageability. It’s particularly effective if your hair is dry and damaged but not too rich that it makes finer hair too oily.

Hair Type: All | Size: 39 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This sulfate-free conditioner from OGX is packed with coconut milk plus coconut oils for lightweight hydration. t’s not overly rich, so it won’t weigh down fine hair, while the addition of whipped egg white protein will assist with damage repair. Two major bonus points: it smells like a tropical island vacation and looks beautiful on a shower shelf. As such, we think it feels like a far more expensive product than one picked up at the drugstore.

Who It’s For

If your hair is lacking in strength and elasticity, this conditioner can help to improve it. It’s also suitable for all hair types and isn’t too oily for finer textures.

Hair Type: Wavy, straight, curly | Size: 13 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Curly hair is more porous, meaning it tends to dry out faster. For this reason, it’s essential to find a conditioner that's rich in moisturizing ingredients—something this SheaMoisture formula has in spades. It’s formulated with certified organic shea butter, honey, African rock fig, and baobab oil, plus manuka honey to help retain water and nourish each strand. The result? Soft, cared-for curls.

Who It’s For

This conditioner is formulated to deeply moisturize dry, damaged, coarse, and curly hair textures. It’s also safe to use on color-treated hair.

Hair Type: Dry, coarse, curly | Size: 13 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This buy from drugstore hero Pantene is actually a conditioning mask, so it’s a good one to reach for if you’re suffering serious damage or dryness. Buttery and rich, try leaving it in for a few minutes before rinsing for noticeably smooth, shiny strands. This is a great product to have in your arsenal during party season where you may be heat styling your hair more regularly, or after a vacation when you’ve been out a lot in the sun.

Who It’s For

This is a deep conditioner for dry and damaged hair in need of hydration. It can be used after every wash or left on for longer for a more intensive treatment.

Hair Type: Damaged, dry | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

“If you have normal, uncolored hair, this is a lovely conditioner that’s also easy on the wallet,” says Nader. “I love the delicious fragrance, plus it leaves the hair plump, shiny, and moisturized.”

We love the fact that it contains jojoba, which is known to improve hair softness and defend against breakage. And to echo the above sentiment, the smell is amazing! It’s also cruelty-free, pH-balanced, and color-safe.

Who It’s For

This conditioner can be used on all hair types, including color-treated, and it helps to prevent hair breakage. It’s also a lighter option for those who don’t like their hair treatments to be too heavy.

Hair Type: Normal, dry | Size: 29 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

“This is great quality for a drugstore formula,” Nader tells us. “The inclusion of keratin is fantastic for those prone to breakage, plus there’s no sulfates to encourage color fade.”

The keratin in particular is a great inclusion for wavy hair, as it can work to repair the integrity and strength of each individual strand.It’s formulated with Zip-Up Technology: the brand’s proprietary strengthening complex that repairs split ends and targets weak areas of the hair, reducing frizz at the same time. This also helps to protect it from aggressors in the environment and other elements that fade color from the hair. What’s more, the smell is incredible and lingers long after your initial wash.

Who It’s For

This conditioner is color and keratin-safe and can be used on all hair types. It’s also a good option for repairing damaged hair and split ends.

Hair Type: Normal, dry, damaged | Size: 10 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This versatile pick can be used as a normal conditioner, a co-wash, or as a leave-in treatment. Best suited for those with coarse texture and a tighter curl pattern, it’s formulated with rice, enzymes, and keratin amino acids that enhance curl retention. The result is beautifully conditioned curls that are protected from the elements.

Who It’s For

This conditioner is suited to low porosity and high porosity curls. It’s also safe to use on natural and color-treated hair.

Hair Type: Curly, coiled, coarse | Size: 12 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Monday Haircare is a New Zealand brand that’s quickly risen to cult status in the U.S. and we can see why. With recyclable pump bottles and sulfate-free formulations, the entire range is affordable, effective, and a delight to use. Our pick is the Smoothing Conditioner, packed with glycerin, coconut oil, panthenol, and shea butter to support soft, shiny, manageable locks while sealing the hair cuticle and reducing frizz. It’s also dermatologist-tested, vegan, and cruelty-free.

Who It’s For

Use this conditioner to reduce frizz in coarse, coily, curly, and dry hair. It can also be used to prevent split ends.

Hair Type: Frizzy, coarse, dry | Size: 12 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This launch from The Ordinary stands apart from the crowd due to its extremely minimalistic formula. (There are only seven ingredients in total.) The star of the show is behentrimonium chloride, a type of surfactant that's said to improve hair condition and manageability. It’s very lightweight, so it's best suited to those with fine, soft strands.

Who It’s For

This is an ideal choice of conditioner for fine, medium, and thick hair textures. It can also be used to improve the condition of curls, coils, waves, and straight strands.

Hair Type: Fine, normal, colored | Size: 8.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

It’s tricky to find a sulfate- and silicone-free conditioner in the drugstore, but L’Oreal Paris’ Ever Pure ticks both boxes. With a fresh, herbaceous scent, rosemary botanicals, and creamy texture, it does a stellar job at detangling and restoring shine in normal to dry or colored hair. Vegan, paraben, and sulfate-free, we also appreciate its clean formula that doesn’t strip the hair.

Who It’s For

This treatment is for dry, color-treated hair and helps to keep your shade fresher for longer. It’s also a good option for finer hair types as it doesn’t weigh down the hair.

Hair Type: Dry, normal, colored | Size: 8.5, 23 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Simple but effective, this fairly priced conditioner from Dove is super-hydrating so makes light work of eliminating major frizz, flyaways, and visible signs of damage. We found that it's easy to work into the hair but rinses easily, so there’s no bulk, greasiness, or excess weight. The brand says that it makes the hair 10x more resilient to breakage so it’s a good option if you regularly heat style your hair. Plus, the giant pump bottle seems to last forever.

Who It’s For

This conditioner is formulated for dry, heat-styled hair that is also prone to frizz.

Hair Type: Dry, normal | Size: 25.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

FAQ

• Is drugstore conditioner bad for your hair?

  No, just make sure to check the label before purchasing, to make sure you avoid any potentially harmful ingredients.

• Can you just use conditioner without shampoo?

  Unlike shampoo, conditioner may be used every day. You can use it alone on the days you don't use shampoo to keep strands healthy, smooth, and easy to manage.