You paid for a perm, you waited out the first two days, and now the first wash is here. The wrong shampoo can strip the moisture out of freshly curled hair and leave your waves frizzy and loose in a week. Perms use chemicals that leave hair drier and more fragile than before, so the shampoo you pick matters. If you're looking for the best shampoo for permed hair, here are the 5 best in 2026, ranked by rating and review count. We didn't test them ourselves. We read the labels and the reviews, and flagged what curly and treated hair buyers keep saying.
What to Look For in a Shampoo for Permed Hair
Gentle cleansing. Perms leave hair porous and dry. Look for sulfate-free or low-lather formulas, which clean without stripping the oils your curls need.
Moisture first. Shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil and plant proteins help curls keep their shape and shine. If your hair feels like straw after the perm, pick the richest formula, not the lightest.
Made for treated or curly hair. Labels that say "for damaged or chemically treated hair" or "for curly hair" are the safest bets. Our shampoo for wavy hair guide covers looser waves if that's closer to your perm.
Size and price. A salon-style liter bottle costs more up front but lasts months. A drugstore bottle is a cheap way to see if your hair likes the formula before you commit.
Your scalp. If your scalp is oily, skip anything very creamy for the roots. Wash the scalp, and let the suds run down through the ends rather than scrubbing them.
The 5 Best Shampoos for Permed Hair in 2026
1. SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut and Hibiscus Shampoo
Best for: dry, thick curls that want moisture and shine on a budget.
This 13 oz shampoo has coconut and hibiscus, shea butter and a creamy peach-coconut scent. It's paraben free and has a 4.5 rating from nearly 23,000 reviews, the most on the list.
What makes it stand out: It's rich enough for dry, permed curls and costs under $10. The huge review count means a lot of people with curls have tried it.
Good to know: It's a creamy formula that can weigh down fine hair, and some reviewers find it too heavy for an oily scalp. The scent is sweet, which not everyone likes.
2. Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo
Best for: weak, chemically treated hair that needs repair.
Moroccanoil's repair shampoo is made for weakened and damaged hair and is color-safe, sulfate and paraben free. The listing shows the 33.8 oz (1 liter) size. It has a 4.6 rating across almost 17,000 reviews.
What makes it stand out: Argan oil and keratin help restore strength and softness, and it's a good match for hair that's been through a perm and a color. The big bottle lasts.
Good to know: It's a splurge, at around $80 for the liter, and a smaller size costs less per bottle but more per ounce. It does have fragrance, so it's not for sensitive scalps.
3. Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish Moisturizing Shampoo
Best for: the cheapest sulfate-free pick for new curls.
Garnier's curl shampoo is a 12.5 oz sulfate-free, vegan formula with plant protein and coconut oil, made for curl definition. It's rated 4.6 from about 7,000 reviews.
What makes it stand out: It's the best value here, and the sulfate-free base is gentle on a fresh perm. The rating matches the Moroccanoil at a tiny fraction of the cost.
Good to know: It's a drugstore formula, so it's lighter on repair than the salon options. Packaging may vary, so the bottle you get might look different from the photo.
4. Davines NOUNOU Shampoo for Damaged or Processed Hair
Best for: brittle, highly processed hair after a perm or bleach.
NOUNOU is a nourishing cleanser made for dry, damaged, brittle or chemically treated hair. It has a 4.5 rating from nearly 3,900 reviews, and the listing price is around $37.
What makes it stand out: It's built for the exact problem a perm causes. The formula has lupin and tomato extract to help soften and strengthen, and it comes in a salon-quality bottle.
Good to know: It costs more than the drugstore picks, and the lather is mild, so it may feel like it isn't cleaning if you're used to heavy suds. The scent is strong for some.
5. Aveda Be Curly Shampoo (33.8 oz)
Best for: curl definition and the salon feel in a big bottle.
Aveda's Be Curly shampoo is made for waves and curls, and the listing is the 33.8 oz size. It has a 4.6 rating across about 1,350 reviews.
What makes it stand out: The big size gives you months of washes, and it's made for defined curls rather than general hair.
Good to know: The review count is lowest here, so there's less to go on, and the huge bottle is a lot to commit to before you know your hair likes it.
How to Wash Permed Hair
- Wait at least 48 hours after your perm before the first wash, or follow your stylist's timing. The curl needs time to set.
- Use lukewarm water. Hot water dries out treated hair.
- Shampoo your scalp only, and let the suds run down the lengths. Rubbing the ends can cause frizz.
- Follow with a conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends, and detangle with a wide-tooth comb while it's in.
- Squeeze out water with a soft T-shirt or towel, don't rub, and let it air dry or use a diffuser on low heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon can you wash permed hair?
How often should you wash permed hair?
Is sulfate-free shampoo better for permed hair?
What's the best way to wash permed hair?
Keep Reading
Final Thoughts
For most people, we'd start with the SheaMoisture. It has the most reviews by far and costs under $10. If your hair is really damaged from the perm, the Davines NOUNOU or the Moroccanoil are the repair picks, and both are worth the extra money if your hair feels fried.
Pick the Garnier if you want a low-cost, sulfate-free shampoo to try first, and the Aveda if you like a salon scent and a big bottle. Whatever you choose, wait out the first 48 hours and wash with lukewarm water.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here's how we pick products.
