10 Best Korean Shampoos In 2023 | For Healthy, Soft Hair

I’ve reviewed some of the top Korean shampoos in this article. Check it out! These include the best sulfate free Korean shampoos and products for curly hair and hair loss.

Korean skincare and beauty products have taken the world by storm. So using the best Korean shampoos to take care of your hair issues seems like a no-brainer.

These Korean products contain natural ingredients that promote hair and skin health.

You’ll find that most Korean shampoos are free of harsh ingredients usually included in western products.

Related: Best Korean Hair Rollers

Related: Best Korean Hair Dye

Everybody wants beautiful,healthy hair. But a lot of us forget to use the right shampoo! A cleanser can make or break your hair.

So I decided to try out the best Korean hair shampoo after hearing so much about it.

Korean Shampoos	Best For	Chief Ingredients
Best Shampoo for Sensitive Scalp: Daeng Gi Meo Ri Ki Gold Premium Shampoo	Best Overall	Green Tea, Ginseng, Changpo Extracts
Best For Thinning Hair: Amorepacific Ryoe Damage Care Shampoo	Hair Loss	Camellia Oil, Omija Extracts
Best For Dandruff: LG Reen Yungo Hair Cleansing Treatment	Dandruff	Red Ginseng, Wild Ginger, Saponins
Best For Colored Hair: Whamisa Organic Seeds Sub-Acid Hair Shampoo	Colored Hair	Barley Seeds, Aloe Vera, Camellia
Best For Damaged Hair: Esthetic House CP-1 Nourishing Shampoo	Damaged Hair	Amino Acids, Ceramides, Proteins
Best Smelling Korean Shampoo: Kerasys Lovely & Romantic Perfumed Shampoo	Perfumed Shampoo	Basil Leaf Extract, Jasmine, Daisy, Orange Blossom
Best Shampoo For Dry Hair: Amorepacific Ryoe Jayang Yoon Mo Shampoo	Dry Hair	Red Ginseng, Caffeine
Best For Oily Hair: AROMATICA Cypress Deep Cleansing Shampoo	Oily Hair	French Cypress, Balsam, Eucalyptus Oil

Korean beauty products are supposed to contain traditional Korean herbs and plants.

So I decided to see what the hype was about. And so far, I was not disappointed.

After much consideration, I found the top Korean shampoo that I thought were the absolute top of their game.

Check them out below!

Korean shampoos are all the rage now!

How do you say in Korean, “I take my Korean shampoo very seriously?” This stuff was easy to come by before covid, but it’s been a bit more challenging/costly to find. However, I was able to get some bargains and decided to stock up. pic.twitter.com/NDKxx1Ts3M

— Hilaria Alexander ☮️ (@hilarialexander) December 11, 2021

How I tested the best Korean shampoos?

I first used these Korean shampoos on my own hair and then rated them on a scale of 1-5 using the following factors as a benchmark.

• Cleansing Properties – The first job of any shampoo is to remove oil, dirt and buildup from hair. So I checked how well these shampoos cleansed your scalp and hair.
• Ingredients – I looked if the ingredients were not too harsh. Whether or not the shampoo is sulfate free and if it contains natural, organic shampoos.
• Hair Care Properties – I also looked at the “extra” hair care the shampoos provide and if they work. For example, if they are as anti-dandruff or anti-hairfall as advertised.

How To Select the Best Korean Shampoo – A Buying Guide

If you’re buying a Korean shampoo, you need to to remember the following points:

Sulfate Free – Even the most powerful Korean shampoos will not be useful if they contain harsh surfactants like SLS or SLES.

Also, these surfactants can strip hair coloring. So avoid sulfate-based shampoos if you have color-treated hair.

Ingredients – Make sure you get a Korean shampoo with the right herbal ingredients. Some common ones are red ginseng that adds strength and thickness to hair, camellia oil that helps smoothen tresses, and Centella Asiatica that helps soothe itchy, irritated scalps.

If you have dandruff or flakes, you can look for salicylic acid or ketoconazole. While a Korean shampoo with keratin or amino acids is good for damaged hair. .

Cleansing Power – This factor depends on your hair type and may vary from person to person. If you have an oily scalp type get a shampoo that cleanses hair thoroughly.

If you have dry, frizzy hair then a shampoo rich in natural oils and with a mild formula is your best choice.

Top Korean Shampoos 2023

Daeng Gi Meo Ri Gold Premium Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo Overall

After using the Daeng Gi Meo Ri Ki Gold Premium shampoo, I can safely say that it is a great choice if you want longer, stronger, and healthier hair. 

What I loved most about this shampoo (and perhaps all Korean shampoos) is that the majority of the ingredients are natural and herb-based.  

You will find traditional Korean herbs such as red ginseng, changpo extracts, green tea extracts, and several other medicinal plants which are full of antioxidants. 

These herbs nourish hair and leave it clean without drying your locks.

This shampoo is also great at controlling sebum production on your scalp and preventing itchiness and dandruff.

The herbal formula is fantastic at preventing hair fall and repairing damage caused due to excessive styling. 

There’s also menthol in the shampoo that leaves behind a clean, fresh feeling after use. 

The only downside here is the presence of sulfates. These often strip moisture and hair color when cleansing hair.

So if you have color-treated hair or dry hair, you should try some other shampoo like the Amorepacific one or LG Yoon.

Pros:

• Methol leaves a fresh clean feeling and helps reduce dandruff and itching
• Moisturizes hair without making it greasy as it contains ginseng
• Strong clarifying formula helps remove excess oil and product build-up

Cons:

• Contains sulfates so it can strip hair color
• The sulfates can also irritate very sensitive scalp skin

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients – 3.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

Amore Pacific Ryoe Damage Care Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Hair Loss

In today’s world of pollution, excessive styling treatments, and frequent hair dyeing, your tresses are left damaged, dull,and prone to breakage. 

So I wanted a Korean shampoo that helps with hair dullness and damage when I found this one by Amorepacific.

After using I could see that this Ryoe Korean Herbal Shampoo is a wonderful option to help repair that damage. 

The magic ingredient here is fermented Camellia oil. There’s also Omija extracts and pomegranate which helps strengthen your hair at its roots. 

On regular use of this shampoo I could see it increased my hair elasticity and repaired my split ends too!

I found that that the shampoo is great for adding moisture and life back to dull, dry tresses.

If you have a bad hair fall problem, it’s worth trying this product out. 

And the best part is that free of harsh surfactants like sulfates. So it’s perfectly safe for color-treated hair. 

Pros:

• Milder surfactants and free of SLS and SLES so it’s safe for colored hair
• Camellia oil adds moisture to hair and helps unravel tangled hair and remove knots
• Camellia oil also, makes hair smooth and shiny, helps repair damage and controls hair fall

Cons:

• Scent not suited to everyone’s taste as it’s too “herbal”

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
• Ingredients – 4/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

LG Reen Yungo Hair Cleansing Treatment

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Dandruff

One of the most sought after K-beauty products is the scalp scaler. It’s a cleansing treatment, but for your scalp which is often really neglected.

So I was really excited to use this shampoo! 

All that creams, serums, dirt, and sebum can cause dandruff and itchiness. Not to mention product build-up. 

So I’m glad the LG Reen Yungo Treatment helped cleanse my scalp, leaving it fresh and nourished on the first wash itself.

I noticed that it’s good for your hair too! If you have really dull, dry tresses, this product leaves them silky, smooth in just one shampoo session.

And the best part is your hair’s hydrated without the greasy feeling.

The product contains red ginseng, wild ginger, and has natural saponins to cleanse your hair instead of the usual, harsh surfactants.

These herbal ingredients help keep your hair looking healthy and soft. 

I however was very disappointed as it’s not color safe and good for people with sensitive scalps as it contains sulfates.

Pros:

• Cleanses hair and scalp thoroughly with help from mild saponins
• Moisturizes hair and leaves it smooth thanks to the ginseng formula
• Removes product build-up leaving hair follicles unclogged

Cons:

• Contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate so it can strip hair color
• Perfume can make sensitive scalps itchy

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients – 3.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

Whamisa Organic Seeds Sub-Acidic Hair Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Color-Treated Hair

If you have color-treated hair, sulfates can be your number one enemy.

These harsh surfactants (like SLS and SLES) can strip the dye pigment from your tresses.

Not to mention how dry and coarse these ingredients leave your hair. 

So I admire how this Whamisa Shampoo is completely sulfate-free. In fact, it contains 68.2 percent organic ingredients and the formulation is vegan too.

You’ll find plant-derived ingredients such as barley seed extracts, aloe vera, Camellia seed oil, green tea extracts among others.

These nourish your hair, and are especially hydrating if you have a dry scalp.  

The formula is also sub-acidic, which means it closely resembles your scalp’s natural pH levels. So those with sensitive scalps can also use this product.

The shampoo also gets bonus points from me for its scent.

There are no artificial fragrances, however the lavender and bergamot essential oils give it a pleasant aroma.  

This makes the Whamisa Hair Cleanser the perfect shampoo for pregnancy too.

Pros:

• Sulfate-free, Vegan is safe to use during pregnancy
• No artificial fragrances and contains pleasant essential oil-based scent instead
• pH-balancing formula nourishes hair and scalp without leaving them greasy

Cons:

• None that I could see

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients – 5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4.5/5

Esthetic House CP-1 Nourishing Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Damaged Hair

Heat and coloring treatments might be the norm today, but do you know all this styling can take a toll on your hair. 

Which is why a good Korean hair shampoo is a necessity to keep your tresses damage-free and healthy. And the Esthetic House CP-1 Cleanser checks all the boxes.

The shampoo contains a mix of amino acids, ceramides, and proteins that rebuild the loss keratin from your strands. 

These nourishing ingredients leave your tresses soft and smooth, and keep frizz and split ends at bay.

If your hair is on the drier side, this is a good pick for you as it contains natural oils that hydrate your hair. 

Pros:

• Helps repair damaged, brittle hair
• No sulfates, silicones, or alcohol
• Prevents frizz
• Repairs split ends
• Contains natural oils that nourish hair

Cons:

• Leaves reside on hair

Ratings: 4.5/5

Kerasys Lovely & Romantic Perfumed Shampoo

Best Perfumed Korean Hair Shampoo

If you’re looking for just a regular hair shampoo for everyday use, you might want to check out the Kerasys Lovely & Romantic Perfumed Shampoo. The one thing about this shampoo is that it smells amazing!

So if you want your tresses to be lightly perfumed all day long,  this Korean hair shampoo is the best pick. I do have to give you fair warning. 

A lot of perfume-based products are drying. So if you have a dry scalp problem, give this shampoo a miss.

This shampoo is good at cleansing your hair and contains basil leaf extract that helps with strengthening too.

The secret to the lovely aroma is a blend of natural ingredients like jasmine, daisy, orange blossom, white flower extracts, and cedarwood among others. 

Pros:

• Gives a fresh floral fragrance to your hair
• Excellent product if you suffer from smelly scalp
• Basil leaf extracts help clarify hair and scalp

Cons:

• The strong formula can dry out hair and scalp skin
• The added perfumes can cause redness and inflammation on sensitive scalp

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients – 3/5
• Hair Care Properties – 2/5

AmorePacific Ryoe Jayang Yoon Mo Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Dry Hair 

Ryoe Korean shampoos are one of the top-rated brands out there. And I’ve already established how the Herbal Shampoo helps control damage and prevents breakage.

But if you’re looking for something more nourishing, there is the Jayang line for dry scalps.

The red ginseng formula targets hair loss at three levels. It strengthens the roots to prevent hair fall. It helps make your strands plumper and softer by adding lost elasticity. 

And lastly it helps stimulate new hair growth in your follicles.

Based on ancient oriental medicine, this Ryoe Jayang Yoon Mo shampoo leaves your tresses soft, shiny, and healthy! The brand claims to reduce hair loss by as much as 65 percent.

Pros:

• Contains red ginseng that is excellent at reducing hair loss
• Mostly organic and natural ingredients
• Also contains biotin that plumps up hair strands

Cons:

• None that I could see

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
• Ingredients – 5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4.5/5

This particular shampoo is also a fave among Korean celebs!

Park Shin-hye promotes Korean shampoo in Chinahttp://t.co/6zqFAurAEW #ParkShinHye #China #Kdrama #Hallyu #Kbeauty pic.twitter.com/xnHV6EqfM5

— KpopHerald (@Kpop_Herald) May 22, 2015

AROMATICA Cypress Deep Cleansing Shampoo

Best Korean Hair Shampoo For Oily Hair

I have noticed that the one issue with most shampoos is that if they are gentle and nourishing, they tend to be lacking as cleansers. 

So your tresses are often left dull and greasy. But not with the Aromatica Deep Cleansing shampoo.

It’s got a gentle, vegan formula that is free of any harsh chemicals including sulfates. There are no silicones in this product as well, so your hair stays free of any product build-up.  

The natural ingredients include French cypress and balsam that stimulate the scalp, increasing blood circulation. 

I also found the refreshing, tingling feeling provided by the scotch pine and eucalyptus oil to be amazing. 

If you’re an animal lover, you’ll be happy to note that this product is cruelty-free and comes in eco-friendly packaging.  

Pros:

• Vegan formula that’s eco friendly and doesn’t test on animals
• French cypress stimulate blood circulation to scalp and may help with hair growth
• Excellent at removing grease from scalp and hair without drying it out

Cons:

• Formula can still get too strong for very dry or sensitive scalp types

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients – 4.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

Village 11 Factory Korean Shampoo

Best Korean Shampoo For Hair Growth

My hair hair follicles often get clogged due to product build-up, excess sebum, or other debris, it blocks nutrients from reaching the roots of the hair.

This leads to decreased hair growth and hair loss. But I was glad to have found this shampoo as it’s one of the few that contains exofoliants.

The Village 11 Korean shampoo aims to fix this by removing this layer of debris. It contains salicylic acid (a form of BHA) which is a mild chemical exfoliant.

This ingredient clears scalp, unclogs pores, and reduces excess oil production. There’s also menthol and panthenol to calm any resulting irritation.

But there’s a catch. Some of these ingredients might be too much for dry, flaky scalp types. So if you have dry hair, this shampoo is best avoided.

Pros:

• Contains BHA in form of salicylic acid that exfoliates scalp
• Excellent at removing grease, dirt and product buildup from hair
• The panthenol helps decrease redness and irritation.

Cons:

• Salicylic acid formula can be drying on certain scalp types.

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 5/5
• Ingredients -4/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

Aekyung Kerasys Repairing Shampoo

Best Korean Shampoo For Repairing Hair Damage

I found this shampoo good only if you have certain hair needs like damage repair that need to be met.

All in all Aekyung Kerasys repairing shampoo is a high-quality product that comes with a pleasant scent. It contains swiss alpine extracts, edelweiss and hydrolyzed proteins that hydrates hair.

And as I’ve said before, this shampoo is for those who want to repair damaged hair and prevent split ends.

While it’s good for damaged hair, I don’t suggest it for dry hair or colored hair as it contains sodium laureth sulfate that can strip hair color and moisture.

It also contains dimethicone that leaves hair extra smooth on first wash. However this ingredient is a type of silicone that can build up on your hair overtime. So I wasn’t too happy about that either.

Pros:

• Protein-filled formula helps repair split ends by filling in keratin gaps.
• Edelweiss and swiss alpine extract helps protect hair cells from further damage

Cons:

• The silicones can lead to buildup in long run
• Formula to strong and may cause dryness in certain scalp types

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
• Ingredients – 3.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

PYUNKANG YUL Herbal Hair Loos Control Shampoo

Best Korean Shampoo For Chemically Processed Hair

I have used a lot of skincare products from Pyunkang Gul, so I was excited to try this shampoo despite it’s high price.

The shampoo is being marketed as a hair growth product so let me tell how it went after using it.

At first wash, I had fallen in love with this shampoo. It is sulfate-free yet is so cleansing. There was zero dirt or residue on my tresses after I had used it.

My hair had a lovely peppermint scent to it too. But when I checked the ingredients I noticed there are not added perfumes, the scent is through essential oils. This is a win for me!

Now coming to hair loss control. I did notice my hair looking thicker and fuller after a few weeks of use. And there was less breakage. But I thought the shampoo didn’t really add inches to my hair.

I used it for 4 weeks. So I guess I needed to use it for a few more days.

Yes the shampoo is overpriced. But it cleans well so you don’t have to use a lot of product so you can make it last longer.

Pros:

• Contains peptides and biotin that help fill in gaps in damaged hair
• The black tea formula helps induce new hair growth
• The iris and peppermint formula helps cleanse without drying out hair

Cons:

• The shampoo is very expensive
• I didn’t see much of a difference in hair loss control

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
• Ingredients – 4.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4/5

JUNG SAEM MOOL OFFICIAL Protein Recharging Shampoo

Best Korean Shampoo For Hair Breakage

I wanted to try this shampoo as it’s from the new line of products by Korean celebrity makeup artist Jung Saem Mool. This product I liked at first wash because it somehow manages to be extremely cleansing and moisturizing at the same time.

And before you ask no, there are no sulfates here so you can use it on your colored hair.

I love the protein-enriched formula. My hair looks thicker, fuller and there is less breakage after just 3 weeks of using this shampoo.

Also the shea butter in it keeps my hair from getting frizzy or dry.

There are just two complaints I have with this shampoo. One, it’s ridiculously overpriced. I get that it’s a celeb-brand but c’mon I paid $28 for just 14 oz of the shampoo.

The second is that the shampoo can leave residue if you have the typical Asian straight hair texture. My hair is more on the curlier side so it’s fine. But if you have striaght hair I suggest washing with a clarifying product once a fortnight or so.

Pros:

• Contains protein and biotin that repair damage
• It’s very cleansing and nourishing at the same time
• No SLS and SLES so it’s good for colored hair

Cons:

• The shampoo is expensive
• It can leave residue on straight hair

My Ratings:

• Cleansing Properties – 4.5/5
• Ingredients – 4.5/5
• Hair Care Properties – 4.5/5

Park Shin-hye promotes Korean shampoo in Chinahttp://t.co/6zqFAurAEW #ParkShinHye #China #Kdrama #Hallyu #Kbeauty pic.twitter.com/xnHV6EqfM5

— KpopHerald (@Kpop_Herald) May 22, 2015

Why Is Korean Hair So Thick, Soft and Healthy?

Well, as I’ve explained in this shampoo review above, the products Korean use have got a hand in why Koreans have such beautiful hair. They don’t contain harsh sulfates (detergent like substances used to generate lather) that most western shampoo brans use. So they are gentler on hair and do not strip it of moisture.

Also Korean’s have a “preventive” approach to beauty. This means they will take care of hair to prevent damage rather than “curing” damage after it’s been done. t

So Korean women are really careful to use hair oils, serums, etc. and indulge in regular spa sessions to keep hair healthy, even if they are done at home with natural ingredients like rice water or camellia oil.

Also, their diet plays an important role in making sure Korean hair stays healthy. Korean consume a lot of natural, unprocessed food as they prefer home-cooked meals over takeaways and fast food.

There is a lot of fish and sea food in the diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and Korean’s also eat a lot of fermented food like Kimchi which is filled with antioxidants. So their hair stays healthy naturally as it gets a lot of nutrients.

FAQs on the Korean Shampoos

Why you should trust Haireveryday?

Leah Marie Priest, the author of this article is a licensed Cosmetologist who is very enthusiastic about hair care. She has a passion for finding new hair care products and formulas and testing how well they work on hair. Using Korean hair products is a new passion of hers and she’s done a lot of research of Korean ingredients and used these shampoos personally before writing this review.

Conclusion

Korean hair care products are natural, gentle, and suit almost all hair types.

So you’re sure to find the right top Korean hair shampoo for your texture and needs.

Curly, straight, wavy, or Afro-textured, Korean brands usually have a hair cleanser for all your needs.

There are several products targeting dandruff, hair loss, breakage, and other issues.

Also Read:

Best Shampoos For Asian Hair