The 18 Best Hair Products Of 2022

These days, we’ve (thankfully) moved past just one very narrow definition of “good hair.” Finally, hair brands are making diverse hair textures and types a priority, unveiling full lines (and plenty of accessories) dedicated to keeping all hair types feeling and looking as healthy as possible. The list of winners this year put science first with innovative ingredients, hyper-specific formulations, and deeply-hydrating treatments designed to nourish hair the way it deserves. Add one of these products to your self-care Sunday rotation, or make wash day more exciting with an editor-approved pick. We tested hundreds of products on a wide array of hair types and textures (as well as called in help from the industry’s top pros who your favorite celebs have on speed-dial), so you can trust that these products are the cream of the crop. You’re not the same person you were last year, so why shouldn’t your hair care lineup get a glow-up, too? Ahead, find the best hair products of the year.

We at Bustle only include products that have been independently selected by our editors. We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Best Shampoo for Fine Hair

When it comes to fine hair, the line between clean, stripped, conditioned, and greasy can be… well, fine. Fortunately, SHAZ & KIKS clay cleanser has “balance” right in the name. Though this waterless shampoo is suitable for all hair types, those with fine hair will really appreciate the clay’s ability to absorb heavy oil while maintaining your hair (and scalp’s) delicate moisture supply. Plus, mixed-in blueberry seeds act as an exfoliant and a blood-flow stimulator that encourages hair growth. “The texture is very unique,” BDG staffer Stephanie Talmadge says, explaining that the clay first melts, then lathers into a foam punctuated by the seeds. “My hair was so clean and soft after!”

Best Conditioner for Fine Hair

Even if veganism isn’t your thing, it’s worth trying on your hair — especially with a conditioner this moisture-packed. Coating every strand in a vegan keratin alternative that closes the hairs’ cuticles for a sleek, shiny finish free of frizz, the conditioner manages to seal in hydration without weighing hair down or causing product buildup. BDG staffer Meaghan O’Connell loves the conditioner’s earthy scent and says it adds thickness to her own fine hair.

Best Styling Product for Fine Hair

The same way a flush-mimicking blush wakes up the face, this gravity-defying styling spray breathes new life into even the limpest hair for texture, style extension, and volume — all without that sticky, stiff, crunchy feeling. “It smooths, helps with frizz, and adds shine even on highlighted, super dry and frizzy hair,” says famed hairstylist and guest judge Sally Hershberger. “It also adds volume and texture, is moldable, and has good hold.”

Best Treatment Product for Fine Hair

There are few products across any category so beloved by the pros as K18’s bond-building treatment — celebrity colorist, hairstylist, and guest judge Reece Walker can’t stop raving about it to clients. “I have been using K18 for over a year now and I can safely say it’s the best bonding treatment we have on the market at the moment!” he says, adding that you can feel the difference in your hair even after the very first use. “I get a lot of clients coming to see me with so much damage from over-processed color to major heat styling damage. It’s pricey, but once clients use it, they are hooked and even start using less heat.”

Best Shampoo for Medium-Thick Hair

Oftentimes, moisture is the missing link to hair’s most lustrous, vibrant form — and Odele’s amino acid-steeped shampoo is an easy way to bridge the hydration gap. Keravis, a hair-strengthening protein complex, seals strands for serious shine while quinoa (the same kind as in your salad) nourishes and soothes the scalp. BDG staffer Danielle Sinay was so impressed by the shampoo’s work on her damaged, color-treated hair that she convinced her curly-haired husband to save some room in the shower and start using it too. “It works incredibly well on both of us so it's a VERY versatile product,” she reports. “I love that this isn't drying, but still leaves your hair feeling clean.” Also, did we mention it’s only $12?

Best Conditioner for Medium-Thick Hair

Like a hydrating hair mask and classic conditioner in one, Coco & Eve’s cream conditioner uses a piña colada’s worth of all-star ingredients (like pineapple, coconut, and avocado oil) to add reflective gloss and healthy bounce to medium-thick hair. If it’s can’t-stop-tossing-it softness you’re after, add this to your cart ASAP. “It’s very hydrating and smells quite nice — tropical without being cloying,” BDG staffer Layla Halabian notes. “I definitely noticed my hair feeling silky, but not weighed down after use.”

Best Styling Product for Medium-Thick Hair

Not quite a mist and not quite a mousse, Oribe’s style-setting spray is as unique as your hair. Section out damp or dry hair before lightly coating it in the spray and proceed with heat to lock in curls, waves, blowouts, and straightening jobs, all without dragging hair down under heavy product buildup. The revolutionary foam-mist hybrid means there’s no guesswork on exactly where to aim, too. Walker says this versatile is “great for a big, bouncy blowout, a sleek pony or even just air dry for a natural textured look.”

Best Treatment Product for Medium-Thick Hair

As you’d expect from Netflix’s best head of hair, Jonathan Van Ness’ signature line delivers once again with this easy-as-pie leave-in treatment developed to restore hair back to its healthiest, prettiest form. But true to serum form, this leave-in is surprisingly lightweight with plenty of hold assistance for long-lasting hairstyles. “Because I have thick hair that takes long enough to blow dry, I am always on the lookout for a serum like this that will not just protect my hair, but smooth it enough to not need to do any more styling,” explains BDG staffer Sam Rullo. “This one is definitely one of the best I’ve tried!” She raves about how the serum is very light and smells great, and when she uses it before blow-drying, her hair came out “so soft, smooth, and sleek, that I didn’t even need to reach for my straightener!”

Best Shampoo for Curly Hair

When the charmingly on-brand packaging is only the third or fourth-best thing about a hair care product, you know you’ve got a winner. The ultimate first step in a curl-friendly product lineup, this shampoo’s oils (including rich jojoba) first cleanse, then coat curls for a shine-filled finish — and all that retained moisture means individual hairs are far less likely to frizz up or break off, too. BDG staffer Shanelle Infante says that while she’s typically worried about shampoos zapping her curls of all moisture, that’s no issue with TWIST’s oil-infused shampoo. “This is a product I've been using every day,” she says. “My hair still feels soft afterward.”

Best Conditioner for Curly Hair

Curly-hair conditioners are tasked with adding enough moisture to help add shape and shine to curls without adding so much moisture that they lose definition altogether — it seems like Living Proof’s curl conditioner is more than up to the task, though. The brand’s signature Health Curl Complex comes equipped with slippage for easy detangling and shea butter that encourages curl formation and grouping. BDG staffer Kelly Reed says she loves the conditioner, adding, “The smell is great, too, without being too overbearing,” while Alexa Pippia puts it simply: “I live for this conditioner.”

Best Styling Product for Curly Hair

This curl-defining cream from Playa coaxes out perfect curls every time with deeply nourishing murumuru seed butter and flaxseed gels. Together, along with chia seeds, curls are given the moisture-rich treatment they deserve without fear of flakes or residue — on your hair or anywhere else. BDG staffer Jacqueline Burt Cote says she can vouch for the cream’s texture and curl-shaping help. “It made my hair way more defined without being crunchy,” she says. Sally Hershberger used the cream on her curly-haired clients and says “it sets curl well and is not heavy in the hair,” while praising its “product distribution, non-sticky cream consistency, and ingredients.”

Best Treatment Product for Curly Hair

By now, Sunday’s self-care-day designation might as well be printed on official calendars. Get ready for the week ahead with an invigorating shower, a brightening skin treatment, and this seriously impressive hair hydration mask made to maximize curls’ shape, luster, and integrity. BDG staffer Kelly Reed explains that because it’s hard to find products that work well with her own curly hair, she’s extremely picky — but counts this as an obsession. “I could definitely see results immediately after using this mask and now I don't want it to run out!” she says. “The consistency is perfect, silky, and the scent is amazing. The packaging is just as good! I could rave for days here.”

Best Shampoo for Coily Hair

A thick, rich consistency packed with hydrating kalahari melon seed oil, this shampoo also utilizes skin care-favorite hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Thanks to the molecule blend’s ability to hold several times its own weight in water, its moisture-retaining abilities work just as well for hair. “I washed Lizzo’s hair with it and it was very hydrating,” shares Shelby Swain, celebrity hairstylist and guest judge. “I really enjoyed it with the combination of the conditioner and it really brought back her curls — we’ve been using a lot of heat lately!”

Best Conditioner for Coily Hair

Though equally effective both as a rinse-out conditioner and a deeply moisturizing leave-in treatment, Creme of Nature’s flaxseed- and argan oil-infused best-seller does more than just double-duty — it’s more like quintuple duty, really. That added dose of hydration means stretching ease, gentler detangling, and shine infusion for stress-free styling. BDG staffer Paris Giles agrees that it’s a great all-around pick, highlighting its scent, feel, and the added slip it gives hair — “It left my hair feeling really soft.”

Best Styling Product for Coily Hair

Products that help with immediate needs like styling assistance and long-term issues like dryness and curl definition might be the final frontier in hair care — though Bread Beauty Supply’s already been there for a while. An all-in-one styling cream perfect for everything from wash-and-go days to intricate braiding, it coats curls in a nourishing blend of mango butter and quinoa protein for added moisture and breakage protection. Hairstylist and guest judge Shelby Swain even uses this on her celebrity clients whose curls need a boost. “It’s really good at defining curls, bringing back curls,” she explains. “When I braided Lizzo’s hair down using this product, the moisture stayed in there, when I took the braids out she had such a defined curl pattern.”

Best Treatment Product for Coily Hair

For a hair hydration refresh against breakage, split ends, and heat damage, look no further than cult-favorite bond-builder Olaplex. BDG beauty writer Paris Giles said it left her hair “feeling hydrated, soft, and strong,” while Swain prefers to use it on clients as a 20- to 30-minute deep-conditioning treatment. “It smells great, and the hair was so soft after I was done using it!” she says. For even more hydration, do it the TikTok way and coat hair in the mask before slicking it back into a bun for the day.

Best Dry Shampoo

Forget clunky (and ozone-depleting) aerosol cans and chalky white powders — Crown Affair’s dry shampoo is an entirely different experience that makes soaking up extra oil far more decadent (and fun) than it sounds. The dry shampoo is housed in a frosted jar just like a loose face powder and equipped with a fluffy brush for dispensing it. The powder itself, made from tapioca starch and persimmon powder, simultaneously absorbs grease and adds volume without drying out scalps and strands, and adds a boost of natural deodorant for a just-washed freshness. “This is a cool situation right here,” Shelby Swain, hairstylist and guest judge, says. “I liked it a lot. When styling hair, I literally just add it to the roots and it adds so much volume just by massaging it in.”

Best Color-Saving Product

An incredible dye job or fresh set of highlights must be protected at all costs, and it’s surprisingly easy with the help of this fortifying pre-wash mask that acts like a force field around color. A moisture-boosting foam-to-cream formula, it uses R+Co’s classic ChromoHance complex and a slew of amino acids to keep color maximally vibrant while adding shine and bounce. Hairstylist and guest judge Reece Walker really likes this one, singling out its luxurious feel and time-saving benefits — plus, Walker adds, “it didn’t leave the hair heavy and was super moisturizing.”