9 Top Shampoos With Low pH In 2024
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The hair is famously called our crowning glory, which should hint at how much we should take care of it.
Everyone should pay attention to the condition of their hair as much as they do to their skin.
You’ve probably heard about the importance of balanced pH from skincare commercials. But did you know it’s equally significant to maintain an optimal pH level for your hair and scalp?
Looking for the lowest pH levels of shampoos might sound like a tedious task.
Keep reading because we’ve already searched for the top shampoos with low pH levels to make things easy for you!
- Well-suited for sensitive scalp and all hair types
- Hypoallergenic formula
- Low pH and alkali-free
- 24-hour moisturizing effect
- Improves hair elasticity
- Ingredients to strengthen follicles and fix split ends
- Natural, gentle cleanse to wash off scalp build-up
- Delivers up to three times hair strengthening
- Treats scalp dryness and itchiness
Table of Contents
- 1 Why Use Low-pH Shampoos?
- 2 Top Shampoos With Low pH for Various Hair Types
- 3 Top Shampoos With Low pH for Dry Hair
- 4 Top Shampoos With Low pH for Dull, Rough, and Frizzy Hair
- 5 Top Shampoos With Low pH for Damaged and Thinning Hair
- 6 Top Shampoo With Low pH for Color-Treated Hair
- 7 Top Shampoos With Low pH for Scalp Care
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
- 9 Start Using Shampoos With Low pH
Why Use Low-pH Shampoos?
Let’s take a quick trip back to our chemistry lessons before we go through the top low-pH shampoos.
What Is pH?
The pH determines the acidity and alkalinity of a solution measured on a scale of zero to 14. Levels zero to 6 are acidic, level 7 is neutral, and levels 8 to 14 are alkaline. The abbreviation stands for “potential of hydrogen.”
Our hair and skin have natural pH levels that have to be maintained to keep them in their healthiest condition. But there are tons of factors that easily alter their pH levels.
The hair could easily lean toward the alkaline side due to coloring, styling, shampoos with alkaline ingredients, and even the water you use to shower.
When this happens, your strands become more prone to frizz, dullness, and breakage.
Keep in mind that one of the keys to maintaining healthy hair is keeping a balanced pH.
What Is the Optimal pH for Your Hair and Scalp?
The hair and scalp’s natural pH level is between 4.5 and 5.5, which is low on the pH scale. That means the hair and scalp are naturally acidic.
When external factors alter our hair’s pH, it could move toward the alkaline side. Therefore, in this case, keeping our hair and scalp healthy would require using low pH / acidic / pH-balanced shampoos and products.
Why Use Low pH Shampoos?
A study showed that hair fibers are more prone to friction that can damage the cuticles when the hair’s pH level increases.
Researchers found that the benefits of using low pH or pH-balanced shampoos prevent frizz and hair breakage.
Top Shampoos With Low pH for Various Hair Types
Now you know the importance of keeping a healthy pH level for your hair, here are some of the top shampoos with low pH for your specific hair type and concerns.
Top Shampoos With Low pH for Dry Hair
Joico has one of the best shampoos with a low pH, which is hailed for its highly effective moisturizing properties.
Key benefits: Delivers instant hydration, nourishes and restores hair elasticity, strengthens hair and reduces breakage
Features:
- Sea kelp has vitamins and minerals with intense moisturizing properties
- Jojoba oil has fatty acids like omega-9 to make the hair look shinier
- Shea butter nourishes and conditions coarse and extra-thick hair
You can’t go wrong with its instant moisturizing and nourishing properties, which leave your hair looking shinier and healthier than ever.
Most times, dry hair leads to other hair issues.
And that’s why Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo comes highly recommended because it’s also proven to address hair breakage and elasticity.
It’s also formulated to cleanse every strand nicely without compromising the hair’s moisture and nourishment.
This shampoo is packed with ingredients that will make your hair look shiny while promising to triple the protection from breakage.
That makes it the perfect shampoo, even for coarse and extra-thick hair. In fact, it’s one of the top low-pH shampoos for curly hair!
We love this low-pH, moisturizing shampoo for its long-lasting hydration and salon-grade finish.
Key benefits: Formulated for intensive hydration, restores the hair’s natural barrier, silicone-free formula
Features:
- Elastin protein promotes lasting moisture and strengthens hair follicles
- Caviar restores moisture, improves elasticity, and fixes split ends
- Formula delivers 24-hour moisture
You don’t have to worry about your hair getting dry in the middle of the day with NEXXUS Therappe Moisturizing Shampoo!
While many shampoos formulated for dry hair only promise to restore moisture upon use, the NEXXUS Therappe Moisturizing Shampoo goes way beyond that.
It features ingredients and a formulation crafted using “advanced scientific methods” to deliver 24-hour moisture.
It’s also formulated with reparative properties to address hair issues caused by lack of hydration.
Looking for a shampoo that will nourish your hair and give it a shine that you thought you could only get from visiting the salon? Look no further, this is the one for you!
Top Shampoos With Low pH for Dull, Rough, and Frizzy Hair
Got frizzy and unruly hair? Do yourself a favor and consider using this shampoo.
Key benefits: Low pH formula to smoothen hair cuticles; gentle cleansing and calming effect; improves the condition of frizzy and unruly hair
Feature:
- AQUAGE’s proprietary AlgaePlex “aquatic blend” to smoothen cuticles
- Various types of seaweeds and algae that revitalize, moisturize, and strengthen the hair
- Formulated safe for color-treated hair
With AQUAGE Smoothing Shampoo, you don’t need a product with harsh ingredients to make your hair more manageable.
One of the things we love about this shampoo is the science behind its formula. Aside from boasting a low pH formulation, its main job is to make your hair cuticle smooth.
With smooth cuticles, you’ll find your hair much easier to manage. You can say goodbye to frizzy and unruly hair days.
This shampoo has low pH, so you’ll be washing your hair with a gentle product that won’t harm or irritate your scalp.
Targeting a healthy pH level for the hair and shampoo with apple cider vinegar? Now that’s a match made in heaven.
Key benefits: Adjusts hair’s pH to achieve optimal level, improves hair’s shine to reduce dullness; fresh and mild green apple scent
Features:
- Apple cider vinegar maintains a balanced pH for your hair and scalp
- Lactic acid improves overall scalp health
- Hydrolyzed pea protein creates a protective barrier for every strand
Keep your hair and scalp’s pH balanced while reducing frizz and dullness with just one shampoo.
Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, is one household item that seems to work as a remedy for almost anything, including adjusting the hair’s pH to a healthy level.
On its own, ACV can be a quick DIY hair wash solution to maintain the optimal pH level for the hair, leading to a healthier scalp. And if your scalp is healthy, your hair will be shiny.
But the great news is Phillip Adam Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo doesn’t just have ACV. It also features other naturally derived ingredients that target other hair concerns, such as frizz, dullness, and dehydration.
It includes lactic acid to keep the scalp healthy, treat dandruff, promote hair growth, and soften frizzy hair. It also has hydrolyzed pea protein to reinforce your hair strands’ protective barrier and prevent further damage and retain moisture.
Top Shampoos With Low pH for Damaged and Thinning Hair
Whatever the cause of hair damage, the Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo is formulated to repair it!
Key benefits: Specifically formulated with low pH, repairs and reinforces hair strength; vegan and sulfate-free
Features:
- Citric acid addresses the damaging effects of coloring and styling
- Salicylic acid helps remove dry skin and dandruff
- Acidic bonding concentrate helps strengthen hair bonds
With Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo, you can repair hair damage while maintaining a healthy scalp with just one shampoo.
When hair bonds weaken due to damage from color treatment, styling, and sun exposure, it causes your hair to get frizzy, unruly, and dull.
Luckily, Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo offers a one-stop solution.
This shampoo, as the name suggests, is formulated to work beyond the hair cuticles and reinforce hair bonds. Your hair can restore the shine and strength lost due to damage.
So you’ll never go wrong with Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo if your goal is to find a low pH, sulfate-free shampoo.
Here's another shampoo carefully formulated to achieve balanced pH while having powerful ingredients to reduce hair loss.
Key benefits: Strengthens hair strands, improves hair volume; pH-balanced to nourish the hair from root to tip
Features:
- Biotin promotes hair growth
- Saw palmetto prevents the increase of DHT hormone that causes hair loss
- Quinoa protein protects hair color
Worry less about thinning hair with Avalon Organics Biotin B-Complex Thickening Shampoo.
Like other Avalon products, this shampoo is filled with natural ingredients and is formulated without GMOs and synthetic fragrances.
Its key ingredients are known to aid hair growth. Biotin is a leading ingredient for preventing hair loss and is believed to promote hair regrowth in some cases.
This shampoo also features saw palmetto, which has promising benefits to reverse hair loss. It also has quinoa protein, or hydrolyzed quinoa, which makes it safe for color-treated hair.
No low-pH shampoo list would be complete without Avalon Organics Biotin B-Complex Thickening Shampoo.
It’s designed to help the hair and scalp achieve a balanced pH, along with key ingredients proven to address thinning hair concerns.
Top Shampoo With Low pH for Color-Treated Hair
This low pH shampoo is specifically crafted for over-processed hair but with gentle, pH-balanced formula.
Key benefits: Moisturizes the hair while improving protection; keeps hair perfectly pH-balanced; color-safe, sulfate-free, and vegan-friendly
Features:
- Rosemary reduces breakage from coloring and styling
- Sunflower seed oil can stop hair breakage and treat dry hair
- Soybean seed extract hydrates and nourishes fibers of damaged hair to improve texture
Maintaining color-treated hair to look healthy and nourished should be easier than ever with GIOVANNI 50:50 Balanced Hydrating Clarifying Shampoo.
It’s always fun to express yourself with hair colors. But when not done right or not properly maintained, color treatment can lead to a slew of hair and scalp issues.
Hair coloring alters the structure of your strands. So if you’ve gone to several color treatment sessions, chances are your hair would become weaker and more susceptible to damage.
Luckily, GIOVANNI 50:50 Balanced Hydrating Clarifying Shampoo is one of the products you can rely on to revitalize your hair without ruining its color.
Expect gentle cleansing for your hair and scalp from this low-pH shampoo well-suited for color-treated hair.
Top Shampoos With Low pH for Scalp Care
Stop worrying about scalp issues caused by dryness and unwanted microbes once you get your hands on this gentle, pH-balanced shampoo.
Key benefits: Contains acidic ingredients to achieve perfect pH level, helps retain moisture, protects the scalp and strengthens hair strands
Features:
- Sodium citrate helps the hair and scalp maintain a healthy pH level
- Sodium benzoate has antimicrobial and antifungal to reduce scalp irritation and dandruff
- Hypoallergenic formula
Whatever is causing your scalp problems should be instantly resolved with Sebamed Everyday Shampoo!
Looking for a low-pH-level shampoo specifically formulated for sensitive or dry, flaky, and itchy scalp?
You’ll be glad you continued reading. Get to know Sebamed Everyday Shampoo.
Botanical ingredients may not be prominently listed for this shampoo, but you can be certain that it’s free of parabens and harsh chemicals harmful to your hair and scalp.
And it’s hypoallergenic, so it suits all hair and skin types!
The ultimate rinse to maintain a balanced pH for your scalp and hair.
Key benefits: Maintains balanced pH for the hair and scalp, cleanses buildup and unclogs hair follicles, helps sensitive scalp avoid or reduce itchiness
Features:
- Apple cider vinegar is proven to keep a balanced pH and treat hair cuticles
- Lavender extract improves scalp condition by reducing dryness and itchiness
- Fire tulip has soothing properties to nourish your scalp
dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse works great on days when your hair just needs a break from your shampoo while maintaining a healthy pH level.
Technically, dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse is not a shampoo, but it deserves a spot on this list for several reasons.
Its formula and key ingredients make it one of the top hair products to try if your goal is to achieve the optimal pH level for your hair and scalp.
It actually also works great as a cleansing product to wash your hair. You might even want to use it routinely to cleanse any buildup on your scalp without removing natural oils from your hair.
By removing buildup from shampoo, conditioner, and other hair products, you’re one step closer to a healthier scalp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Low pH Better for My Hair?
Our hair naturally leans to the acidic side of the pH scale. But several factors affect its pH level, including hair treatments, styling, and shampoos with alkaline-based cleansers.
When the hair’s pH increases, it can lead to breakage, frizz, and an unhealthy scalp. So, yes, to give our hair a fighting chance, it’s best to use shampoos with low pH levels.
Can I Use Low-pH Shampoo Every Day?
Hair experts have varying suggestions when it comes to how often you should use low-pH shampoos.
Generally, depending on your hair type, they recommend either once-a-week or bi-weekly hair washing with pH-balanced shampoos.
How Do I Check the pH of My Shampoo?
If you want to make sure or if you just want to check the pH of the shampoo you’re using, there are two ways to test.
The first is to use blue and red litmus paper. This will let you know if the shampoo is acidic or alkaline. The other process uses the pH 4.5 to 10.3 pad test strips. This test will let you know the exact pH of the shampoo.
Can pH Imbalance Lead to Hair Loss?
Using hard water can cause a pH imbalance on the scalp and hair. Hard water is alkaline, with a high pH level of 8.5.
Meanwhile, human hair only has a pH level of 3.5. As a result, hair breakage, frizz, and hair loss/fall are likely to happen.
Start Using Shampoos With Low pH
It’s undeniably important to determine your hair type to find the best shampoo and hair products for you. But whatever your hair type is, there’s one thing we all need to take care of: keeping a balanced pH on your hair and scalp.
Our hair and scalp’s natural pH level is acidic, which is low on the pH scale, but hair products and external factors usually deposit a high level of pH, and this causes damage.
Luckily, there are a bunch of low pH shampoos formulated to address various hair concerns and for different hair types.
Learn More About the Top Shampoos for Specific Hair Needs
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- 5 Shampoos For Keratin Treated Hair You Have To Try