4 Best Conditioners, Evaluated and Reviewed

Because I have curly hair, I also look for products that specifically call out my hair type. Again, Americans in our survey agreed, with 27 percent saying that selecting a product designed for their hair type or texture was among the three most important factors when shopping, after price and moisturizing ability.

I’ve seen products purported to be for all hair types, but I’d never actually tried one myself. To determine whether these conditioners truly worked for everyone, we sent 12 of them home with a panel of four testers with different hair types (see full descriptions). After using each product, they answered questions about how easy it was to detangle their hair, how their hair felt after rinsing, whether they liked the scent, and how easy each product was to use.

To find a conditioner that may work best for your hair type, first look at the “Meet Our Testers” section. Then look for the name of the tester with hair most similar to yours under each product write-up. You’ll find all the details from their at-home testing there.

Selecting hair care products is a highly personal choice. What works for one person might not for another, even when they share the same hair type. It’s no surprise that we had a hard time picking our favorites, as our panelists agreed on very little after trying these conditioners. And it wasn’t just based on how the products worked. Things that seem more straightforward, like a product’s scent, were difficult to agree on too. 

Sneak peek: It wasn’t a total surprise to us, but we were still disappointed to find that none of these conditioners marketed as “for all hair types” actually worked for all our panelists’ hair. Instead of naming a Top Pick for all hair types, we based our recommendations on the top two qualities that conditioner users in our survey said were most important when they shop for hair conditioners: price and moisturizing ability. We also highlighted a few celebrity brands.