The 2026 Shop TODAY Hair Awards are officially here! Our team of editors and trusted testers spent months trying out the latest and greatest products that promise to help improve your strands.
Our manes were brushed, conditioned, cleansed, masked and so much more, all in the name of finding the top hair products of the year. We ended up with 50 picks, ranging from styling brushes to shampoos and hot tools. And many of them are on Amazon, so Prime members can add them to their carts now and start introducing them to their routines within just a few days!
Keep reading for all of this year’s winners that are currently available on Amazon.
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Shop TODAY Hair Award-winning shampoos and cleansers on Amazon
One staffer’s mom says that this cleanser left her hair feeling “squeaky clean” without drying her scalp. She adds, “At this price point, I was very impressed with the results. I liked the applicator in that I was able to massage my scalp as I applied it to my hair.”
Editor Vivien Moon says this shampoo leaves her hair “feeling clean without feeling stripped.” She adds, “It has a great lather and washes out well. While past clarifying shampoos have been lackluster, this one checks every box I have for a clarifying shampoo and it’s affordable! I will repurchase.”
While the compact style of this dry shampoo may be unconventional, our tester shares that it’s super effective. “I was really impressed by how well this dry shampoo worked!” says Mirjam Lablans, a senior producer for NBC’s strategic content team. “I work out or run most days and have very thick hair that I don’t love to wash more than once or twice a week, so I definitely need a dry shampoo to tide me over between washes. This one is a winner.”
Clarifying shampoos can sometimes be drying or leave behind a residue, but one Shop TODAY intern says that you won’t get any of that with this shampoo. “It was actively cleaning my scalp and hair of dandruff, sweat, grease and grime while still leaving it moisturized,” she shares.
“I recently dyed my hair a copperish red, which is a very hard color to keep from fading,” says editor Shannon Garlin. “This shampoo is from a brand that has a whole color and dye system that many stylists use in the salon, so I feel like they knew what they were doing formulating this! It maintained the color vibrancy of my hair and prevented it from fading as fast as it would. Plus it left my hair feeling so soft, and it smells so good.”
“When I say I love this shampoo, I mean it,” says Moon. “Ever since I first tried it in December, I knew it was going to be a mainstay in my bathroom. I loved it so much, I brought it home to my parents’ home over Christmas break because I didn’t want to part with it. However, I also knew it would be great for my mom, so I left it with her to use (she loves it too now), and getting to try it again has been a joy. I love everything from the ingredients to the smell to the lather; there’s nothing I would fix about it personally. I feel that it has made a difference in my hair, and I am not excited for the day it runs out.”
One tester shares that after trying this shampoo, their hair “felt much cleaner” and their “scalp felt softer and more comfortable instead of dry or irritated.” They say, “It also helped keep my scalp hydrated and reduced flaking, which made a big difference. My hair felt fresh, soft, and healthy afterward, and I really enjoyed using it!”
As someone who has been bleaching their hair for over a decade, I’ve tried most of the purple shampoos on the market. So when I heard that K18, the brand behind the viral molecular repair mask, was coming out with a purple shampoo, I jumped at the chance to try it. It has a unique foam formula that feels lightweight on hair and doesn’t weigh it down.
It also does exactly what it promises: It keeps your blonde looking bright and brass-free, without leaving a grey-ish or purple tint, even after regular use. It also doesn’t leave residue on your shower or hands; it washes away easily with water. I recently got my hair done, and when I told the stylist that I was using this shampoo, she gave it her seal of approval.
“I absolutely love the scent and the quality of this product! It’s the best-smelling Nioxin product I’ve used, and after using Nioxin System 4, I’ve noticed this one leaves my hair looking noticeably fuller,” one of our staffer’s moms shares. “While it doesn’t completely eliminate hair shedding, I’ve definitely seen an improvement in volume and overall fullness. I also love that it’s color-safe.”
Shop TODAY Hair Award-winning conditioners and masks on Amazon
“I hoped to address the dryness of my hair and this deep conditioner did exactly that,” says former creative coordinator Ayanna Chambers. “The moment I applied it to my hair, it immediately began to hydrate and soften my curls, which are 4B (I have three different curl patterns throughout my head). The conditioner had great coverage and made my detangling process much easier while still managing to not leave any buildup of product. Alongside its useful effects, it also smells great, which is always an added plus.”
“I liked how lightweight this product felt,” shares editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson’s husband, Jonathan Jackson. “I have low-porosity hair, so heavier leave-ins can make my hair feel heavy and dull, but this was perfect for what I needed and left my hair feeling soft, moisturized and healthy.”
TODAY producer Melea McCreary calls this conditioner “a steamer and deep conditioning treatment all in one.” She shares, “I have heavy, straight hair that is prone to a little frizz around the ends in the summer. After just one use, I basically had ‘glass hair’ without even having to blow-dry! It’s a hefty investment, but worth it for the conditioning and smoothing benefits. [It] did the job without making your hair feel too heavy!”
“If you want your hair to have the aroma of a lush Mediterranean garden, you’re in luck!” says deputy managing editor Jess Bender. “This is pretty much the best-smelling hair mask I’ve ever used, which isn’t a surprise considering Necessaire makes products with incredible scents. Long-term results have also not let me down! Since I started incorporating this leave-in mask into my routine, I’ve noticed a considerable difference in the amount of breakage and my hair feels smoother when I incorporate a hot brush into the mix after.”
Shop TODAY Hair Award-winning hair tools on Amazon
I’ve been using this scalp massager every time I shampoo my hair for the last four years. In fact, I have to bring it with me every time I travel, because I never feel like I can get my hair clean enough without it. Not only does it help me get my cleansing products deeper and more evenly spread throughout my hair, but the little bristles on my head feel like a relaxing massage, too.
For va-va-volumous bounce on a budget, these curlers from The Hair Edit take the cake! The rollers work to lift the root, creating bouncy volume while adding body and movement to the length the hair. The best part? The velcro coating grips onto the hair allowing them to stay in place during the styling process without being rough or pulling.
The pack comes with nine rollers, but our tester shop TODAY partnerships editor Kara Quill says, “For thicker or for people with a lot of hair like me, I think I could have benefitted from more rollers.”
“This has been such a wonderful addition to my curl styling routine,” special projects associate Jordan Murray shares about this styling brush. “It delivers exactly what it promised: an extra oomph to really make sure your curls are defined, shaped and springy. It’s super easy to use, doesn’t add frizz and helps add more volume when brought all the way up to the root. The side ridges do a great job of separating out the curls, while the mix of boar and plastic bristles keeps your curls tangle-free and eliminates frizz.”
“This hair dryer has become my new favorite hair tool because of its lightweight, ergonomic and sleek design,” says writer Jannely Espinal. “In the beginning, I didn’t have many expectations due to its small design. However, it does perform amazingly and reduces my frizz. While it doesn’t dry my hair faster than other hair dryers, it does protect my strands and makes my hands less tired, because it’s so lightweight ... I would definitely pay for this hair dryer over and over again, just because it performs so well. The best part? You can fold it, making it more compact and easy to travel with.”
More of the best Shop TODAY Hair Award-winning products on Amazon
“I’ve been using this gel for a couple months now and love it,” Stewart-Jackson shares. “I primarily use it for my slick-back styles but will also use it for curl definition, whether that’s of my whole head or just face-framing pieces. It actually holds my hair down without drying it out as most gels tend to do.”
“I used this product after curling my hair for a bridal shower, and it kept my beach waves looking great all day, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” shares writer Danielle Murphy’s sister, Nicole Kelleher. “It added noticeable volume and helped my hair look less oily without feeling heavy or sticky. I loved how well the volume and texture lasted. Even the next day, my waves were still visible and my hair maintained its body, even after brushing it out. This product definitely delivers on its promises. I love that it works as both a texturizing spray and a dry shampoo, which makes it a versatile addition to my routine.”
If you don’t have time to make it into the salon to touch up your roots, but aren’t quite ready yet to rock the all-natural look, this is a great solution. Laura Geller is a beloved brand among our editors, and this touch-up formula is a favorite. There are two ends: The cream to help cover your roots and brows, and then the powder to help seal it in, so your hair looks its best all day long.
What are Shop TODAY’s 2026 Hair Awards?
Shop TODAY’s second annual Hair Awards touches on all the hair styling and care items that give our team and staffers their healthiest strands and best styles. They pitched the products they swear by in categories like shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, treatments and brushes, including picks that they’ve been loving and using for years on end. We also combed through new launches and bestselling product submissions to complete our testing pool. Each product was evaluated through real-world testing to identify the formulas, tools and treatments that truly deliver on their claims. Our goal is to help readers discover products worth their time and money across every step of their hair routine.
What type of products do we test?
Our team of editors, writers and staffers sorted through hundreds of new launches, editor and expert recommendations, trending and tried-and-true products to solidify our testing pool of 161 contenders. To determine our list of 50 winners, we incorporated products into our hair routines over the span of two months to see if they meet requirements when it comes to quality, special features, value and overall satisfaction for styling, strengthening and hair health. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners to give their sign-off based on criteria that make a quality hair product.
How do we test products?
Our editorial team and a group of trusted testers evaluate products over an extended testing period as part of their everyday routines. Rather than relying on a single impression, testers use products in real-life conditions to assess how they perform over time.
Each product is scored using a standardized evaluation that measures:
- Effectiveness at delivering its intended benefit
- Overall satisfaction
- Ease and enjoyment of use
- Product quality, including formula, ingredients, packaging and performance
- Likelihood of continued use or repurchase
- Likelihood of recommending it to others
- Performance compared to similar products
- How well it addressed specific concerns
- How well it improved hair’s look and feel
In addition to numerical scores, testers provide detailed written feedback describing what they loved, what could be improved and how the product fit into their routines.
How we chose winners
Winning products consistently stood out across both quantitative scores and qualitative feedback. Our editorial team reviewed tester ratings alongside written reviews to identify products that delivered exceptional performance, lived up to their claims and offered meaningful value to consumers.
While high scores were important, editors also considered factors such as innovation, ease of use, consistency of results and how products compared with others in their category. The final winners represent the products our testers would genuinely continue using and confidently recommend to others.
What our badge means
The Shop TODAY editors and writers interview expert sources, try newly launched products and search the internet to find the best products out there. Based on personal experiences and expert recommendations, we aim to make shopping easier for our readers. With our rigorous methodology created to ensure every product is reviewed the same way, we stand by everything we recommend across our broadcast, digital and social platforms.
