ICYMI, Shop TODAY's 2025 Hair Awards launched last week. For six months, editors, TODAY staffers and even members of our Mom Squad tested products to bring you the absolute best in hair care.
We tried name brand and drugstore items alike in hopes of finding serums that soothe your scalp, conditioners that mend split ends, TSA-friendly hair tools and more.
Even better? Nearly 40 award-winning products can also be found on Amazon. Our favorites start at just $4, keeping your hair and your wallet happy.
Shop TODAY 2025 Hair Award Winners on Amazon
"I've been trying to scrunch my hair lately and lean into my curly-wavy hair type," says associate editor, Shannon Garlin. "I used this as a base and finisher for my scrunch routine and I was pleasantly surprised. It didn't weigh my hair down and it paired well with other products. After I diffused my hair, I applied more to tame frizz and it did the job."
"I switched to sulfate-free haircare years ago and it's really helped my hair stay hydrated and grow — but oftentimes brands will use the "sulfate-free" or "argan oil" promises to justify high prices," says Phoebe Curran, a TODAY Show producer. "This shampoo does the opposite — it makes healthy haircare affordable and valuable at the same time."
According to experts we previously interviewed, argan oil is a key ingredient you might want to start incorporating into your haircare routine. Not only is it jam packed with beneficial ingredients (like vitamin E!) that serve as natural heat protectants, but it also works to soothe otherwise irritable and itchy scalps.
This oil works best when combed through towel-dried hair, according to the brand, making it quick and easy to protect and further nourish your hair.
Keep grays at bay with this quick and dual-ended tool, that works similarly to a marker to conceal gray strands. Find the shade that matches your hair best, and utilize each of the ends to cover up and blend the color.
"My curls are defined and relatively frizz-free despite the humid day," says TODAY producer, Erika Glass. "It makes a good curl without drying too crunchy!"
Glass also notes that the "jelly" consistency is easy to work and style hair with.
Over 40,000 users gave this at-home dye kit a five-star review, describing it as a reliable solution that provides vibrant color at an affordable price.
Maira Espinal, member of our Mom Squad and mother of writer Jannely Espinal, says her hair feels softer and more "refreshed" after using this shampoo. Its lightweight formula includes key ingredients like amino acids to add shine and moisture to otherwise dull strands.
Senior photo editor Becca Delman noticed a decrease in frizz after utilizing this treatment, noting that it helped make her postpartum hair "appear softer and smoother," adding that it didn't feel heavy or weigh down her hair compared to other heat protectants she's used.
"Where has this hair mask been my entire life?" wonders deputy managing editor, Jess Bender. "Outside of professional salon visits, I don't think my hair's been this soft or bouncy or frizz-free in a long, long, looooooooong time. The directions were as easy as can be (use a small amount from top to bottom, leave on for 3-5 minutes before rinsing for a full minute) and provided an ample amount of hydration I haven't seen with other hair masks I've used in the past. It also revived my natural waves with minimal effort like I haven't seen in years. One colleague also commented that my tresses had gotten "so long" during the time frame I've been using it, which may be a fluke but I'll take hair compliments any day!"
My [Hoeger] hairdresser uses this shampoo and has been ever since I was 9, and whenever my mom bought it, it seemed like a treat. I love its tingly feel that seems to wake up my scalp and strands, and I've always been in love with its smell.
This shampoo makes me feel like I stepped out of the shower with that just-washed-at-the-salon hair. It has a smell that makes your hair just feel fresh — and ingredients like mint that help your scalp and hair feel more awake.
Have curly hair? If Rizos isn’t on your radar, allow us to introduce you to the brand. This shampoo works on all curl types, from 1A to 4C, to nourish, moisturize, and clean your scalp and strands without drying them out.
For fuller, thicker blowouts, deputy editorial director Ali Deabler recommends utilizing this volumizer beforehand, rather than afterwards.
Key ingredients like bamboo extract and a proprietary polymer complex work to thicken strands, while providing you with a ‘bombshell’ blowout.
“I have been using this bond-building product for over a year now and it is a staple of mine for achieving glossy, shiny strands in seconds,” says Ekman. “Unlike other masks and treatments, it truly works almost instantly (no more waiting 20 min in the shower!). It comes out as a pretty thin liquid formula that works into a cream, so it’s easy to use too much at first, but I’ve gotten the hang of it now and one bottle lasts a long time. I apply it on my mid-lengths to ends and it really feels like it’s sealing moisture in the strands and defending against breakage.”
“I’ve been looking for an aerosol dry shampoo alternative for what seems like forever, and this one checks all the boxes,” praises writer Danielle Murphy. “This gets rid of oily patches in seconds. It just takes a few quick taps. I should have went with the shade for darker hair because the powder shows up stark white on my scalp, but all I really needed to do was zhuzh it up a bit with my fingers. This also made my hair feel a lot thicker.”
Murphy notes that this “puff” is exceedingly better than a traditional dry shampoo spray.
Commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto recently embarked on a journey to resolve hair thinning woes. She utilized this shampoo everyday as part of a three-step routine, complimenting key ingredients niacinamide, caffeine and lauric acid for helping to stimulate hair follicles.
Founded by Jennifer Aniston, LolaVie strives to provide you with clean haircare that doesn’t compromise on results. This paste employs the “power” of pomegranate and chia seeds to help hold hair in place — serving as the last step to ensure curls remain bouncy and straight hair is frizz-free.
Julia Moon, Mom Squad member and mother of editor Vivien Moon, complimented this hair sprays’ “non-sticky” and “quick-drying” qualities, calling it a “game-changer” in her routine.
Reviewers appreciate this product for the natural color it provides, working to offer a much-needed refresh or a solution for covering up gray hairs.
It’s available in eight universal shades, no matter if you have lighter hair or dark brown or black hair.
“My hair tends to frizz and this product helped with that, and left my hair smooth and tangle-free,” praises Mary Lou McGarry, Garlin’s mom.
Vitamin B3, rice proteins and fermented willowbark work together to aid in hair growth and reduce the appearance of split ends.
Working to perfect your at-home blowout? This product can help, aiming to add volume and body when used at the beginning of your blow-drying process.
Fermented rice water is the key ingredient within this shampoo that works to soothe your scalp, according to experts. Rice water also naturally includes starches, which helps add a sense of fullness to your hair.
This bundle comes with everything you need to get started, including shampoo, conditioner and a hair mask.
"I have really frizzy hair, especially when I don't apply product," says junior commerce insights associate, Elizabeth Iskander. "It helped smooth my hair a lot and made it more manageable when it dried."
This leave-in treatment utilizes citric acid to strengthen weak bonds and prevent future breakage.
Ekman touts this product as being a simple solution for keeping her color-dyed hair bright and healthy, describing her then-cherry colored hair as more "vibrant and dimensional" after use.
This travel-friendly tool checks all the boxes when it comes to an on-the-go device that adds volume, lifts roots and styles both wet and dry hair, according to Ashley Parrish, SVP of commerce for NBC News Group.
"I actually replaced my usual conditioner with this mask!" says media coordinator, Lauren Biggerstaff. "It's so easy and lightweight that I can use it frequently without my hair starting to feel heavy or greasy. My hair ends are the bane of my existence, but I do feel like this hair mask has added a little more shine."
Described as "incredibly de-frizzing" by NBC News production manager, Colby Burdick, who also compliments how immediate the results are.
This duo works to treat weak, damaged hair thanks to its blend of key ingredients like amino acids and microalgae.
Although marketed towards men, Angie Lassman, NBC News meteorologist, reduced the dosage per instructions on the packaging to make it suitable for female use and was able to see results regarding hair growth.
"This product helped me promote growth in a few spare spots along my hairline," she says, adding that "it is easy to apply and the scent wasn't horrible."
Designed with the health of your hair in mind, this blow dryer was crafted with ceramic technology that aims to decrease damage brought on by the use of heat on your hair.
After meeting with SickScience, a biotech brand founded by two molecular scientists, Ricevuto was more than excited to see how their products could aid in her hair thickening journey.
With a formula made of "garlic and wheat-derived plant exosome technology," when applied two to three times per week, this serum yielded an improvement in hair growth after eight weeks.
“I tried out both attachments and both worked amazingly,” praises commerce insights manager, Donna Pilikyan. “Really loved that the attachments snap on to the hair dryer with magnets, makes it super easy and quick to change them. This hair dryer is super light, dries hair fast and is quiet.”
This treatment mask uses plant-based proteins and niacinamides to moisturize "very dry" strands, according to the brand. It's suggested that you utilize it once a week in your hair care routine, on damp or wet hair, letting it sit for up to five minutes before rinsing out.
This serum helps add some meaning to the term "beauty sleep," working overnight to bring you smoother, softer hair and reduce damage brought on by bleach or hot tools.
"It has a nice grip, solid buttons and is fairly quiet for a hair dryer," says Peyton Young, TODAY social media video producer. "I like the minimalist interface too. The air comes out very pointed and really dries down to my roots extremely quickly."
The brand promises dry hair in just one minute, depending on the length and thickness of your hair.
Ricevuto had nothing but great things to say about this hair tool, noting that "it heats up super quickly and my hair looks really sleek after just a single pass."
Drybar is known for their insta-worthy blowouts. Now you can achieve the same results at home thanks to this device, that includes three different attachments to produce three different results.
The oval brush attachment adds volume and shine to hair, while the vented paddle brush provides silky smooth and pin-straight strands. The small round brush also gives hair "defined" curls and waves, per the brand.
Splurge-worthy? Yes — this product delivers real results thanks to the red light technology embedded within. Ricevuto used this ball cap as a way to stimulate hair growth, noticing results at the three-month mark.
How we chose
Shop TODAY’s first ever Hair Awards had our team of editors and staffers across the entire TODAY team try and review more than 140 products to find the best products on the market. From growth products to masks and more, this list is everything that has earned the Shop TODAY stamp of approval.
We sorted through over 350 new launches, editor recommendations, trending and tried-and-true products to come up with 52 winners. We incorporated products into our everyday, regular beauty routines over the course of over six months to see if they meet requirements when it comes to value, satisfaction and quality for hair products and tools. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners to give their sign-off based on ingredients and other factors.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
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