Can a $50 Shampoo Transform Your Hair For Good?

I’ve never had a life-changing experience—let alone a looks-changing experience—by using shampoo. I saw it as a purely utilitarian product with a simple mission: to clean my hair and scalp. That is, until I tried 14th Night’s The Nourishing Shampoo, and its sister product, The Nourishing Conditioner. After just one use, my hair was bouncier, shinier, and smoother than I’d ever seen it. I was so shocked by the results that I now refuse to gatekeep this product. I recommend it for anyone in search of luscious, salon-quality locks, without the need for harsh chemicals or damaging heat tools.

14th Night’s plant-based, phthalate-free shampoo flies low under the radar for most beauty consumers—but it’s something of an industry favorite among haircare professionals, and for good reason. Formulated with pomegranate, argan, and almond oils, this product provides a wave of hydration, but doesn’t leave any heavy residue after rinsing. Pea peptides and quinoa which is rich in vitamins and minerals are reported to promote hair growth. If you’re looking at this ingredients list and thinking, okay...oil in shampoo? Won’t that make my hair oily? The answer is no—there’s actually the opposite outcome. Similar to their effect on the skin, the oils in this shampoo attract sebum in your scalp, gently taking it out without stripping the hair.

Also worth noting: when I use The Nourishing Shampoo, I don’t even need to style my hair. I just wash and go. And as my hair air-dries, it remains relatively free of frizz (a mane concern of mine) on even the most humid summer afternoons. Plus, the scent—a hint of almond and a jolt of sweetness from the pomegranate—is pleasant, not too cloying. It’s strong enough, however, to still give off a whiff when my ponytail accidentally gets in my face.

The brand’s founder, Negar Mohammadi, came up with the idea for The Nourishing Shampoo after watching her Persian mother apply her own homemade hair serum growing up. (Even the ingredients—pomegranate, argan oil—are a nod to Mohammadi’s Iranian heritage.) She’s an avid surfer and swears by her own formulations to keep her hair hydrated, even while paddling out into the salty seawater. And thank goodness she created this product, because if she hadn’t, I would never see the potential a shampoo could make for a good hair day.