If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This keeps it 100% reader-supported and free of advertisements or sponsorships. Thanks for your support!
If you’re reading this, you might be a scent junkie. If so, I am your people.
The pleasures of scent are amplified in a steamy shower so having great smelling body and hair products helps to create an atmosphere while you wash. And a scent that lingers in your hair days later can be a pleasant surprise when you catch a whiff of your shampoo’s scent.
It’s also true though that the sense of smell is closely linked to our emotions and can have a powerful impact on our mood and overall well-being. When we use a shampoo that has a pleasant scent, it can create a positive sensory experience that can lift our mood and make us feel good.
When we have a shampoo that smells good on our hair for a long time, it can provide a sense of confidence and self-assurance. Knowing that our hair smells good can make us feel more attractive and put-together, which can boost our self-esteem and make us feel more confident.
Not to mention, the scent of the shampoo can evoke pleasant memories or associations, which can enhance the overall experience.
So which shampoos both smell good and tend to leave a scent that lasts for days? These have been some of my favorites.
Ouai is a brand that really loves scent, having come out with their own hair perfumes, but their scents are also infused in all of their hair products. Their shampoos for fine, medium, and thick hair all use the Mercer Street fragrance which has Italian Lemon, Turkish Rose, Jasmine Sambac, Iris, Lilly, and White Musk. It’s a really nice floral and musk scent that’s not too overpowering but I can still catch a whiff of it even a couple of days later.
All the Kerastase shampoos have incredible scent that is not so subtle. If you like a big noticeable scent profile though, their shampoos are for you. Aside from their Chroma Absolu Shampoo being great for reducing frizz and improving shine, its aroma is a combination of neroli, woody notes, florals and musks. This scent is one of the longest-lasting I’ve tried on any shampoo, and when my hair gets wet in the rain it smells heavenly all over again.
Blu Atlas’ Coconut and Apricot Shampoo has a nice gender-neutral scent which gives off all the beachy, coconut vibes. As popular as beachy scents are, I’ve had trouble finding one in a shampoo, but this one ticks all the right notes for having a noticeable scent that makes me feel like I’m on vacation.
Mondays’ Shampoos come in different versions for volumizing, moisturizing, repairing, color protecting, clarifying, and smoothing, as well as a gentle version for delicate scalps. With the exception of the last one, they all share the same signature gardenia scent. It’s a feminine floral scent that’s not too strong but pleasantly fresh.
SheaMoisture’s Strengthen and Restore Shampoo had to make the list for me because of its sugar-y vanilla scent. It makes the shower smell amazing and the scent lingers afterwards on my hair.
Gisou is another brand that has come out with their own hair perfumes, so you know they take fragrance seriously. Their Hair Wash uses notes of honey, their signature ingredient in all of their hair products, along with notes of citrus, apricot, and mandarin. The result is something very feminine and fresh with a hint of sweetness.
The Maui Moisture shampoos all smell amazing, but this one is my favorite. It’s a great shampoo for giving shine to dull hair, and it smells like juicy, fruity watermelon. It’s not a cheap-smelling scent, but playful, fresh, and fun.
Getting a shampoo with an amazing and long-lasting scent is a self-care hack for incorporating scent into your routine without any extra steps. And there’s nothing better than smelling your hair after a couple days to notice your hair still smells as incredible as it did a couple days ago.
