If Your Hair Still Feels Lacklustre No Matter What You Try, a Pre-Shampoo Treatment Could Be What’s Missing

We're all familiar with the benefits that targeted shampoos, hair masks, and heat protectants can do, but not many of us are maximising our haircare routine with pre-shampoo treatments. However, they are often the one step that your hair and scalp are desperately in need of.

If you've ever felt like your hair is still lacking something even after trying countless post-wash products, it's likely that you need to think more about what you're doing before shampooing—and how you're treating your scalp as well as your ends. Whether you're dealing with oiliness, dullness, frizz, or weak hair that needs strengthening, a pre-shampoo product could be for you.

Pre-shampoo treatments are anything you add to your hair before washing, rather than after, and can include hair growth serums, hair oils, spray conditioners, or even bond builders. Wet hair is much stretchier and more prone to breakage than dry hair, so applying products pre-wash helps protect and repair your hair in its strongest state.

As someone on a hair health journey and looking to get as much length as possible, these are the pre-shampoo treatments I swear by for noticeable results.

How We Test

The Marie Claire UK team takes product testing seriously, committed to delivering accurate, honest, and genuinely helpful reviews for our readers. For this piece, I've rounded up pre-shampoo products that I have used on my hair several times and have seen results from. I assessed texture, packaging, ease of use, how it feels on the scalp, and the all-important results after shampooing.

Best Pre-Shampoo Treatments

• Best for growth: Nature Spell, £9.99 at Amazon
• Best for repair: Olaplex No.3, £30.24 at Lookfantastic
• Best for strength: Rhute, £35 at Rhute
• Best for shine: Gisou, £22 at Sephora
• Best for scalp health: Olaplex No.0.5, £41 at Lookfantastic
• Best for oil reduction: Sam McKnight, £36 at Lookfantastic
• Best overnight treatment: Hair Syrup, £14.50 at Boots
• Best for blondes: She's Thick, £30 at She's Thick

Best for Growth: Nature Spell Rosemary Oil for Hair Growth With Root Comb Applicator

Nature Spell's rosemary oil is my most used pre-shampoo treatment, and it has almost certainly made a difference to my hair growth judging by the amount of friends that have marvelled at how long my hair has become recently. I apply mine using the handy dropper bottle anywhere from 20 minutes to the night before washing my hair, and despite the oil formula, it washes out easily with regular shampoo. As well as nourishing the scalp, my hair always looks and feels much silkier after washing with much less frizz to contend with.

Best for Repair: Olaplex No.3 Plus Complete Repair Treatment

Olaplex's hero product, No. 3, is the single haircare product I have never stopped using—I apply it once a week without fail, and you can tell how well-loved my pre-launch sample bottle is. The newly reformulated bond technology repairs damaged hair in just a few minutes when applied to wet, but not yet shampooed, hair. It replenishes moisture for increased softness, smoothness, and manageability, and reduces breakage and split ends to strengthen hair over time. If you have particularly damaged hair that needs more than just a heavy-duty conditioner, this pre-shampoo treatment will make the world of difference.

Best for Strength: Rhute Triple Density Complex

Unlike many scalp oils, this Rhute formula is applied from roots to ends to target hair density, shedding, breakage, overall strength. It's also much more lightweight than traditional hair oils, so it even works for fine hair that without leaving a residue. I love that this hybrid treatment offers both scalp care and strand nourishment in one, so you don't need to turn to different products for your scalp and ends. I'm also a huge fan of the subtly sweet scent that makes me look forward to applying it a few times a week. After several uses, my hair not only appears to be shedding less (a huge plus for me), but it's also softer and shinier.

Best for Shine: Gisou Honey Gloss Collagen Drops Hair Oil

I've been using these Gisou drops for months to tame dry hair, but I recently discovered that they can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment too. This works particularly well if you have dull but fine hair that doesn't agree with overly oily formulas, as this product is much more watery in nature and easy to wash out. Apply as many drops as your hair needs to your ends and leave for at least 30 minutes before washing out, and the hair looks much glossier and feels softer too.

Best for Scalp Health: Olaplex No. 0.5 Scalp Longevity Treatment

Poor scalp health can lead to increased hair shedding, dryness, and a wealth of other issues—so a scalp treatment can make the world of difference. I've been using the Olaplex Scalp Longevity Treatment for a while and I love that it's totally non-greasy, easy to apply, and its instant soothing powers that nourish the scalp's barrier. If you have a particularly dry or flaky scalp, this is for you. Although it can be applied post-shampoo too, I find that it works best applied the night before washing so it can really sink in and get to work. It isn't heavy or oily, so it's more than comfortable to sleep in. Plus, it means that my hair and scalp feel extra clean and nourished after shampooing.

Best for Oil Reduction: Hair by Sam McKnight Pure Genius 98% Natural Scalp Restoring Oil

It may sound counterintuitive to use an oil to combat greasiness, but that's exactly what this Sam McKnight pre-wash treatment does. It helps to refresh your scalp so your hair feels cleaner, softer, and more hydrated post-shampoo. Apply to dirty hair, massage into the scalp, and leave for a minimum of ten minutes whilst it gets to work. The formula helps to lift build-up on your roots so your hair feels cleaner, but it also locks in moisture so your scalp won't produce excess oil to rehydrate after washing.

Best Overnight Treatment: Hair Syrup Pre-Wash Hair Oil Rapunzel

If you're after a heavy-duty treatment you can leave to sink in overnight, Hair Syrup gets my vote. It's designed for dull and stubborn hair that struggles to grow, saturating it with nourishing ingredients to moisturise from root to end. It does have a heavier feel due to the oil formula, but it still washes out easily with shampoo. I apply it all over my dry hair the night before washing, and it not only makes my hair much easier to manage the next day, but it makes it significantly softer and glossier too.

Best for Blondes: She's Thick Hair Growth & Repair Oil for Blondes

If you bleach your hair, you know just how brittle and dull it can get. This pre-wash treatment is designed with blondes in mind, strengthening and conditioning whilst protecting colour—and making hair feel thicker and look shinier. It has a lovely minty scent that revitalises the scalp, and it has a moisturising oily texture that isn't too heavy. It's another one that washes out easily in the shower, and it can be used from roots to ends on dry hair and left on for as long as you like.