Is Monday Shampoo Good? Honest Review Before You Buy

MONDAY shampoo looks cute. That pink bottle is hard to ignore. It sits on the shelf like it belongs in a fancy bathroom, not a drugstore aisle. And honestly, that is a big reason people pick it up the first time.

But then comes the real question.

Is Monday Shampoo Good?

Yes, MONDAY shampoo can be good for some hair types, especially if you want an affordable, nice-smelling, easy-to-find shampoo that feels more premium than its price. But no, it is not perfect for everyone. Some people love it. Some say it made their hair dry, heavy, itchy, greasy, or even thinner-looking.

So this is one of those shampoos where the answer is not a clean yes or no.

It depends on your hair.

It depends on your scalp.

And it really depends on which MONDAY shampoo you choose.

MONDAY says its formulas are pH-balanced, dermatologist-tested, cruelty-free, and free from SLS and parabens. The brand also says its bottles are recyclable and made with recycled materials. That sounds nice. But shampoo does not work by vibes. It works by chemistry. So we need to look at the formula, the reviews, the complaints, and the real hair types that may or may not get along with it.

Quick answer

MONDAY shampoo is okay for many people with normal, oily, fine, straight, wavy, or mildly frizzy hair. It may also work for curly hair if you choose the right line and your curls do not hate protein or buildup.

But I would be careful if your hair is very damaged, bleached, protein-sensitive, very dry, or if your scalp reacts easily.

The brand has won beauty awards and has become popular for its low price, soft fragrance, pretty packaging, and social media buzz. MONDAY Haircare says it launched in March 2020 and became available in over 30 countries with more than 70 major retailers within a few years. Allure also named MONDAY Haircare Clarify Shampoo as a Best of Beauty winner in 2023, noting its grapefruit extract and coconut oil formula for buildup and flyaways.

Still, there are enough negative reviews online that you should not buy it blindly.

Why is MONDAY shampoo so popular?

MONDAY shampoo became popular because it does three things well.

It looks expensive.

It feels affordable.

It shows up everywhere.

That soft pink bottle made the brand easy to recognize on TikTok, Instagram, drugstore shelves, and bathroom counters. A lot of shampoos look boring. MONDAY looks like a beauty product someone actually wants to photograph.

But the popularity is not only about packaging. The brand also built its message around affordable salon-style hair care. MONDAY describes its products as “cult haircare without the cult price tag” and promotes formulas that are pH-balanced, dermatologist-tested, and free from SLS and parabens.

That is powerful marketing because most people want simple things.

They want soft hair.

They want a clean scalp.

They want a bottle that looks cute.

They do not want to pay salon prices.

MONDAY hit that sweet spot.

There is also the awards factor. The brand lists press and beauty awards from names like Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Glamour, Allure, and WWD. Allure also recognized MONDAY Volume Dry Shampoo in its 2024 drugstore beauty winners, saying it uses rice starch to absorb oil and hydrolyzed collagen to add body.

So yes, the hype has a reason.

But hype does not mean every bottle will love every head.

Is MONDAY shampoo okay for hair?

For many people, yes. MONDAY shampoo is okay for regular hair washing if your scalp is healthy and your hair does not need special medical or repair care.

The formulas usually use mild cleansing agents instead of old-school harsh SLS. For example, INCIdecoder lists MONDAY Moisture Shampoo with surfactants such as cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, and sodium cocoyl isethionate. These are common cleansing ingredients in many modern shampoos.

That matters because shampoo is not just “soap for hair.” It is a mix of cleansers, thickeners, fragrance, preservatives, conditioning agents, and sometimes proteins or oils.

A good shampoo should clean oil and dirt without making the scalp angry or leaving the hair feeling like straw.

MONDAY can do that for some people.

But here’s the part people skip. A formula can be gentle on paper and still not suit your hair.

Your hair may dislike fragrance.

Your scalp may react to certain preservatives.

Your curls may hate protein.

Your fine hair may get weighed down.

Your bleached hair may feel rough if the formula does not give enough conditioning support.

So MONDAY is not automatically bad. It is also not automatically safe for every person just because the bottle says SLS-free or dermatologist-tested.

Which MONDAY shampoo should you use?

This is where most people mess up. They grab the prettiest bottle or the one on sale. Then they blame the whole brand when their hair feels weird.

MONDAY has different lines for different hair needs. The exact range can vary by country, but the common choices include Smooth, Moisture, Volume, Gentle, and Clarify.

Here is a simple guide.

MONDAY Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner are marketed for frizzy, coarse, curly, and hard-to-manage hair, with ingredients like wheat protein and avocado oil mentioned in product listings. That sounds good for many frizz-prone people, but wheat protein can be tricky if your hair gets stiff or straw-like from protein products.

Protein is not bad. Hair is made mostly of keratin protein. But some hair feels rough when too many protein-style ingredients build up without enough moisture.

That is why curly girls and bleached-hair people often argue about shampoos. One person gets smooth, bouncy hair. Another gets dry, angry hair. Same bottle. Different hair.

Is MONDAY good for hair wash?

Yes, MONDAY can be good for a normal hair wash, especially if you want a budget shampoo that feels nicer than basic supermarket formulas.

I would use it like this.

Wet your hair fully. Use a small amount. Massage the scalp, not the ends. Rinse very well. If your scalp is oily, shampoo twice with a small amount instead of once with a big blob. Then condition only the mid-lengths and ends.

Simple. Boring. Works.

Most shampoo problems happen because people use too much, rinse too little, or put conditioner on the scalp and then wonder why their roots feel greasy by dinner.

With MONDAY, rinsing well matters because some users complain about buildup or heavy-feeling hair. That does not mean the product “sticks” to everyone’s hair. It means if your hair is low porosity, fine, or easily coated, you may notice residue faster.

Does MONDAY shampoo have good reviews?

Yes, MONDAY shampoo has many good reviews, and it has won public beauty attention. But it also has bad reviews, especially around dryness, buildup, scalp discomfort, and hair shedding claims.

That mixed review pattern is common with viral hair products.

People who love it often say:

They like the smell.

Their hair feels soft.

The bottle looks nice.

The price is fair.

It cleans well without making hair squeaky.

People who dislike it often say:

Their hair felt dry.

Their scalp got itchy.

Their roots felt greasy faster.

Their hair looked flat.

They noticed more shedding in the shower.

The important thing is this. Online reviews can show patterns, but they do not prove medical cause. Hair loss especially is messy. Shedding can come from stress, hormones, low iron, thyroid issues, postpartum changes, weight loss, tight hairstyles, seasonal shedding, illness, medication, scalp inflammation, or harsh styling.

A shampoo can irritate the scalp or make breakage worse for some people. But every “this made my hair fall out” review needs context.

MONDAY shampoo lawsuit update

As of the current search results I checked, I did not find a verified active class-action lawsuit against MONDAY shampoo itself in the same clear way that some other hair brands have faced lawsuits. Search results often bring up broader hair product lawsuit pages, older shampoo ingredient investigations, or unrelated brand lawsuits. One class-action investigation page about formaldehyde-releasing ingredients and shampoos says the investigation was complete and was last updated on February 4, 2026, but it is not a MONDAY-specific lawsuit page.

There are online complaints, Reddit discussions, and petitions about MONDAY Haircare. A 2020 petition accused the brand of false claims and raised concerns about adverse effects, but a petition is not the same as a court judgment or scientific proof.

A 2024 news report also said MONDAY Haircare founder Jaimee Lupton addressed hair loss claims and denied that the products caused the alleged problems, framing some criticism as coming from people unhappy with the brand’s low-cost success. The same report described MONDAY as selling in 65,000 retail stores across 33 countries.

So here is the clean version.

There are hair loss claims online.

There are bad reviews.

There are social media concerns.

But I found no solid public proof, from the sources checked, that MONDAY shampoo has been legally proven to cause hair loss.

That does not mean every complaint is fake. It means we should not turn internet fear into fact.

Is MONDAY shampoo bad for your hair?

MONDAY shampoo is not automatically bad for your hair.

But it can be bad for your hair if the formula does not match your hair type.

That sounds simple, but it matters.

A clarifying shampoo can feel amazing on oily roots and awful on already dry ends.

A smoothing shampoo can calm frizz but weigh down fine hair.

A moisture shampoo can soften dry hair but make oily scalps feel dirty faster.

A protein-containing formula can make some curls look springy and make other curls feel stiff.

So when someone says “MONDAY ruined my hair,” I do not laugh at them. Hair products can absolutely cause trouble for the wrong person. But I also do not blame one bottle for every shedding problem without checking the scalp, health, styling, and routine.

Ingredient breakdown

Here’s what matters in plain English.

Cleansers

MONDAY formulas often use modern surfactants instead of SLS. The brand says its formulas are free from SLS and parabens. That can be helpful for people who find strong sulfate shampoos too stripping. But SLS-free does not always mean sulfate-free in every possible sense, and it does not mean irritation-free.

Fragrance

MONDAY products are known for their scent. The brand mentions a gardenia fragrance. Some people love it. Some sensitive scalps do not. Fragrance is one of those beauty ingredients that feels harmless until your scalp starts itching.

Proteins

Some MONDAY lines include protein-style ingredients. Smooth, for example, is linked with wheat protein in retail descriptions. Protein can help hair feel stronger and smoother for some users, but too much protein-like feel can make certain hair types stiff.

Oils and conditioning agents

Ingredients like avocado oil or coconut oil can help with slip and softness. But oils in a rinse-off shampoo do not act like a deep oil treatment. They can support the feel of the formula, but they will not magically repair split ends.

Preservatives

All water-based shampoos need preservatives. That is normal. A preservative does not make a product unsafe by default. It keeps bacteria and mold away. The question is whether your scalp personally tolerates the formula.

What research says about shampoo and hair damage

Shampoo can affect how hair feels because wet hair is more fragile than dry hair. The hair fiber swells when wet, and rough washing can increase friction. This is why gentle cleansing, good conditioning, and careful detangling matter more than people think.

Studies on hair care and hair shaft damage often point to friction, chemical processing, heat, UV exposure, and grooming habits as major causes of breakage. Shampoos help clean, but the full routine decides how the hair behaves.

That is why someone may blame shampoo when the real issue is a full routine problem.

Maybe they wash too often.

Maybe they use hot tools daily.

Maybe they bleach and then use no bond repair.

Maybe they brush wet curls from root to tip like they are punishing them.

Hair remembers all of that.

Is MONDAY shampoo good for curly hair?

MONDAY can work for curly hair, but I would not call it a perfect curly hair shampoo for everyone.

Curly hair usually needs three things.

Moisture.

Slip.

Low friction.

Some MONDAY options, especially Smooth or Moisture, may help curls feel softer. The Smooth line is marketed toward curly, frizzy, coarse, and hard-to-manage hair. That makes it the most logical MONDAY choice for curls.

But curly hair also reacts strongly to buildup. If a shampoo and conditioner combo leaves your curls coated, your curl pattern may drop. Your roots may feel flat. Your scalp may feel dirty even after washing.

So I would test it slowly.

Use it for two or three washes.

Watch how your curls dry.

Check your scalp the next day.

If your curls feel soft and springy, good.

If they feel waxy, limp, itchy, or rough, stop forcing it.

Hair care should not feel like a toxic relationship with a bottle.

MONDAY shampoo review for hair loss concerns

This is the section people probably came for.

Can MONDAY shampoo cause hair loss?

A shampoo can contribute to shedding or breakage if it irritates your scalp, dries your hair badly, causes allergic contact dermatitis, or makes your hair rough enough to snap during washing and brushing.

But true hair loss usually has deeper causes.

Here is the difference.

Shedding means hair comes out from the root. You may see a white bulb at the end. Some shedding is normal.

Breakage means the strand snaps somewhere along the shaft. You may see short pieces, frizz, or uneven ends.

A shampoo is more likely to cause breakage or scalp irritation than true internal hair loss.

If you notice more hair fall after starting MONDAY, do this.

Stop using it for two weeks.

Switch to a gentle fragrance-free shampoo.

Do not start five new products at once.

Check if your scalp is red, sore, flaky, or itchy.

Look at whether hairs are falling from the root or snapping.

If shedding continues, speak with a dermatologist or doctor.

That last part matters. Hair loss can come from low ferritin, thyroid changes, vitamin D issues, PCOS, medication, stress, postpartum hormones, and scalp conditions. Shampoo may be the loud suspect, but not always the guilty one.

MONDAY shampoo bad reviews: what they usually mean

Bad reviews often sound scary because hair is emotional. Nobody wants to see extra hair in the shower drain. Nobody wants their curls to turn crispy. Nobody wants a shampoo to make them feel worse.

But most bad reviews fall into a few buckets.

Dryness

This can happen if the shampoo cleans too much for your hair type or if the conditioner is not rich enough.

Buildup

This can happen if your hair is fine, low porosity, or you use heavy styling products and do not clarify often enough.

Itchy scalp

This can happen from fragrance, preservatives, surfactants, or just a personal sensitivity.

Greasy roots

This may happen if the formula is too conditioning, if conditioner touches the scalp, or if the scalp overproduces oil after overwashing.

Hair fall claims

This needs caution. It may be shedding, breakage, scalp irritation, or an unrelated health issue that showed up around the same time.

So yes, bad reviews matter.

But read them like clues, not final proof.

Who may like MONDAY shampoo?

MONDAY shampoo may suit you if:

Your hair is normal to mildly dry.

Your scalp is not very sensitive.

You like scented shampoo.

You want something affordable.

You wash your hair often and want a nice everyday product.

You want a drugstore shampoo that feels prettier than basic brands.

You have fine hair and choose the Volume line carefully.

You have frizz and choose Smooth with realistic expectations.

It is also a nice option for someone who wants an easy first step into “better-looking” hair care without spending salon money.

Who should avoid MONDAY shampoo?

I would be careful with MONDAY if:

Your scalp burns or itches easily.

You avoid fragrance.

Your hair is freshly bleached or severely damaged.

Your curls are protein-sensitive.

Your hair gets buildup fast.

You already have unexplained hair loss.

You need medicated dandruff, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis care.

You expect shampoo to fix breakage, thinning, and scalp problems alone.

If your scalp has a real condition, use a dermatologist-recommended shampoo instead of guessing with viral products.

How to test MONDAY shampoo safely

Do not start with a full routine change. That is the easiest way to confuse yourself.

Try this instead.

Use only the shampoo first, with your usual conditioner.

Wash twice a week for two weeks.

Do not add new masks, oils, serums, or scalp treatments.

Take one quick photo of your hair before starting.

Watch your scalp.

Watch your ends.

Watch your drain, but do not obsess over every strand.

If your scalp feels calm and your hair feels clean, you can keep going.

If your hair feels rough, coated, itchy, or flat, stop.

A product does not need three months to prove it is making your scalp miserable.

How often should you use MONDAY shampoo?

For oily hair, you may use it every other day if your scalp handles it.

For normal hair, two or three times a week is enough.

For curly or dry hair, one or two times a week may be better.

For bleached or damaged hair, I would not use a clarifying shampoo often. Keep clarifying to occasional use unless your stylist tells you otherwise.

And please do not shampoo your ends like you are scrubbing a pan. The scalp needs cleansing. The ends just need the rinse-down foam.

MONDAY shampoo compared with salon shampoo

MONDAY feels like a budget beauty shampoo with salon-inspired branding. It is not the same as a high-end salon repair line made for serious damage, bond repair, or color recovery.

That does not make it bad.

It just means you should not expect a low-cost shampoo to behave like a professional treatment system.

If your hair is healthy, MONDAY may be enough.

If your hair is fried from bleach, heat, relaxer, or color damage, shampoo is not your hero. You need a repair plan, gentle cleansing, deep conditioning, less heat, trims, and possibly bond-building products.

My honest verdict

MONDAY shampoo is good if you choose the right version and your hair agrees with the formula.

It is popular for fair reasons. The packaging is pretty. The price is friendly. The formulas are positioned as modern and accessible. The brand has won beauty attention, including Allure recognition.

But it is not a miracle shampoo.

It is also not the villain that every scary review makes it sound like.

For normal hair, oily hair, fine hair, and lightly frizzy hair, it can be a nice pick.

For curly hair, try Smooth or Moisture carefully.

For damaged, bleached, highly sensitive, or shedding-prone hair, go slow or choose a more targeted formula.

The best shampoo is not the one with the cutest bottle.

It is the one your scalp forgives and your hair behaves with.

FAQs

Is Monday shampoo okay for hair?

Yes, MONDAY shampoo is okay for many hair types. It works best when you choose the right formula for your scalp and hair needs. Avoid it if your scalp reacts badly to fragrance or if your hair feels dry, rough, or coated after using it.

Why is Monday shampoo so popular?

MONDAY shampoo is popular because it has pretty pink packaging, affordable pricing, wide availability, social media buzz, and formulas marketed as SLS-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, pH-balanced, and dermatologist-tested.

Is MONDAY good for hair wash?

Yes, MONDAY can be good for regular hair washing. Use a small amount on the scalp, rinse well, and follow with conditioner on the ends. If your hair feels heavy or dry, switch formulas or stop using it.

Does Monday shampoo have good reviews?

MONDAY has many positive reviews and beauty awards, but it also has bad reviews from users who report dryness, buildup, scalp itch, or hair shedding. Reviews are mixed, so personal testing matters.

Is MONDAY shampoo good for curly hair?

MONDAY Smooth or Moisture may work for curly hair, especially if your curls need frizz control. But some curly hair may feel coated or dry. Test it for a few washes before making it your main shampoo.

Is MONDAY shampoo bad for your hair?

MONDAY is not bad for everyone. It can be bad for your hair if the formula does not match your scalp, curl pattern, porosity, or damage level.

Is there a MONDAY shampoo lawsuit?

I found online complaints and hair loss claims, but I did not find a verified active MONDAY-specific lawsuit proving the shampoo causes hair loss. Some search results refer to broader shampoo ingredient lawsuits or unrelated hair brands.

Which MONDAY shampoo should I use?

Use Clarify for oily roots and buildup, Volume for fine hair, Moisture for dry hair, Smooth for frizz or curls, and Gentle for a softer everyday option.

Can MONDAY shampoo cause hair loss?

A shampoo may irritate the scalp or increase breakage in some people, but true hair loss often has other causes like hormones, stress, low iron, thyroid issues, illness, medication, or scalp disease. Stop using it if shedding starts suddenly and talk to a doctor if it continues.

Why does my hair feel greasy after MONDAY shampoo?

Your hair may feel greasy if the formula is too rich, you used too much conditioner near the scalp, you did not rinse well, or your hair gets buildup easily.

Michael Chen

Michael Chen combines scientific expertise with hair care industry insights to offer well-researched product evaluations and tips for optimal hair health.