You’ve come to this corner of the internet because shampoo is complicated. We hear you and we totally agree. You would think shampoo would be one of the easiest purchases on your monthly product replenish list, but it’s not!
With such a vast variety of options out there, how are you supposed to know which shampoo is going to provide the most benefits for your hair? In order to find the perfect fit for you, you need to follow these easy steps:
Step 1: What is Your Scalp Type?
Determining your scalp type is the first and most important step because the wrong shampoo can seriously affect the health of your scalp. The reason for this is because shampoo is really more for your scalp as opposed to your ends.
Unless your ends are covered in heavy product, you should always be focused on shampooing the top of the head and very minimally on the bottom. To begin figuring out what shampoo works best for you, you want to determine if your scalp is oily or dry.
Oily Scalp
If your hair is oily, then you’re probably spending a lot of time washing your hair to prevent it from looking greasy. In this case, you want to stay away from moisturizing shampoos. In addition, try avoiding shampoos that are tailored specifically for curly hair (these shampoos tend to be extremely greasy to encourage bouncier curls).
Instead, we suggest using clarifying shampoos. Lastly, although this blog is about shampoo, we highly recommend applying conditioner only to the BOTTOM of your hair and avoid your scalp entirely. This will help prevent greasy hair.
Dry Scalp
If your scalp is dry, this can introduce a bunch of other problems like itchiness, rashes, and dandruff. In this case you have two options: a moisturizing shampoo, or a shampoo that specifically targets the scalp problems you’re having. The products you want to avoid are shampoos labelled for volumizing or strengthening.
Instead, try focusing on products with more natural ingredients. Some ingredients to keep an eye out for would be eucalyptus, essential oils, menthol, or laureth. An ingredient to avoid would be sulfates because they will dry out your hair even more.
If you’re having more serious problems with your scalp like heavy dandruff or itchiness, then it might be time to turn to a more targeted shampoo or even a prescription option.
Step 2: What is Your Hair Type?
The next step is to determine what kind of hair you have and narrow your search even further. There are so many different types of hair, so we’ve broken it down into categories.
Type: Is your hair straight, wavy, curly or kinky?
Strands: Are your strands fine, medium, or coarse?
Volume: Is your hair thin, normal or thick?
From here you can start to really narrow down your search. The good news is that there are shampoos for virtually any hair type. However, we strongly advise your main focus always be on your scalp.
For example, someone with fine strands and thin volume might want to consider a volumizing shampoo. However, if they suffer from a dry scalp then a more nourishing option would be better and maybe they can use volumizing spray after they shower instead.
Another example would be someone with curly hair. Shampoos targeted for curly hair tend to be more moisturizing, so if they suffer from an oily scalp then a clarifying shampoo might be a better option. It’s for this reason that we suggest your shampoo option be first and fore-most for your scalp and everything else will follow.
Unique Situations
Now it’s time to really narrow down your hair type. Are you a unique situation? This would include anyone with bleached hair, colour treated hair, or hair that is artificially coloured (i.e. the ‘not natural’ colours like green, blue, pink, etc.)
Bleached Hair
If you’re not a natural blonde but maintain bleached hair on a regular basis then we strongly suggest purple shampoo. This goes for anyone who lightens their hair colour to a bright blonde. Purple shampoo, even once a week, will prevent your blonde strands from going brassy or yellow.
It’s simple science, purple cancels out yellow, so using this shampoo will ensure your beautiful blonde locks don’t fade to a brassy colour that no one wants. Purple shampoo is also a great option for people who prefer the ‘ashier’ blonde look.
Colour-Treated Hair
If you’re regularly colouring your hair, then your best bet is a shampoo that targets exactly that. Shampoos for colour-treated hair will prolong your colour and prevent it from fading too quick. Shampoos that are notorious for stripping hair colour are Head and Shoulders and any ‘clarifying’ shampoo.
Artificially Coloured Hair
Are you rocking a vibrant colour like blue or purple? We love it. In this case, your focus will be less on shampoo and more on conditioner. We suggest purchasing a colour-depositing conditioner to keep your colour vibrant or even try adding your current hair dye to your conditioner and leaving it in a little longer when you’re in the shower.
Still not convinced you’ve found the perfect match? Come in for a consultation at our hair salon in Brantford and we’ll not only get your hair looking exactly how you envisioned, but we’ll also help you find the perfect products to maintain those locks!
