Shampooing Your Hair the Right Way

Shampooing Your Hair

Say goodbye to "bad hair days" with the right shampoo. Learn what to look for in a shampoo and which shampoos are right for your specific hair type. Beautiful, healthy hair is just a shampoo away!

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Is your hair frizzy and out of control? Maybe it has no body and will never hold a style. If you’re not happy with the way your hair looks, your shampoo could be the problem. Even if you love your current look, the right shampoo can cut down on those hours spent blowing, teasing, and spraying in front of the mirror each day. 

Choose the right shampoo. One of the biggest mistakes women make is choosing a shampoo based on price or smell. There is a real science behind all the ingredients that go into your shampoo. You need to read shampoo labels to identify those formulated for your specific hair type. The companies that produce hair care products conduct intensive research to develop shampoos that will bring out the best in your hair. Using a product that is not made for your hair could result in damage, increased risk of breakage, and a very unhappy customer — you!

Shampoo for oily hair. If limp, greasy hair is your gripe, your shampoo solution is simple: wash and go. That’s right, skip conditioner and use a clear shampoo (no creamy shampoos for you) at least once a day — twice when you’ve spent a good deal of time outside on an especially hot, sticky day. Leave shampoo on for at least five minutes and rub your scalp well — gently of course — while shampooing to remove as much oil as possible.

If you must condition after your shampoo, apply conditioner only to the middle and ends of your hair. And when you’re through, hands off! Avoid touching hair whenever possible and brush only when necessary.

Ingredients to look for:

• Panthenol which adds body by increasing the thickness of the hair shaft.
• Acidic ingredients such as citrus fruits to cut through layers of oil and dirt.
• Astringents such as tea tree oil, chamomile, rosemary, or sage which also break down oil.

Shampoo for dry hair. Restore dry or cracked hair (think split ends) with thick, creamy shampoos that contain natural oils and fats. You can even add a drop or two of safflower or olive oil to your hair to add shine and cut frizz. But even creamy shampoos contain detergents which dry out hair if used too often. Shampoo every other day to retain your hair’s natural shine, and be sure to follow with conditioner each time. Tight curls common among African American women may need a shampoo just once every two weeks. Dry shampoos (powders that absorb oil) can be used in between washes.

Colored or other chemical-treated hair is highly susceptible to dryness and breakage. Use shampoos specially formulated for color-treated hair, and wash your hair no more than once a day.

Ingredients to look for:

• Fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and oleol alcohol which moisturize and soften.
• Jojoba oil, another great moisturizer.
• Vitamin E, which has bonus antioxidant power to protect hair from damage as well as natural moisturizing action.

Shampoo for dandruff-prone hair. If you struggle with dandruff, you’re not alone; in one study, almost three-quarters of participants reported having dandruff. Dandruff can be the result of poor hygiene and infrequent washing, but it may also be caused by overgrowth of yeast that normally lives on the scalp or other skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

The key to controlling dandruff is seeing a dermatologist to get to the root of your dandruff. He or she can recommend a medicated shampoo which will provide relief from scratching and reduce flaking.

Ingredients to look for:

• Antimicrobials like selenium disulfide, zinc pyrithione, and piroctone olamine, which inhibit yeast growth.
• Salicylic acid which breaks up clumps of skin cells on the scalp.

Shampoo the right way. Regardless of your hair type, follow these steps to ensure you’re making the most of your shampoo:

• Wet hair thoroughly using warm water to free trapped oils and dirt within the hair shaft.
• Squirt a quarter-sized mound of shampoo onto your hand, lather, and rub gently into your scalp. Do not pull your hair on top of your head to shampoo; that will lead to knots and breakage. Apply the shampoo at your hair roots and work it gradually towards the tips.
• Rinse hair with warm water to remove all shampoo.

If you do not shampoo every day, you may need to repeat the whole process to ensure all the built-up grime has been removed.