Tips for Choosing the Right Shampoo for Your Hair Type

Hair is the crown on your head, and many, many people would give everything they own for a head of full, tangly hair. Maintaining what you do have right now and ensuring it stays beautiful is a huge subject, and entire books have been written about this subject, each offering different solutions and tips, from using all sorts of different oils, massages, and haircare products, the list is practically endless.

This little guide is concerned with something basic but important and something you do almost daily; washing your hair with shampoo. You may just pluck the nearest shampoo from the shelves at the store, but that is a mistake, as there are different shampoos for different hair types, so here are a few tips on finding the perfect one for you.

Know Your Scalp Type

When you think of shampoo, you consider it a hair-cleansing product, and this is obviously true, but it is important that you do not ignore your scalp either. One kind of shampoo cleanses your hair differently from other kinds, so you should identify your scalp type before choosing one. Now there is not a clear-cut formula to finding this out, but there are certain signs you can look out for. For example, when you wash your hair and your scalp feels tight or itchy after you are done, or even just in general, it indicates that you may have a dry scalp.

Conversely, if you have flakes in your hair and it tends to clump together messily, you may have an oily scalp. You can think of it like this: shampoo is mostly meant for your scalp and hair roots, while conditioner is most effective for the ends of your hair. Shampoo bottles will state their type on the label, and what kinds of hair they are meant for, so you will have no trouble finding one that suits you.

Oily Scalp

To go into a little more detail, if your scalp gets greasy or oily often, you may have gone through a bunch of different shampoos with little luck, and you have gone from washing your hair every day, maybe even twice, to not washing your hair for days in an attempt to control the excess sebum and oil production. Instead of resorting to extreme measures, make sure you pick the right shampoo. For example, you are going to want to avoid shampoos that are moisturizing, hydrating, smoothing, or great for curly hair, as they introduce too much moisture to an already oily scalp. Shampoos are designed to cleanse your hair roots more than any other part, so if you already have oily roots, you obviously do not need a product that moisturizes them even more, just exacerbating the issue. Instead, look for a deeper cleansing shampoo that specifies that it is meant for oily scalps, one that volumizes, strengthens, and balances your hair roots.

Dry Scalps

Dry scalps are on the other end of the spectrum of hair issues, and having an itchy or flaky scalp is not only uncomfortable but can also lead to rather uncomfortable, embarrassing situations at times. In this situation, you want to completely avoid shampoos that add to the issue. You should steer away from using shampoos that advertise to strengthen or volumize your hair, as they can strip your scalp of the already little moisture you want and need. Also stay away from using too much dry shampoo, as layers of this oil-absorbing hair product can also dry out the skin on your scalp. If your scalp is only a little dry, and you do not have to deal with flaking or itching, feel free to look for shampoo labels that feature moisture, smoothing, hydration, or curls, as they stimulate moisture retention and can be helpful to your scalp.

Hair Type

Knowing your hair type is also important if you want to get the best out of your hair care, as shampoos and other hair products are meant for different types of hair. Fine hair, for example, benefits from volumizing shampoos that boost and volumize the hair strands without weighing down or clumping the hair. For thick hair that does not have much moisture, you want to look at moisturizing or hydrating shampoos, as they add a healthy shine, smoothness, and shape to it. Wavy hair is a nice, balanced option that benefits from different shampoos that should not be too moisturizing nor will they dry your hair out.

Hair care and maintenance can be a complex subject, but if you know the basics, you can do quite a lot, introducing healthy products and a maintenance routine that is only beneficial to your hair.