How to choose the best shampoo for your hair

Did you know that the right shampoo will make styling and hair care easier? Find out about the different types of shampoo and your hair's needs so you can choose the ingredients that will make your hair healthier.
Shampoo is usually a thick liquid. It is designed to clean the scalp and hair, removing dirt and excess sebum. Shampoo is similar to soap, although its ingredient compounds are more gentle. 

Shampoo benefits

Shampoo should help balance your hair's pH levels and provide your hair with three key benefits:

1. Improved condition- the right shampoo makes hair look and feel healthier. Remember that you may need to lather, rinse and repeat to remove all dirt and buildup.

2. Growth stimulation- a shampoo rich in vitamins, nutrients, minerals and natural extracts stimulates the scalp. This keeps the hair follicles healthy and stimulates growth. Natural ingredients to look for include lavender, almond, ginseng, lemongrass, jojoba and prickly pear. These ingredients also provide a natural fragrance, so you can avoid chemical fragrances that can damage your hair

3. Colour protection- if your hair is coloured, the right shampoo will prevent the colour from fading quickly.

So the first step in choosing the best shampoo for your hair is to determine your scalp type and then address the problem accordingly.

Oily scalp

Tips for choosing a shampoo for oily scalps:

• Avoid shampoos that are formulated to heavily moisturise or smooth the hair. These ingredients will add more moisture to an already oily scalp.
• Stick to labels that mention 'volumising', 'strengthening'. The ingredients in these shampoos do not add extra moisture and are better at removing excess oil. 
• A deep cleansing shampoo can also help to reduce sebum build-up on the scalp. The trick, however, is not to overuse this type of product as it can have an adverse effect and the scalp can start to dry out.

Dry scalp

Tips for choosing a shampoo for dry scalp:

• Volumising shampoos tend to strip hair of extra moisture, so if you're struggling with a dry scalp, it's best to avoid products with these properties.
• If your scalp is only slightly dry and not itchy or flaky, consider moisturising and smoothing shampoos.
• If you suffer from very dry hair, a shampoo containing ingredients such as aloe vera can provide the relief you need while moisturising your scalp and hair..

Choosing a shampoo based on your hair type

If you find that your scalp is neither overly dry nor oily, and you simply want to focus on getting the hair type of your dreams, the following tips will help you choose a hair cleanser that will help you achieve your desired result: results:

Shampoo for dry and damaged hair

Dry hair craves moisture, so a shampoo that contains deeply moisturising ingredients is best. In this respect, products containing hyaluronic acid seem to be the most effective. Hyaluronic acid quickly absorbs moisture deep into the hair shaft and instantly makes dry hair silkier. Other noteworthy ingredients include argan oil, almond oil, avocado oil or coconut milk. 

Shampoo for limp or thin hair

If your hair lacks volume and desperately needs a boost, look for shampoos that have thickening and volumising properties.

Key ingredients to look out for in a volumising shampoo:

- Avocado - the high vitamin E content in avocado helps to give hair volume

- Ginseng - has strong regenerative properties

- Macadamia oil - is full of antioxidants that relieve hair of harmful properties that weigh it down

The best shampoo for thick, unruly hair

If your hair is thick and also curly, frizzy or just unruly, choose a shampoo that will smooth and moisturise it while washing.

Summary....

There's no denying that the better your hair looks, the better you'll feel. The good news is that most hair goals can be achieved with the right products and styling methods. The perfect shampoo for your hair type is the foundation of any hair care regimen

Other hair care tips

...Shampooing oily hair more often...

...Washing dry or coloured hair less often...

...Rotating in anti-dandruff shampoo to treat scalp problems....

...Using conditioner throughout the hair for extra moisture and protection from the sun and other environmental toxins....

...Cover your hair in the pool to provide protection from chemicals such as chlorine....