Best Shampoos & Conditioners for All Hair Types

by Julyne Derrick

Shampoo is meant to remove dirt, sebum (oil), & product buildup from your hair. But there are dozens of different brands to choose from, and even more types within those brands. Here’s a guide to what to pick for 4 different hair types.

Coarse, curly hair
Curly hair is almost always dry hair and here’s why: oils produced in the scalp don’t travel as easily down the hair shaft as they do with straight hair. Creamy, moisturizing shampoos work best for this hair texture. Look for shea butter & coconut & macadamia nut oil in your shampoos. These tend to coat the hair shaft, trapping water inside.

Conditioners: For extreme hydration, use deep conditioners. You’ll want to look for products that contain cetyl or stearyl alcohol, panthenol & methicones, silicone or dimethicone, or essential oils & botanicals such as avocado or jojoba oil.

Twice a month use a hot oil treatment.

Extra tip: Remember to never, ever, ever wash curly hair every day. You’ll only dehydrate the hair & make it more frizzy & unmanageable. Another alternative to shampoo washings is to rinse the hair with water & then follow with a conditioner.

Fine, oily, or limp hair
Go for the clear shampoos & stay away from the creamy ones that were made for your curlier sisters. You want a gentle shampoo that marked for daily or frequent washing. The secret fine hair shampoo lies in a bodybuilding ingredient called panthenol. Hair experts swear that panthenol penetrates the hair cuticle making each strand thicker.

Conditioners: Even limp-haired ladies need conditioners, just don’t let them touch your scalp. Massage a light-weight conditioner from mid-shaft down and no need to leave it on for long. If you have extremely greasy hair, look for the oil-absorbing tea-tree oil in your conditioner.

Extra tip: Spray conditioners may be your best bet. They tend to be more light-weight & therefore don’t weigh the hair down. Also, unless your hair is extra-oily, there’s no need to ‘rinse & repeat.’ One shampoo will do you. You don’t have to lather twice.

Processed hair
Adding moisture is key to finding the right shampoo for colored, permed & relaxed hair. Unfortunately, processed hair usually suffers from oily roots but dry shaft & ends. So washing processed hair can be tricky business. You want to cleanse the roots while moisturizing the ends.

Here are shampoo tips for the following processed hair types:

Colored. Color-protection shampoos contain gentler cleansers than regular shampoos and also contain ingredients to preserve color so your stylist is right when she tries to sell you on them.

Permed or relaxed. Any moisturizing shampoo will work for your hair type but make sure it apply it only to your roots and rub it in well. Then apply a quick burst of water. While the water is running down your hair shaft, massage your hair to remove any dirt & grime. Rinse well. You don’t want to skip the conditioner. Make sure to stay away from the roots.

Conditioners: Look for a rich conditioner, primarily on the ends of your hair. Just avoid conditioners that contain silicone, since they tend to strip color. Extra tip for processed hair: Wash your hair only every few days to prevent drying out. You can use a dry shampoo in between washings.

Dry, damaged hair Avoid clear shampoos & go straight for the creamy ones formulated with a mild detergent such as sodium laureth sulfate & rich conditioning agents (shea butter or lanolin). These smooth, detangle & diffuse static.

Conditioners: Again, moisturizing is key. You’ll want to look for an ultra-moisturizing conditioner with shea butter.

Enjoy,
Lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com