What Type of Shampoo Should I Use?

In my last blog post I answered a common question on “how often should I wash my hair with shampoo?” and a few of you followed up with another great question, “what type of shampoo should I use?”

While different brands will use all sorts of gimmicky marketing names to try and get you to buy their shampoo, my recommendation is to focus on the ingredients. What ingredients you’re looking for are highly dependent on your individual hair type, so consider the following when shopping for your next shampoo:

• For those dealing with dandruff or flaking, Pyrithione zinc is the most common ingredient, but Tea tree oil can be a more natural solution that also acts as a moisturizer and antifungal.

• If you have a dry or itchy scalp, you’ll want a soothing shampoo that contains ingredients such as Aloe vera or Avocado oil.

• Those with gray, silver, or even blonde hair should try purple-tinted shampoo to keep their hair looking bright and remove brassy tones from UV discoloration. Look for Acid Violet 43 on the ingredients.

• If you use lots of hair products (hairspray, pomade, gel) you should occasionally (1-2x per week) use a clarifying shampoo that contains apple cider vinegar or Ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate.

• If you find your hair thinning or lacking volume, consider shampoos containing biotin, panthenol, or rice protein, 

I hope this helps you make an informative decision on your next shampoo. There’s certainly a lot to choose from, but now you can narrow it down to your specific hair needs. If you have questions or ideas for hair topics you’d like to learn more about, please let me know!