How To Choose The Best Shampoo For Your Hair

Keeping your hair healthy is easy when you choose the right shampoo. When looking at the different options, though, it can be confusing. There are hundreds of options in some large retail stores. They take up whole isles. Even when you have a favorite brand there are still more options than what a shopping bag can hold. 

The shampoo is just meant to clean your hair, right? Well, using the wrong hair type can be pretty bad for your hair or scalp. Just reading the labels there seems to be a shampoo for every type of hair and use. Make sure to get the best one for your goals and hair.

Hair and Scalp Types

Your scalp can be normal balanced, too oily, or too dry. This will affect your shampoo choice. Most people fall into the too dry or too oily categories and only a lucky few in the balanced category. With an oily scalp, you often get oily hair. Hair types can be thick, curly, fine, or normal balanced hair. Damaged and fine hair is often associated with oily scalps. 

Normal Scalps and Hair

Look for shampoos that are balanced and won’t strip too much moisture away or add too many oils. A good natural option is to use a sulfate free shampoo bar with coconut. Choosing a sulfate-free formulation means that it won’t strip away oils and make your normal scalp too dry. 

A balancing shampoo will make sure that your hair and scalp are exactly that: balanced. It is rather easy to move from balanced hair to either dry or oily by using the incorrect shampoo. A balancing formula is designed to keep your hair and scalp in this perfect balance. 

A balanced shampoo should also add a bit of moisture, usually in the form of oils. This is great to keep hair healthy and manageable. It will repair everyday damage as well. Finding a balanced shampoo these days can be surprisingly hard as most shampoos are formulated and marketed for specific problem types of hair and scalps. 

Dry Scalps and Thick or Curly Hair

You will need to look for shampoos that are moisturizing and hydrating. You will be looking for a shampoo that contains natural oils as the best choice. These will add moisture to your hair as well as your scalp. Make sure to work the shampoo into your hair and get it down to your roots and scalp as well. 

If your scalp is severely dry then look for something that also has some natural soothing ingredients. There are various products in the market formulated specifically for dry scalps and hair. Read the labels carefully and make sure they are also sulfate-free. Sulfates will dry out your scalp even more.

Smoothing hair shampoos and shampoos for curly hair will also add moisture, but they will also help smoothen your hair. Opt for this option rather than just hydrating if you have curly hair that is hard to manage. 

Avoid volumizing or strengthening shampoos as these will also strip away more moisture and oils. Hydrating and moisturizing shampoos will also smoothen hair and add shine. 

Oily Scalps with Fine or Dull hair

Avoid shampoos that are labeled as moisturizing, hydrating, for curly hair, or for smoothing. These types of shampoos will add oils and moisture to your oily scalp and hair. Rather look for shampoos that are formulated to be volumizing and strengthening. These will strip away some of the oils and moisture. 

When using products for dry scalps just be careful not to overuse them. You can easily end up with a dry scalp with a too harsh shampoo or overuse. You want to get a balanced scalp and not end up with a dry scalp.

Opt for a volumizing shampoo if your hair is fine. These will give extra volume to limp or fine hair. Go for the strengthening options if your hair is damaged, brittle or dull. These will add shine and give you more healthy hair. 

Again when applying these shampoos for an oily scalp make sure to get it worked down to your roots and scalp. You want it to strip away some of the oils from the scalp and not just your hair. 

Don’t get confused by all the marketing and thousands of shampoo options available today. Just check your hair and scalp type as described on the tips above and make sure to get the correct shampoo. Apply it correctly and regularly for the best effect.