How to choose hair shampoo
For different type of hair:
* Damaged or fine hair: Use protein shampoo labeled
substantive protein. Shampoo should be more than mildly acidic. Or you
can rinse your hair following shampoo with white vinegar and water, or
lemon and water. This acid rinse will help to restore a smooth cuticle
and shine to your hair.
* Healthy hair: Regular protein shampoos are fine.
Blondes might try a chamomile shampoo, which has mild bleaching
properties. Brunettes might use a henna shampoo, which has mild
reddening properties.
* Oily hair: Use a lemon based shampoo.
* All types: Jojoba based shampoo is successful in
treating scalp conditions as well as dissolving sebum buildup. It
leaves your hair clean and shining.
For all types of hair
try alternating shampoos. Use one type once or
twice a week and the other once or twice a week. Change brands every
few months to keep your hair shiny and full of life. Diet plays an
important role in hair care also, so pay attention to what you eat and
try to incorporate a healthy balance of foods.
Understanding Labels on shampoo
“Humectants” behave like tiny sponges, attracting and holding water.
You’ll find them in shampoos for dry, damaged or color-treated hair.
Commonly used humectants include glycerin, sorbitol, sodium lactate and
hyaluronic acid.
“Conditioning agents” help soften hair and allow it to retain moisture.
Look for amino acids, collagen, panthenol, elastin and proteins on
ingredient lists.
“Thickening” or “volumizing” shampoos increase bulk and improve
manageability. They contain ingredients like hydroxyethyl cellulose,
gum arabic, guar, xanthan and chitin. One of the newest products on the
market is Aveda’s Pure Abundance Volumizing Shampoo, which contains
coco/babassu sulfate—a substance derived from organic coconut and
babassu oils. Shane Wolf, Aveda’s executive director of global hair
care marketing, recommends it for the “one-third of American women who
describe their hair as naturally fine or limp."
“Preservatives,” such as methylparaben, quaternium-15,
methylisothiazolinone and propylparaben, help prevent shampoo from
becoming contaminated by mold or bacteria. “All-natural” shampoos that
contain no preservatives have a tendency to “spoil” if not used within
their designated shelf life.
Suggestion
Don't use the same shampoo all the time. Mix it up. After you run out
of one bottle, buy a different kind. Your hair can become immune to the
benefits of the same shampoo over time.
|
