The Best Shampoo for You!
Picking the right shampoo gives you great hair. Great hair makes you feel confident. Feeling confident gets you a raise at work. Getting a raise means you can buy whatever you want. And as well all know, buying whatever we want is the American Dream.
Well, not quite.
Regardless, picking the best shampoo for your hair is an important decision – a decision that is often made without much thought. So, get ready, because after you read this article, you will be a Shampoo Expert!
3 Steps for Choosing the Best Shampoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkUXx22MwlwStep 1:
Decide what you want from your shampoo.
You have a list of qualities you want your lover to have – funny, gorgeous, and rich. No? Just me? Okay. Well, you should know what qualities you want your shampoo to have! Do you want a shampoo that moisturizes? A shampoo that maintains color-treated hair? One that repairs damaged hair? You may only be interested in dry shampoo. Perhaps, a volumizing or thickening shampoo is what you want? Figure out what you want from your shampoo first. Then we can figure out the best shampoo for you!Step 2:
Determine what irritations you have.
In regards to shampoo, irritation occurs most often in the scalp, skin, or eyes. Scalp It is possible to “over-shampoo” your hair, especially when using a clarifying product. Shampoos that clarify often lead to an irritated or itching scalp because of the harsh ingredients they use to “degrease” the hair. Skin As more and more products start including natural ingredients, you will need to pay attention to possible allergic reactions. Nut and seed oils are often used in shampoo, and while for most people, they provide more natural moisturizing, for others, it is an allergy nightmare. Eyes Many shampoos include formaldehyde, which kills bacteria in the hair. Occasionally, however, formaldehyde also leads to irritated and itchy eyes. If you have sensitive eyes, you may want to avoid shampoo with this ingredient.Good and Bad Ingredients
Understanding what irritations you have allows you to choose a shampoo with the right ingredients. Some ingredients will help you avoid irritations, while others will only inflame them. It is almost impossible to find shampoos without some “bad” ingredients. Moreover, some people see “bad” ingredients as “good” and visa-versa. Here is our take on what ingredients you should avoid and what ingredients you should love.
Avoid shampoos with these ingredients:
Sulfates: Like The Real Housewives, not all sulfates are bad, but be on the look out for ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate. These ingredients give shampoo that foamy quality we all love but can cause the scalp to become red, irritated, and itchy. Again, just like a Real Housewife. These same ingredients also act as a degreaser in dish washing soap! Maybe what is best for your dishes isn’t best for your hair. Check out our list of sulfate-free shampoos! Isopropyl Alcohol: The purpose of isopropyl alcohol is to dissolve oil from the hair. If overused, shampoo with this ingredient can cause the hair to try and reduce your hair’s moisture level. If you are using a shampoo with this ingredient, reevaluate how often you use it, or instead, opt for a moisturizing shampoo. Isopropyl alcohol is derived from petroleum, so that’s not awesome. It is also found in antifreeze. Again, not awesome. If used for long periods, it does have the potential to cause hair loss. Ain’t nobody got time for hair loss! Formaldehyde: As mentioned above, formaldehyde does kill bacteria which is good. However, because of its strength, it can irritate the eyes. In more severe cases, prolonged use of shampoos with formaldehyde can lead to problems with your respiratory system and/or cause skin inflammation. Propylene Glycol: You will find propylene glycol in a lot of shampoos. That is because it helps the cleaning ingredients penetrate your hair. We want those cleaning ingredients to do their job, but it comes with a cost. The controversial component of propylene glycol is that it also breaks down healthy hair proteins. These proteins act as the building block of your hair and keep it fabulous. There are also reports of this ingredient irritating skin and/or eyes.Look for shampoos that have these ingredients:
Better Sulfates: These are the good sulfates! These sulfates would never sabotage a child’s christening or throw a table. Keep an eye out for; sodium laureth sulfate, TEA lauryl, and laureth sulfates. These ingredients vibe better with your hair and don’t normally cause irritations, redness, etc. Glycerin: Glycerin acts as a protective barrier to your hair follicles. This barrier protects the hair from daily damage and, perhaps even more important, helps retain moisture. Nut and Seed Oils: It may be a trend, or there may be something to it, but natural ingredients are becoming very popular in shampoo. We’ve even seen shampoo with fish eggs in them! While that seems a little “fishy” to us, natural oils are proving themselves in the shampoo world. Jojoba (a shrub in the Sonoran desert), shea, and avocado remove the oils that build up in your hair. They also aid in creating an incredible shine and add lots of moisture! Most organic conditioners contain essential or natural oils. Acidic Ingredients: Acidic ingredients add shine to your hair while making it smooth and ultra-touchable. Specifically, sodium citrate/citric acid works to maintain the pH balance of your hair. This causes your cuticles to lie flat, adding to your hair’s shine and smoothness. Panthenol: Think of panthenol as a vitamin. Panthenol is a form of vitamin B that helps your hair retain moisture and adds a luscious shine. More notably, vitamin B thickens hair follicles, giving you that voluminous look.Step 3:
Choose Your Shampoo!
You know what you want your shampoo to do. You know what ingredients to avoid and what ingredients to love. Now, all you have to do is decide which shampoo is best for you. GetGoodHead.com wants to make this as easy as possible. So we’ve organized our top shampoo picks by category and provide you with the necessary information to choose your best shampoo! Plus, we’ve linked our top picks directly to Amazon so that you can get the best deal for your hair.***Know someone who needs a Shampoo 101 Class? Share this article with them! C'mon, be a friend!***