What is the best shampoo for your hair and scalp? 0
What exactly is Shampoo?
Most people know that shampoo is usually a liquid, or gel applied to wet hair that creates lather and bubbles, meant to clean or remove oil, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, styling agents, and anything else that people or the atmosphere can throw at their hair and scalp.
Pretty simple you would think?
However, while the concept is easy enough to comprehend, many manufactures with their marketing jargon, misleading graphics, ingredient lists, and "how to use" directions have left most people confused about what shampoo they actually need, and which one is best for their hair and scalp.
To understand shampoo better it is worth knowing a bit more about it's origins, and how it has evolved or changed throughout the ages.
History of shampoo:
Ancient Hindi tribes invented shampoo. The word shampoo originally comes from the Hindi language and means “ to massage the head with hair oil”. A gentleman called Sake Dean Mahomed, opened the first shampoo bath, introducing the term and service in Brighton England in 1814.
In the 1900s, the meaning of the word shifted from massage of the scalp to that of applying soap to the hair, which is what early shampoo was, a soapy detergent. This soap certainly cleaned the hair, but left it feeling and looking rather bad.
Modern day shampoo:
In the 1930's, a crafty English hairdresser started mixing herbs and fragrances together with surfactants that resulted in the hair looking healthy and smelling even better. This was the first known synthetic or non soap shampoo.
These days, shampoo has evolved into many different formulas for a range of hair and scalp types. A mixture of organic and plant derived extracts or oils added with gentle surfactants, preservatives, and fragrances will clean and nourish your hair, and help your scalp. Modern day shampooing happens without irritation to your scalp or any adverse effects to your hair either. As a matter of fact, using the right shampoo will genuinely improve the condition of your hair, or alleviate the hair and scalp problem, but how?
How does shampoo work?
As we all know, oil and water do not mix together. Imagine a shampoo molecule looking like a tadpole, with a head and a tail. When shampoo is applied to your hair, it works because one part of the molecule (the head) is attracted to and sticks to the oil on your hair shaft, while the other part (the tail) is attracted to and sticks to water. So when running water is poured over your scalp to "rinse" away bubbles, this strips oil, sebum, and other impurities off your hair. At the molecular level, it’s like a tug of war effect. Pretty cool isn’t it?
So what shampoo is best for your hair and scalp?
Now that we understand how shampoo works, it is also important to know that changing specific ingredients in shampoo will treat the many different problems that people find themselves with all over the world. The list below links to other pages that explains in more detail about each shampoo type, while providing you with information on the best shampoo for your hair and scalp.
Remember, that everybody is different and therefore will need to find a shampoo that is best suited to his or her own hair and scalp issues at any given time. Also, be aware that your shampoo may need to change over time dependant on your own body changes, where you go and “take your hair”, and what you do to it.
Find your best suited shampoo type here -
Best oily hair shampoo & information: If your scalp feels oily or greasy after just one day, and if your hair is always flat with no body
Best dry hair shampoo & information: If your hair feels dry and looks stressed.
Best blonde hair shampoo & information: If your hair is starting to look too gold, & brassy.
Best dandruff shampoo & information: If your have a flaking scalp.
Best clarifying shampoo & information: If your hair looks dull and you can feel a build up of styling products or even chlorine in it.
