Colored hair: how do you choose the right shampoo?
Choosing the right shampoo for your hair type can be difficult, especially for color-treated hair. Hydrating, strengthening, smoothing, a product safe for color protection—what do you choose? Most importantly, choosing a shampoo should take into account the characteristics of your hair and scalp, as well as your washing habits. It is also important to keep in mind that shampoo's role is to cleanse the hair and scalp of dirt, oil, and styling products, while conditioner provides hydration, shine, and firmness to the hair strands.
Table of Contents
- What is the role of a shampoo?
- How do you choose the right shampoo for your hair type?
- Oily scalp: avoid excessively hydrating shampoos
- Dry scalp: choose hydrating products
- Identify your hair type
1. What is the role of a shampoo?
Shampoo is designed to cleanse the scalp and hair, removing dirt and excess oil from around the hair follicles. Shampoo is similar to soap, although the ingredients are milder. If you used soap instead of shampoo, the ingredients would strip away the hair's outer protective layer. It would then have a rough texture that is difficult to manage, even with hair products to help you.
Therefore, shampoo should help balance your hair's pH level, regardless of whether we are talking about color-treated hair or natural color. The right product will provide two key benefits for your hair:
- Improving hair health. The right shampoo makes your hair look and feel healthier. Keep in mind that you need to work the shampoo into a lather, rinse your hair, and repeat the procedure if necessary to remove all dirt and sebum buildup for the best results.
- Stimulating hair growth. A shampoo rich in vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and natural extracts stimulates the scalp, whether it is an anti-hair loss shampoo or one for hydration. This keeps hair follicles healthy and encourages growth. Natural ingredients to look for include lavender, almonds, ginseng, lemongrass, jojoba, and fig. These ingredients also provide natural fragrance, so you can avoid chemical perfumes that may damage your hair. (Source)
2. How do you choose the right shampoo for your hair type?
Selecting the right shampoo for your hair type can be a confusing endeavor. Hydrating, strengthening, smoothing, color-safe, thickening—how does the language on the bottle match your hair? Keep in mind that choosing a shampoo that matches your hair type can make all the difference, creating the right balance of moisture, shine, and elasticity. The secret? It all starts with knowing what kind of scalp you have.
Define your scalp type
Although you may think of shampoo strictly as a hair cleanser, it is just as important to consider the scalp when choosing one. Shampoos have different cleansing characteristics; therefore, it is important to identify your scalp type.
A scalp that feels dehydrated after washing (or just on its own) or a scalp that itches (with or without dandruff) are signs of a dry scalp, which is common especially in the case of color-treated hair. An oily scalp, on the other hand, can be shinier, in which case dandruff may also occur. Finally, there is the option of a combination scalp, which refers to a scalp that is neither dry nor oily. You will know if your scalp is combination if it becomes oily two to three days after shampooing rather than the next day.
When it comes to cosmetic products, we should keep in mind that shampoo is for the scalp and roots, while conditioner is for the ends of the hair. If your scalp is oily and your ends are dry (a common combination), you should choose the shampoo best suited for an oily scalp and leave the hydration to your conditioner, which should be applied only to the dry ends. From this perspective, it is important to choose volumizing shampoos if your hair tends to be dull, or a product for color-treated hair if you want to restore the shine to your hair.
3. Oily scalp: avoid excessively hydrating shampoos
If your scalp tends to be oily or greasy, you have probably already tested dozens of shampoos. You have tried everything from daily washing to washing every few days to try and control excess oil and sebum production. Here is what to look for and what to avoid when choosing a shampoo for an oily scalp:
- Avoid shampoos that are extra hydrating, smoothing, or those intended for curly hair. These tend to add too much moisture to your already oily scalp. By design, shampoo is meant to cleanse your roots more than any other part of your hair, so if you are prone to oily roots, for example, you may need a less hydrating and more deep-cleansing shampoo.
- Look for volumizing shampoos, or strengthening or balancing ones. These products are not hydrating and are more effective at removing excess oil.
- Try a combination of shampoos. Similar to double-cleansing your face, double-shampooing consists of washing your hair with two separate shampoos to target different needs. Use one product to target an oily scalp, followed by a different formula to cleanse the length of the hair, especially in the case of color-treated hair.
- Take extra time to massage the scalp with shampoo, especially in the case of an anti-hair loss shampoo, to break down the oil at the root of the hair, and rinse the scalp very well at the end.
- After shampooing, avoid applying conditioner to the scalp. Instead, focus on the mid-lengths and ends of the hair. Likewise, rinse very well at the end.
4. Dry scalp: choose hydrating products
When your scalp is dry, if you suffer from itching or notice flaking, choosing the right shampoo can be your first line of defense against uncomfortable, sometimes embarrassing situations that may arise. It is essential to choose a shampoo that does not cause problems when you have a dry scalp. Try these tips:
- Avoid strengthening, fortifying shampoos and volumizing shampoos. These products can strip your scalp of necessary moisture.
- Avoid using too much dry shampoo. It has a tendency to absorb sebum and can dry out the scalp skin.
- For a scalp that is only slightly dry, with little to no itching or flaking, opt for a shampoo that promotes moisture, hydration, smoothing, or curls. These products encourage moisture retention and can be beneficial for a dry scalp.
- Avoid styling products, including shampoos, with sulfates because they are very drying to the hair and scalp. (Source)
- Even when the scalp is dry, it is important to properly cleanse your hair with shampoo for the best results.
Kintensiv Tip: One of the active ingredients in the composition of our shampoo for color-treated hair is Bio Ceramidyl Hair – a high-purity natural ceramide composed of glycoceramides and phospholipids. These play the role of maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier and contributing to the permanent regeneration of hair follicle cells. The delicate formula maintains the natural hydration of the scalp and hair, functioning as a permanent protector against hair dehydration.
5. Identify your hair type
Besides the fact that it is necessary to consider your scalp type, it is important to pay attention to your hair type as well when choosing a shampoo. Here is what you should keep in mind:
- Fine hair: Opt for volumizing shampoos that will boost the strands without weighing the hair down.
- Thick hair: hydrating shampoos are excellent for adding moisture, shine, and smoothness to thick hair. Straight hair: smoothing shampoos are usually rich in extra hydrating substances and are meant to help seal the cuticle and provide a great start for straight and smooth styles.
- Wavy hair: balancing shampoos are usually a good middle-of-the-road option. This is because they hydrate well but won't dry out the hair.
- Curly hair: those with curly hair should look for highly hydrating shampoos for curly hair that contain ingredients that reduce frizz without weighing down the curls.
- Damaged/colored/brittle hair: strengthening or fortifying shampoos are good for damaged, color-treated hair, weakened, or fragile hair, as they usually contain extra proteins meant to improve the condition of the hair. An anti-hair loss shampoo will be a suitable choice.
Markers of healthy hair include shine and texture. If you feel that your hair is not well-hydrated, the cause is most likely quite clear: it is not properly hydrated. To be elastic, hair should not be weighed down by silicone-based products. Instead, a humectant like glycerin will help attract moisture, making it excellent for a dry scalp. Mango seed oil is another wonderful ingredient, as it is hydrating and lightweight, just like argan oil. Ceramides and fatty acids in sunflower seed oil can also help repair the hair, hydrate it, reduce frizz, and add shine. (Source)
Volumizing shampoos
If hair strands are very fine, they will easily become oily and limp. A gentle, volumizing shampoo will add more body to your hair without weighing it down. Look for ingredients like PG-propyl silanetriol, hydrolyzed wheat protein to add volume, but avoid products with silicone.
Dealing with dandruff?
In most cases, dandruff is a byproduct of an oily and flaky scalp condition caused either by infrequent shampooing, gentle cleansing shampoos, or, in some cases, diet. If someone is facing an imbalance in their scalp and has not changed their environment, products, diet, or frequency of shampooing, they should also pay attention to their overall health to ensure that the scalp imbalance is not a sign of something internal.
Conclusion
With so many options to select from, choosing a shampoo can be overwhelming. However, finding the perfect match for your hair can be easier if you shop with your scalp and hair type in mind. These factors will help you quickly discover a shampoo with the right ingredients, texture, and benefits for your hair.
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