With the abundance of choice in the market, selecting the right shampoo for your hair is increasingly becoming difficult. Especially with the marketing gimmicks resorted to, consumers are induced to try / experiment with products while they lose sight of the important considerations required to make the right choice.
In this blog, we will look at the important considerations before choosing a shampoo and some of the advantages of choosing a natural shampoo over shampoos which lean heavily on chemicals.
What to look for while choosing a shampoo?
Shampoos work on scalp and hair roots while conditioner works on hair. Choosing the right shampoo and conditioner is about understanding your scalp type and the hair type. Different shampoos are suited for different combinations of scalp and hair types.
Scalps could be dry or oily. For dry scalp, Shampoos which moisturizes / smoothes or hydrates the hair are well suited and sulfates should be avoided as it has a very drying effect on scalp and hair. For oily scalp, shampoos which volumizes or strengthens the hair are considered best. Moisturizing shampoos should be avoided.
Hair could be thin / thick / straight / curly / brittle or a combination of these. Thin hair requires volumizing while thick hair requires hydrating shampoos to add shine and smoothness. Smoothing or straight hair shampoos typically contain extra moisturizing agents which seal the cuticle and are suited for both straight and curly hair. Strengthening or fortifying shampoos usually contain extra protein which is aimed at repairing the damaged / brittle hair.
Another confusion which is prevalent while choosing a shampoo is whether or not to go for natural shampoos versus those based on chemical ones. Believe it or not, various chemical-based shampoos which are positioned as the best shampoo for hair growth or the best shampoo for hair fall or the best shampoo to give the hair a natural shine contain ingredients which harm scalp and hair in the long run and aggravates the very problem you were trying to solve. Read on to find the advantages of using a natural shampoo.
- Loaded with natural and beneficial ingredients: Ingredients like tea tree (maintains scalp health and prevents skin irritation), coconut oil, aloe vera (keeps scalp moisturized and nourished), beta glucan (soothes irritated skin cells), organic shea butter (improves hair color and natural shine) are commonly found in natural hair care products. These help with improving scalp irritation, hydration and healthy hair growth. Healthy plant and herb extracts are easy on hair strands and do not cause irritation, allergies and other side effects.
- Natural pH balance maintained: Chemical-based products throw off the typical pH balance (between 3.6 to 5.5) of hair while the natural ingredients in shampoos do not affect / restores the pH balance.
- Moisture in hair remains intact: Chemical shampoos usually strip off the moisture content in hair in the long run, leaving them brittle and dry. Users are often found dependent on these products to temporarily restore the moisture.
- Paraben free: Parabens are used in body care products to increase their shelf life as it prevents growth of fungus/bacteria. Parabens are absorbed by the body and it mimics estrogens and causes growth of cancer cells. Absorbed parabens have been linked to reproductive problems in both males and females. While paraben is a common ingredient in chemical-based shampoos, natural shampoos are free of parabens.
- Sulfate free: Harmful chemical salts used in products for a dense lathering foam. Prolonged usage of products with sulfates leads to dry skin, acne, eczema, swelling, redness or rashes. Natural shampoos are free of sulfates.
- Silicone free: Silicone is used in products as it imparts a silky feel and adds gloss to the hair. It slowly deteriorates the hair and leads to weaker hair prone to breakage. Natural shampoos are silicone free.
- Phthalates: These are often used in chemical based shampoos as binding agents. These are harmful and lead to imbalance hormones, harms kidneys, thyroids among other side effects. Natural shampoos do not contain phthalates.
These are just some of the various advantages of using natural and organic shampoos over chemical based shampoos.