Tips for choosing the correct shampoo, as revealed by hair care experts

For an effective cleansing of your hair, your shampoo should meet the needs of your hair so knowing your hair type is the first step as one thing that can totally make or break your style is your hair. While we do spend a lot of time choosing the right skincare for us, we neglect our hair but just using the right shampoo for your hair can totally change your hair care game.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Ayurveda expert Dr Archana Sukumaran, revealed, “Regular shampooing helps keep your scalp clean, avoids clogging of hair follicles and reduces itching of the scalp. The first step before shampoo should be oiling your hair so that the shampoo doesn’t strip away moisture from hair strands. Choose your shampoo according to your hair type. If your hair is very fine, weak or fragile or if you suffer from dry hair and split ends, you have Vata-type hair. You should stay away from products with qualities as volumizing as those have a tendency to deprive your hair of any further moisture.”

She suggested, “Avoid sulfate shampoos as they can harm hair by stripping moisture, making it brittle and causing more frizz. Use a gentle restructuring, nourishing, and stimulating shampoo with ingredients like coconut, jojoba, argan, and bhringaraj. Fenugreek paste is a good homemade cleanser for Vata-type hair. If your hair is sensitive and prone to premature greying and thinning, you might be having Pitta-type hair. Steer clear from shampoos that have added salt- it can irritate and dry up a scalp that is already sensitive, which can lead to hair loss in the long run.”

Dr Archana Sukumaran added, “Choose a shampoo that has cooling and soothing properties such as hibiscus, amla, aloe vera and brahmi. You can use crushed hibiscus leaves as a natural alternative to shampoos. If you have greasy hair and sticky flakes, you have Kapha-type hair. Stay away from silicone-based shampoos- it weighs down your hair and makes it appear oily, dull, and lifeless. Look for ingredients that help in cleansing like neem, reetha, and shikakai. You can use Triphala powder to clean your scalp.”

Bringing her expertise to the same, Aarti Duggal, Founder of Flawsome, highlighted, “Considering every scalp is different and has some other needs, picking the right formulations designed to remove excess dirt works best but one must see if the scalp is dry or oily. It’s important to use the shampoo in moderation that is best suited for hair type to avoid dryness or irritation of your scalp. Yet another point to look at the ingredients you need in the shampoo. For example, If your hair is dull and limp even after regular wash and care, then your shampoo should have a volumizing or strengthening formula as per the need of your hair. Similarly, if your scalp has dandruff then your hair would need ingredients in the shampoo that can help remove it and clear the scalp.”

Adding to the list of tips for choosing the correct shampoo, Arthi Raguram, Founder of Deyga Organics, recommended:

● If your hair is dry and frizzy, choose a shampoo that has moisturizing properties. Shampoos that are infused with hydrating oils like argan oil, macadamia oil, and olive oil, nourish your hair and make them soft and smooth.

● For normal hair, look for shampoos that are free from harsh chemicals like SLS. A shampoo with aloe vera extracts or almond oil will work fine for your hair and will not disturb the PH balance of the hair.

● Oily hair requires a shampoo that can take off the excess oil and build up from the scalp. Choose shampoos that are meant for volumizing or balancing. Ingredients such as tea tree oil, and lemongrass oil help in balancing the sebum production of your scalp.

Follow the above guidelines for the next time you go to choose a shampoo for your hair and say “yes” to having “good hair days” every day.