Hair Shampooing Basics
Shampoo is the most basic of haircare products, designed to clean your hair and scalp. The word shampoo, interestingly, has its origin in the Hindi word champi, which means ‘head massage with oil’.) Most shampoos are classified as detergents, with the exception of dry, powder shampoos that are less effective and tend to leave hair dull-looking. These can be useful however, when you are not able to use normal shampoo because of your location or lack of time.
Some Hair shampoos contain soap, but most, days, are soap-free and contain agents known as surfactants, otherwise known as surface-active a that lather well in all types of water (Soap shampoo forms a scum with hard water.) Most modern shampoo also contain conditioning agents to make it easier to comb your hair after washing it.
What is in Shampoo?
- Cleansing agents (surfactants). The two most common are ammonium lauryl sulphate and ammonium laureth sulphate, the milder of the two.
- Conditioning agents.
- Additives to control pH and thickness of the shampoo (if it is too runny, it would be messy to apply; if it is too thick, it would be hard to spread). Shampoos are usually slightly acidic, with a pH between 3.5 and 4.5.
- Preservatives to prevent the shampoo from going off or ingredients from decomposing, which could lead to bacteria multiplying, and pose a health risk.
- Hair Colors , perfumes and other ingredients to make the shampoo enjoyable to use.
- Some shampoos such as anti dandruff preparations contain zinc pyrithione
Hair Shampooing Basics and Tips
A good shampoo should spread easily over the hair, rinse out, not irritate your skin or eyes and leave your hair manageable. The lather is not actually essential to clean your hair efficiently, but it does offer a guide to how much detergent you are using.
There is a wide range of shampoos for different hair types . If you wash your hair frequently or have a sensitive skin , choose a gentle formula.
For colour-treated, permed or dry and brittle hair, a moisturizing shampoo may help. There are also special shampoos available for coloured hair but in truth they cannot really prevent colour fade, although they do moisturize the hair and help to maintain its condition. There is ongoing debate about the benefits of clarifying shampoos, which are used (normally about once a month) to remove so-called product build-up on the hair. Some hair experts dismiss them, saying that a good regular shampoo should be able to remove all build-up of dirt and products on the hair anyway.
There are also many special formulations for greasy, dry and normal hair as well as shampoos for blonde hair that are designed to help it appear brighter.
Wash your hair as often as you need to - daily if necessary, but do not use too much shampoo as it won’t make your hair cleaner! Brush your hair before you wash it - this loosens dead skin cells and any dirt sticking to your scalp.
Harsh sunlight, wind and other environmental hazards, as well as hairstyling and chemical treatments, can damage the outer cuticle cells of your hair leaving it dull, dry and tangled. Unfortunately, conditioner cannot repair such damage but it can improve the appearance of the hair by coating the shaft, smoothing rough cuticle scales as a result and making the hair easy to comb.