Shampoo

SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS Shampoos The purpose of a shampoo is threefold: 1. to cleanse the hair and scalp; 2. to improve appearance of the hair; and 3. to improve and facilitate management of the hair. Unfortunately, shampoos are good cleansing agents but not particularly good at maintaining optimum hair appearance or facilitating hair management. This is where the need for a conditioner arises (see page 7). Different shampoos contain different surfactants (cleansing agents); often more than one. These vary in their effectiveness as cleansing agents, but even more so in the condition in which they leave the hair. Sometimes shampoos are too effective and remove all the sebum or natural oil. Conditioners are then used to replace this lost oil to a certain degree with various artificial substitutes which remain on the hair. Not all shampoos are the same Shampoos are made for normal hair, fine hair, dry hair, greasy hair, damaged hair, sunny climates, swimmers, and even medicated for such conditions as dandruff. Others may be made for the exacting needs of Afro-Caribbean hair (see page 9). It is most essential that you select a shampoo for the right hair type – normal, dry, greasy or damaged (over processed). If in doubt, your hairdresser will tell you which class you belong to. (There is just a possibility that some hairdressers will be slightly biased when it comes to admitting that hair is over-processed!) Market research has shown that opinion on shampoos is very subjective. A shampoo which one person regards highly will be instantly rejected by someone else. Often, the shape of the bottle, the perfume, or even the colour are the deciding factors, and manufacturers know this. From the consumer’s point of view, this really is not very sensible. You should choose your shampoo carefully and reject it if it does not suit completely. Do a little experimentation and then stick to the one that suits you best. There is no need to keep changing your shampoo once a