Shampoo Tips

Put Bounce Back in Your Hair and Say Goodbye to Flat, Dull Hair-Forever!
Article by Andrea Sercu

It used to be you could walk up to the shampoo aisle, find a product that fell under one of three hair type categories and be at the register and out the door in five minutes flat.  Today, there's a remarkable number of shampoos and conditioners for fine/limp hair, colored, permed or otherwise overstressed hair-even products for environmentally damaged hairt. But how can you make the best choice?  Here, we've untangled the barrage of shampoos, conditioners and other hair cleaning products out there to help you find the right formula for your hair's specific needs. Whether you suffer from the dry frizzies or a case of oily lock-ness mess, we've got the suds and solutions for you.

Make the Switch
Hair can tire of just about any hair shampoo as indicated by an accumulation of product residue. Alternate your shampoo every 14 days:

If you're using all-in-one shampoo/conditioners
if you're hair is colored or has a permanent wave
if the weather changes: Turn up the conditioning in winter; take it light in summer.

What's in the Bottle
Shampoos contain virtually the same basic core ingredients: cleansing agents that are labeled with lauryl sulfate or laureth sulfate endings. But they're also packed with proteins and spiked with powerful botanical extracts like essential oils, creating individualized formulas just right for you. To help make your selection, become familiar with the common ingredients.
Aloe-Smoothes and texturizes
Balsam-A tree resin that sticks to hair and thus adds volume but can also weigh down fine/limp hair
Chamomile-Lightens hair; also known as one of the calming herbs
Panthenol-A humectant popular for strengthening hair and holding moisture
Polymers-Long chain molecules that coat and protect the hair shaft
Silicones-Smoothes and adds shine; also strengthens hair
Wheat protein-Adds elasticity, body

Get into Condition
Whether you use conditioners for detangling, calming the frizzies or adding volume to your hair, most everyone can benefit from some type of hair conditioner. The trick is finding the right formula for you.

Leave-Ins Good for short hair; frizzies. Try Clairol Herbal Essences Leave-in Conditioner; Infusium 23 Leave-in Treatment
Serums and Pomades Especially good for frizzies. These formulas help repel atmospheric moisture. Try Frizz-Ease Hair Serum; Clairol Frizz Control Hair Serum; L'Oréal Studio Senses the Touch Define & Shine Pomade
Shampoo/Conditioner in One.
Most of these all-in-one products contain dimethicone, cyclomethicone and phenyldimethicone. They're great time-savers and especially good for dousing damaged and dry ends, but they tend to leave a residue following continued use. Alternate with other rinse conditioners or, if you have fine/limp hair, use only in tight time pinches. Try Salon Selectives Shampoo Plus Detangler; Pantene Pro-V Shampoo Plus Pro-Vitamin Conditioner in One; Vidal Sassoon Ultra Care All-in-One Light or Volumizing Conditioners Great for oily hair that needs a little moisture but no extra baggage. The hair capillaries work like a straw, sucking the moisture up the hair shaft, so you need only apply to the ends if you have oily or fine/limp hair. Try L'Oréal Body Vive Thickening Shampoo.

Myth Leaving conditioner on your hair for an extra minute or too will provide extra conditioning benefits. False! Although certain oils and panthenol are capable of penetrating the hair shaft, most conditioning formulas offer no extended value in coating the hair longer.