What Kind of Shampoo and Conditioner is good? Tips and Guidelines

What Kind of Shampoo and Conditioner is good?

What Should Look for in Shampoos and Conditioner?

Full sizeYou know what to avoid in shampoos and conditioners, but what do you actually want to look for? Pretty much whatever you want. No shampoo or conditioner will work any miracles, so pick one that you enjoy using. If that means an inexpensive option, you'll still be good to go. It's really more important that you take good care of your hair in other ways.

Don't wash it in exceptionally hot water, and if you have to use a blow drier you should also use the cold setting. As we'll discuss in the next section, application of your shampoo and conditioner can help yield better results more so than the type you're using. If you're looking for a place to put your money, put it towards styling product (if you use any). While certain brands may or may not be more effective than others, their advertised purpose (thickening, smoothing, etc.) actually tells you something about what they do and certain products will work better for you than others. That'll require a bit of trial and error, but then you'll quickly learn what's best for you and what isn't.

When You Should Avoid Shampoo/Conditioner Combos

Full sizeUsing a shampoo and conditioner combo isn't bad for your hair, but you negate some of the benefits of each when they're combined. Shampoo washes your hair and conditioner attempts to make it softer. Shampoo tends to lighten your hair whereas conditioner can weigh it down (by adding moisture and, in some cases, essential oils). You want to apply shampoo more aggressively to your scalp, because that's primarily what you're trying to clean, but conditioner is more effective when you focus on the ends of your hairs. (In fact, putting the bulk of conditioner in the center of your head and on your scalp can make it kind of gross when you have longer hair.) Because the two types of hair products are pretty different, you lose the ability to use them to their greatest benefit when they're combined. Basically, there's nothing wrong with shampoo and conditioner combos, but they're more effective when applied separately and effectively. That said, the impact is far greater on long hair than short. If you have short hair, you likely won't notice as much of a difference.

Benefits of Paying More for good shampoo

Most shampoos and conditioners will do the job they were intended to do: clean your hair and help keep it soft. The benefit of paying more is pretty minor, in that pricier products generally include higher-quality ingredients. Pricier brands also tend to include essential oils, plant or fruit extracts, and botanicals (where cheaper brands do not). The hair care professionals we spoke to believe that these ingredients may only play a small role in the health of you hair. Instead, they felt you'll find a more personal benefit in the texture and scent they provide. For example, a shampoo might use mint which smells nice and can help perk you up a little in the morning. It won't do much for your hair, but you might appreciate it because of how it makes you feel when you use that shampoo in the shower. Whether that feeling is worth a price hike to you or not is a personal decision.

To sum it all up, it does matter what you buy but why it matters will be mostly up to you. You probably want to avoid harsher shampoos just in case they do cause problems, and shampoo and conditioner combos aren't ideal. Overall, though, you can be served just as well by a cheaper brand as you can with an expensive one.