What shampoo and conditioner is doing to your hair.
Everyone has their own routine for looking after their hair. Whatever yours is, it’s important to keep in mind that there is such a thing as ‘too much’ care. If your hair feels dry, frizzy, flaky or oily then you might want to re-evaluate your hair routine.
Below is information about how shampoo and conditioner affect hair and how best to use these products.
Like soap, shampoo aims to remove debris and built up grime. The head maintains itself through secreting sebum, this protective head oil is stripped away when shampoo is used. Although excellent for cleaning the scalp and removing dead skin and dirt, it strips these oils from your hair.
Conditioner aims to do the opposite by coating hair in a protective layer. Cetearyl alcohol is the primary ingredient in conditioners which helps retain moisture by reducing evaporation on the hair and skin - making your hair feel silky smooth.
Contrary to popular belief, shampoo and condition do not need to be used together!
Having beautiful hair is a balancing act, shampooing too frequently will cause hair to become dry and frizzy, too much conditioner and it’ll feel oily and clumpy. If you’re fixed on washing your hair often, an easy way to keep things simple is to wash your hair one day and condition on the next.Health and beauty professionals advise that to maintain clean and healthy hair, it should be washed about twice weekly. However, if you exercise regularly or have excessively oily hair then shampooing daily might be your best bet - or lay off the conditioner!
As always, it’s about what works for you - most shampoo and conditioners contain the same active ingredients so if you feel your hair isn’t up to the level you want, think about changing your routine rather than your brand choice.