How to find the right shampoo for your hair type.

Unfortunately, the best shampoo for your hair isn’t simply determined by cute packaging and the scent. If you’ve been on the hunt to find your perfect shampoo, it’s important to learn and be knowledgeable about your hair type.

Read on to learn more about your hair and some tips and things to look out for when shampoo shopping!

Orlando Hairstylist - Jess P Hair Studio

First things first, what is your hair type?

Fine, medium, and coarse refers to the size of your hair strands. The smallest diameter being fine, and the largest being coarse. As a blonde specialist, my clients tend to have fine-medium hair, so that’s what we’re focusing on.

FINE

MEDIUM

COARSE

Fine hair -

  • Usually lays flat to the head, and the word ‘Volume’ on a shampoo bottle can be a huge selling point.

  • Doesn’t hold a style for very long before it’s right back to its natural state.

  • Extremely susceptible to damage from heat styling or your blonde highlights. (Find a stylist who knows what they’re doing.)

Medium hair -

  • Larger in diameter giving it a little bit more of a lift off of the head.

  • Holds a style fairly well.

  • it takes a bit longer for your highlights to process than for someone with a finer hair texture.

  • Depending on porosity levels, medium hair textures are likely to have frizz. Causing the word ‘Smoothing’ on a shampoo bottle to be a big selling point.

Shampoo terminology

Purple Shampoo - A shampoo containing high levels of purple pigment marketed to blondes. Used to neutralize light yellow or light brass tones that can occur in blonde hair over time after receiving a blonding or highlighting service.

Sulphate free - A gentle cleansing shampoo made without sulphates. Sulphates are what cleanse and create the suds when shampooing your hair.

Volumizing - Shampoo with lighter ingredients, that works well to remove any build of that could be weighing down your hair. Not all volumizing shampoos are equal. Some can be quite extreme, stripping the hair of natural oils and causing more frizz and dryness.

Smoothing - Shampoo usually containing heavy moisturizing ingredients that add some weight to the hair to help those “frizzes” lay down.

Hydrating - ranging from lightweight or heavy and is best for dry and damaged hair. Hydrating shampoo helps to maintain natural oils in your hair, locking in extra moisture during the shampoo process.

Clarifying - Strips the hair clean of all oils, product, and build up. Not to be used as a daily shampoo as it tends to be harsh and can cause dry, brittle hair. But when used correctly can be a great tool for keeping your hair light and shiny.

It’s best to note, there isn’t a one size fits all formula. We’re all used to our hair feeling or looking a certain way and that alone can play a huge part in deciding if you like a shampoo once you’ve tried it.

Here’s what I recommend…

If you have fine hair… You need to be extra careful about using products that are too heavy or too drying. Your best best bet is using a light weight sulphate free shampoo most often so there is no worry about stripping your hair and causing it to be even more susceptible to damage or breakage. But because sulphate free shampoos are so gentle, you will want to use a volumizing or clarifying shampoo once every other week ( twice a month ) to remove any oil or product build up that can cause your hair to lay flat, and sometimes feel “not clean”.

If you have medium hair… you’re really free to use shampoos you like while keeping in mind the issues you're trying to solve. If you have frizz, use a smoothing or hydrating shampoo to lock in moisture and weigh down all those little hairs. Alternating with a cleansing shampoo, to remove access oils or build up to avoid flat, oily roots.

In conclusion, you need to learn your hair. There will be times you need more moisture, times you need more volume, and sometimes you’ll need to remove build up. Pay attention to your hair, learn what it feels like when it’s dry, when it’s too dry, or when you have build up. Rotating your shampoos based off exactly what your hair needs, means you’ll be able to make any shampoo work if you know when to use it.