Not All Shampoo is the Same, so Which are Right for You and When do You Use Them?
A few days ago I was shampooing a client, and as I was massaging her scalp and chatting at the shampoo bowl, she began asking me questions about the different types of shampoo we carried and what each one did for your hair. This got me thinking about my experiences standing in the shampoo isle at the local grocery and mulling over dozens of choices, wondering what was what. Of course we are driven by price, and a bargain always seems nice, but what is really best for the hair? Buying whatever was on sale? Although we educate our clients on salon quality shampoo, conditioner and styling products, do they really understand which of these items are best for their hair. Do they know what a color care shampoo versus a moisturizing shampoo will do for their hair? Do they understand the quality of the ingredients? With a plethora of choices available I decided to devote some time to writing an article that will educate our clientele on different types of shampoo, their purposes, and benefits, thus helping to alleviate some of the confusion they experience in choosing the proper type of shampoo. In the following article we will discuss what different types of shampoo are used for, and the effect they can have on your hair, from extending the life of your color, to helping with psoriasis on the scalp, to removing product build up and mineral impurities. So sit back, relax, and read on!
Let’s start with Clarifying shampoo. This can be a confusing option for many. What does clarifying shampoo do? Clarifying shampoo has many purposes, but it’s major use is for removing unwanted impurities from the hair and scalp. The impurities can include, mineral build up from hard water, chlorine build up from swimming pools , salt from a swim or two in the ocean, and even removal of excess product build up. Clarifying shampoo opens the cuticle layers more than other shampoos will, allowing the hair to be stripped of impurities. Clarifying shampoo is a fantastic product to have on hand, especially in the summer months, but be careful not to over use, as it can have a very drying effect on both your hair and scalp. This product is best used once a week or less, unless directed otherwise by your stylist. Clarifying shampoo is also not color safe, so if you are a color client, check with your stylist before using a clarifying shampoo on your color treated tresses. However, SoZo Clarify Shampoo clarifies with kiwi acids/extracts so it is the most gentle, yet effective clarifying shampoo available.
Next, and closest in relation to clarifying shampoo, would be Tea Tree shampoo. Tea Tree oil has many holistic properties, from an anti fungal, to a natural clarifying agent, to a soother of dry scalp or scalp psoriasis. Tea Tree oil can also help repel lice from the hair as well. Most Tea Tree shampoos have a wonderful earthy aroma, and an invigorating tingle on the scalp. These products are fantastic if you battle flakes, psoriasis or generally have a lot of grit, dirt and sweat in your hair. I often recommend that my Tea Tree users alternate between their Tea Tree shampoo and a moisturizing shampoo if they have long hair and if they shampoo often, to keep balance in their hair and scalp. Also, not all Tea Tree shampoos are color safe, so be sure to ask your stylist which one is right for you. SoZo Tea Tree and Peppermint Shampoo is color safe! One of our talented hair designers at SoZo HAIR has four kids and they say it smells like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Yum!
Among the most popular of our recommendations would be Color Protect shampoo. Most of our female clients have color services done on their hair, and they would like as much longevity out of their color as possible. Color Protect shampoo is a gentile cleansing shampoo, with a hint of moisture and has a bit of a volumizing benefit as well. It helps to reduce the amount of fading to your color service by not being as abrasive as regular shampoos, and it’s added moisturizing agents help to close the cuticle layers of the hair more tightly, keeping your color locked into your hair strands longer.
Those of us with fine hair, who like a lot of body or volume are best suited for a Volumizing shampoo. Volumizing shampoo has less moisturizing agent in it, allowing it to leave the hair feeling slightly course. This allows you to be able to create more volume in your style because your hair is not being weighed down by as many moisturizing agents. SoZo Volumizing Shampoo is also color safe.
For unnatural bleach blondes, forever searching for a shampoo that will give both moisture and volume and for curly hair, long hair and hair that needs love, enter Marula Oil Shampoo. Marula Oil shampoo is a light moisturizing shampoo that contains Marula Oil. These oils will add shine and moisture to your hair, without weighing it down, it also does a wonderful job of defrizzing. How is this possible? Marula Oil is an incredibly light weight, essential oil full of moisture and botanicals. When added to shampoo in small amounts, it gives just the right amount of moisture to even fine hair textures.
Lastly, we have Cool Toning Shampoo which is a miracle worker for counteracting yellow and gold tones. As hair color fades, which all hair color does over time, it usually unveils warm undertones of red and gold. When those tones are unwanted, SoZo Cool Toning shampoo does such a great job counteracting those tones it’s a must have for in between services. SoZo’s Cool Toning shampoo is very concentrated which means it is very effective and it doesn’t take near as much product as most toning shampoos.
As professionals, we want the absolute best for our clients and their hair. While it may appear at times that we are trying to force a sale on you at the salon, we are actually attempting to get you to purchase products that will not only work well in your hair, but also last you significantly longer than anything you can buy at the store. While the price may seem high at the moment, having to purchase products half as often, and having healthy, beautiful hair every day seems like a pretty fair trade off.
Bottom line is, shampoo does make a difference, especially for chemically treated and long hair. Having good hair days regularly makes life much more enjoyable! Let us help you with that at SoZo HAIR!
Karen Welch has 37 years of experience in the Hair Fashion Industry and is considered an expert in hair design, hair color and beauty makeovers.