Best Shampoo

The first step in finding the Best Shampoo for your hair is determining your hair type. There are many different brands of hair shampoo and many different types of shampoo within those brands. Finding the perfect shampoo for your hair can be a confusing task. We're here to help! Also see How to Shampoo to learn things most people don't know about shampooing and find common mistakes that are easy to avoid.

The first step in determining what type of shampoo to use is to determine your Hair Type.

Regular Hair:

Hair that is NOT regularly exposed to heat styling, saltwater/chlorine, extreme sun exposure
Hair that is NOT regularly treated with hair chemicals (hair spray, hair color/dye, perms, gel, etc.).

Specific Hair Types:
Hair that is very F ine and may be prone to breakage
Hair that is very oily
Hair that is very D ry Hair
Sensitive Scalp - scalps prone to itchy, flaking, redness, etc.
Hair that is Coarse or Curly
Hair that is prone to Dandruff
Hair that is Hard to Bend
Swimmers Hair (I swim often, exposing my hair to chemicals)
Well Water Hair (I wash my hair with well water/hard water)

Treated Hair:
Hair that is Color enhanced (dyed, high-lights, low-lights, streaks, frost, etc)
Hair that is bleached or toned
Permed Hair
Hair that is chemically straightened
Aggressively styled hair (extreme heat styling, etc) I fix my hair every day, sometimes twice a day

Types of Shampoo

Best Shampoo For Regular Hair
The shampoo you are looking for is one that gently cleanses your hair and keeps your scalp from becoming too oily between shampoos. Shampoo for normal hair will suit your hair and scalp needs. For people with regular hair the choice of shampoo is dependant on several things. How often do you shampoo and what conditioner do you use after shampooing. Most people with normal hair shampoo and condition daily. See How to Shampoo to learn things most people don't know about shampooing and find common mistakes that are easy to avoid.

When it comes to choosing the best shampoo for regular hair one would think that it is just a matter of choosing the shampoo, fragrance and color and that's all there is to it. Instead, the question becomes, "How does my scalp and hair feel when I am done with my daily shampoo and conditioning routine?" Once we were traveling on vacation and had forgotten our Roffler Gold Shampoo and Roffler Protein 35 Conditioner. The hotel, of course, provided small bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Our 11 year old son came out of the shower and asked "What's wrong with this shampoo?" Most 11 years old boys are oblivious to everything. So if any 11 year old child can tell the difference, you know there must be and is a really big difference. Not all shampoos are created equal. All Shampoos claim to do the same thing and say they serve the same purpose: to cleanse your hair and scalp. It's up to you, your hair and scalp should feel clean. Keep using shampoos that leave your hair clean feeling and make it so that your are not aware of your scalp (no itching, no scratching, no oil and no smell from your hair or scalp) between shampoos.

Best Shampoo for Fine/Thin Hair
If you have fine/thin hair, you'll want a shampoo that won't add extra weight or oil to your hair. Your best shampoo choice would be a volume adding shampoo or thickening shampoo. Shampoos and conditioners that contain Wheat Proteins promote the addition of body to your hair and actually work to thicken the hair shaft. The key words to look for when searching for a Fine/Thin hair shampoo are: volumizing, thickening, weightless, and wheat proteins.

Best Shampoo for Dry Hair
For dry hair, you'll want a moisture rich shampoo. It's important to determine the cause behind your dry hair. Is your hair naturally dry? Do you live in a dry climate? The solution for these two causes of dry hair can be as simple as using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. However, those are not the only causes of dry hair. Is your hair damaged? Do you heat style your hair? Do you dry your hair with a towel? Do you blow dry your hair? Do you color or perm you hair? Any of these situations can diminish moisture in your hair. Simply using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner might not be enough. It's important to protect your hair from blow-drying and aggressive heat styling by using a heat protection spray. If you chemically process your hair (coloring, perming, etc), you might want to start using a weekly Deep Conditioning Masque. Sometimes, prevention can be the solution.

Best Shampoo for Hard to Bend Hair
If you have stubborn, "I can't make my hair behave or even comb it", hair and you want help, you need to start with a shampoo the opens the outside, cuticle, layer of your hair to let in a hair softening conditioner like Its a 10 Hair Masque . The best shampoo for this is Roffler Gold Shampoo or Roffler Blue Shampoo. Both shampoos are formulated with a pH of 8, which is specifically designed to open the cuticle layer and help remove unwanted oils often associated with mens hair needs. The bonus is that once the cuticle is open, the masque can better penetrate the hair cuticle, getting inside your hair and softening it to make it more bendy. Clients have told us that this shampoo and conditioner combination is a miracle that really helped tame their hard to bend hair.

Best Shampoo for Sensitive Scalp/Dandruff
There are specially made shampoos for people who have sensitive scalp conditions and dandruff. It is important to find the one that works for you and meets all of your hair's needs. For those suffering from dandruff, look for an actual dandruff shampoo or a clarifying shampoo. These shampoos should clean away the flakes and hydrate your scalp to prevent future flakes. There are also some practical, easy steps you can take to help reduce and eliminate your dandruff. Visit our How to Shampoo page to learn more. If you have a sensitive scalp, look for a mild or gentle shampoo. There are fragrance free shampoos, sulfate free shampoos, and paraben free shampoos. If you haven't found something that works, try using shampoo with less chemicals in it like Onesta Hydrating Shampoo.

Best Shampoo for Swimmers
For the avid swimmer, a specialty shampoo is a necessity. Pools contain harmful chemicals, namely chlorine, that can turn your beloved tresses into a horror story. But pools aren't the only danger; salt water poses just as big a threat as the chemically treated pool water does. It is important to not only to cleanse and condition your Swimmers Hair, but also to protect it. Our favorite shampoo for swimmers is made by EC Mode.

Shampoo for Colored/Color Treated/Permed Hair
One of the biggest markets of shampoos is color treated hair shampoo. There are entire hair products lines devoted to the care of colored hair; the possibilities are endless! There are certain things that can make your hair color fade more quickly. Hair product companies developed color protecting shampoo and conditioner to promote longer lasting hair color. Framesi has four different product lines and all of the products in those lines are color safe. What does that mean? It means their products, like other color safe products, do not contain harmful ingredients that may strip your hair color. Look for a color safe or color protecting shampoo.

Also see Salon Shampoo Brands for details about different brands of salon shampoo for you to choose from.