How To Choose The Right Shampoo For Your Hair Type?

Standing in front of the shampoo aisle in the supermarket, you read a million labels. Anti-dandruff, curl-defining, volumising, colour protection, damage repair…we could go on and on. Even after trying a set of different shampoos from different brands, you probably still haven’t found “the one”. 

Question is, do you keep continuing the trial and error run or is there another approach to finding the perfect shampoo for you? It is time to find out.

Finding the perfect shampoo for your hair is like setting your friend up for a date. When it’s your best friend, you know exactly what they are looking for on a date and you hence know exactly what to look for. However, when you don’t know much about your friend, it is all the more difficult to figure out what kind of a person they would like as well. 

Similarly, the first and most important factor in finding your ideal shampoo is understanding your own hair.

Steps To Find The Right Shampoo

Step #1 : Understanding your hair type

How your hair looks visually in its natural form is your hair type. This is usually pretty easy to figure out. Based on the different kinds of hair textures and types that you have, the shampoo that you have to use also differs. So, no, you can’t use the shampoo that your curly-haired friend uses on your straight hair. Here are the different types of hair.

• Straight hair: If your hair is naturally straight, then you need to look for shampoos that are highly moisturising to help seal the cuticle.
• Curly hair: Frizz is every curly hair girl’s worst nightmare. For those curls to look shiny and bouncy, you need a moisturising shampoo that helps control frizz. 
• Coloured hair: When you colour your hair, you subject your hair to many chemicals. In order for that colour to stay intact and not wash off, you need a colour to protect shampoo. You can also buy a shampoo that is free from sulphates like the Tru Hair range of shampoos.
• Fine hair: Many people have thinner hair which makes their overall hair look like it has less volume. There are shampoos that can help in boosting your strands without weighing them down.
• Thick hair: Thicker hair needs way more managing as it tends to get tangled a lot. The aim is to get shampoos that smoothen the hair and moisturise it, keeping it tamed.

Step #2 : Understanding your scalp type

Understanding your scalp type is even more important than understanding your hair type. Hair growth starts from the root. Hence, whatever product or shampoo you use for the scalp has a direct impact on hair growth and the overall health of the hair. Here are the different types of scalp types that you can use to help identify yours.

• Dry Scalp: The symptoms of a dry scalp are usually itchiness and flakes falling off. Our scalp produces sebum which keeps the scalp and hair moisturised. However, when the sebum production is low, the scalp dries. The use of shampoos that alter your scalp’s pH also dries up the scalp. Make it a point to use a chemical-free herbal shampoo or shampoo for dry hair.
• Oily scalp: When the scalp produces too much sebum, your entire scalp gets too oily and greasy. When you comb your hair, this oil gets distributed to the lengths of the hair, making the entire hair look oily. This also attracts dirt and pollution. 
• Normal scalp: When the pH of the hair is normal and the sebum production is not excess or less, your scalp will be normal. You ideally shouldn’t face any problems caused by your scalp type.
• Combination scalp: Just like how we have combination skin with the T-zone being oily and the rest of the face dry, we can have a combination scalp as well. You will have a highly oily scalp but your hair strands and ends will be dry and damaged. For this kind of scalp, you need a shampoo that clears the excess oil off the scalp but doesn’t also make the strands even drier. Yes, this sounds tricky but your best bet is with a shampoo that has a lot of natural ingredients like aloe vera, Brahmi, hibiscus, bhringraj, etc. They cleanse the hair of the excess oil but is also mild enough for your dry hair.

Understanding What Your Hair Lacks & Needs

Other than general problems that come from the type of hair or scalp you have, you might also see other problems that come from reasons like using the wrong hair product, heat styling, climatic conditions, and more. You may also have other problems that require medical attention. Pay attention to what your hair is telling you. 

If you have any severe hair problems, your doctor might prescribe medical shampoos like Ayurvedic shampoo for scalp psoriasis. If you have trouble understanding what your hair lacks or even what ingredients can help you get healthier hair, you can take a hair analysis test.

While hair analysis tests from dermatologists and doctors can be expensive and time-consuming, you now have the option of getting a professional analysis done online, free of cost. Tru Hair’s 3-factor hair analysis developed by trichologists recommends personalised hair care products and ingredients that best suit your hair. This is done by analysing your hair type, body type, and demography.

Ideal Way Of Finding The Right Shampoo

Worship the ingredients list! One of the easiest things you can do to know if the shampoo is right for you is by taking a minute to scan through the ingredients list. What you should look for are natural and Ayurvedic ingredients that have amazing benefits. Most Ayurvedic herbs have specific benefits. Look for the ones that will suit your hair problems.

What you should stay away from are shampoos with sulphates, parabens, LLP, and any other harsh chemicals. These shampoos do more harm than good by stripping your hair of its natural oil and damaging the hair with chemicals that are too harsh for your gentle hair. The aim is to look for a chemical-free herbal shampoo.

Once you find your best fit, do you stick with this forever or do you have to keep changing the shampoo every few months?

When Should I Change My Shampoo?

It is a common myth that you should change your shampoo every couple of months because your hair will get used to it. However, this claim is far from the truth. If you have found the perfect shampoo, by all means, stick with it. 

The only time you need to consider changing it is when your hair has new requirements. For example, with climate change, our hair texture also tends to change. This might require you to use a different kind of shampoo.

If you have a clear understanding of what your hair and scalp type is, you will know what kind of shampoo to look for as well. Pay close attention to what your hair is telling you. Buy shampoos that have ingredients that take you one step closer to healthier hair. 

The Tru Hair range of shampoos is known to have an amalgamation of rare Ayurvedic ingredients that offer nutrients the hair lacks. It also does not contain any harsh chemicals, parabens, sulphates or LLPs. Hence, Tru Hair Shampoos are never too harsh on the hair. By combining Ayurvedic traditions and the latest technological advancements, the Tru Hair products have the best of both worlds.