Shampoos

The goal of a shampoo is to maintain scalp hygiene while beautifying the hair.

 Proper shampoo selection can be the difference between attractive and unattractive hair.

 While choosing a shampoo we should take into account a lot of factors:

 Hair type (dry, oily, bleached, permanent-waved, short, long, curly, smooth)

 Scalp condition (dandruff, seborrhea, etc.).

 The consumers age, lifestyle and habits (frequency of application and use of other hair products such as conditioners and hair-styling products).

 Hair-styling techniques.

Formulation :

Shampoos cleanse by utilizing synthetic detergents known as “surfactants”.

 Surfactants possesses both lipophilic and hydrophilic sites. The lipophilic site binds to sebum and oil-soluble dirt while the hydrophilic site binds to water allowing removal of the sebum with water rinsing.

 There are four basic categories of shampoo surfactants: anionics, cationics, amphoterics, and nonionics.

Usually, a shampoo is a combination of many surfactants with various abilities to create the perfect balance between hygiene and beautification which is the goal of a successful shampoo.

Fine hair :

 The term “fine hair” can refer to both of the density or the texture of the hair fibers.

Density :

 Density refers to the number of hairs in an area, usually expressed as in a square inch.

According to density, the term “fine hair” refers to the decreased number of hairs found in square cm. This is due to falling of hair or “hair shedding”.

Anti hair loss shampoo is suitable for this type of hair.

Texture

Texture refers to the size of each hair shaft.

 According to texture the term “fine hair” refers to the hair having small diameter.

Volumizing shampoo is suitable for this type of hair.

Types of shampoo :

There are many shampoo formulations are on the market because there are many different cleansing needs and hair types.

The major difference between these shampoo formulae is the level of surfactant used and the level of the conditioners incorporated within the formula.

General considerations while choosing a shampoo :

Ordinary shampoos are used every 3 or 4 days since they contain higher surfactant concentration.

Frequent use shampoos (also known as Everyday shampoos) are intended for everyday or frequent use to avoid the complete removal of sebum from hair since they contain minimal amounts of surfactants.

Frequent use shampoo ( or Everyday shampoo) is suitable for those:

 who are used to wash their hair daily due to their work.

Who frequently use hair styling cosmetics like hair sprays, gels, mousses and others.

Normal hair shampoo is suitable for those with moderate sebum production and those who do not have chemically treated hair.

Many companies offer their dry hair shampoo for both dry and damaged hair.

2-in-1 Conditioning shampoo intend to both clean and condition with one product and it is suitable for:

Those who want to perform hair cleansing and conditioning in one step with one product.

These products are designed for patients with chemically damaged hair or those who prefer to shampoo frequently.

Baby shampoos can be also used for cleansing the eyelashes in patients with ocular rosacea, ocular seborrheic dermatitis, or eye area infections but they are not intended for eye installation (not to be installed directly into eyes like eyedrops) .

Volumizing shampoos are used for those who have fine thin hair (in which the diameter of the hair shaft is reduced, see the topic: fine hair). These products contain humectants which help to swell a person’s hair shafts to create the illusion of thicker, fuller hair.

Hair loss shampoos are used for those who have falling hair (according to the density where the number of hairs in the square centimeter is reduced, see the topic: fine hair).

Colored hair shampoo are suitable for customers who had their hair colored or bleached because they contain:

Conditioning ingredients that protect the outer protective layer of the hair shaft which was partially removed by Alkaline peroxide (in permanent hair dyes and bleaches).

Mild surfactants to minimize the diffusion of the newly created color molecules from the hair if washed frequently with water and ordinary shampoos (color drift).

UV filters since UV radiation not only contributes to hair damage but also has a direct impact on color fading.

Dry Shampoos are suitable for individuals wishing to avoid wetting their hair or for those (the elderly or the handicapped) who experience problems with the usual washing process. They are powdery products that are shaken on to the hair, left to act for a few minutes and then eliminated with vigorous brushing. They are not based on surfactants.

General considerations while using shampoo

 There is no specific recommended frequency for washing hair

Each person has his/her optimal time scale, depending on the type of hair, daily activities and the degree of exposure to dust, soot, and other environmental pollutants.

For people with frizz hair: Do not wash your hair every day. Allow the natural oil from your hair to come out. The natural oil in your hair will reduce frizz.

Dry hair shampoo that is formulated for ordinary use can cause accumulation of the conditioner on the hair if it is used frequently (e.g. if used daily or more than 2 times per week). This condition is known as ‘greasies’ and may account for the observation that hair sometimes has more body and may result in limp hair.

Oily hair shampoo that is formulated for ordinary use can be drying to the hair if it is used frequently (e.g. if used daily or more than 2 times per week).

Customers should not use a conditioning shampoo before permanent dyeing or permanent relaxing because maximum color uptake or relaxing may be inhibited.

It should be pointed out that water exposure is the biggest contributor to color fading (also called wash fading). It can therefore be beneficial not to wash freshly colored hair too frequently.

During using dry Shampoo, using too much product can weigh hair down, leaving hair feeling sticky and full of a white cast from the powder. Also using too little product makes the hair still look greasy, limp, and dirty.

During washing the hair, it is preferred to wash with hot water to remove dirt and rinse in cold water to make your hair shine and to close the cuticle.

Do not comb wet hair, as they damage hair. Massage your hair well. And if you will have to comb your hair use an extra wide or wide combs.