What's the Best Shampoo for Your Hair Type?

[Ivan Seeking]

You just pick up Head and Shoulders? Last time I looked, there were about five different kinds of Head and Shoulders. I stood there just scratching my head trying to decide.

Between you and MIH I'm having a hard time drinking my coffee!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Now I'm trying new shaving cremes to see which one I like best. I usually buy nivea because they have nice products. But I figured I'd give the Gillette shaving creme a try. So, we'll see how that goes. I'll keep trying new ones until I find one I really like or just stick with the one I found the most agreeable.

Is that for your knuckles?

About ten years ago I realized that shaving cream is a scam. Now I just use hand soap.

 

[Cyrus]

Is that for your knuckles?

About ten years ago I realized that shaving cream is a scam. Now I just use hand soap.

for my knuckles?

 

[turbo]

Cy doesn't have to shave his knuckles, Ivan. Dragging 'em wears the hairs off.




(Cy, Ivan was making a joke about Nivea's hand creams.)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It's just an old joke Cyrus.

 

[turbo]

Shaving creams ARE an expensive waste. For centuries, people got perfectly acceptable results using hard soap, a bit of water, and a badger-hair brush. My unscented liquid soap is very lather-y and cheap and works great. Recently, I've gotten back to using an electric shaver, though and have set the blades aside. Cheap double-bladed Bics by the bag was my weapon of choice for a long time.

 

[rootX]

That's a pretty odd way to go about doing things. I usually read the labels and buy the one that seems most applicable. Then if the product is good but not GREAT, I try another similar product. Most of the time the results are the same, so its not a loss. But if I get lucky and try one that works out really well, I just stick to it.

You just pick up Head and Shoulders? Last time I looked, there were about five different kinds of Head and Shoulders. I stood there just scratching my head trying to decide.

It takes lots of time. I make an assumption that those prices are not randomly assigned.

 

[tribdog]

I have one but I never used it.

But when choosing products, I look at all the prices and take their average. I buy the one that's closest to the average value.

I usually pick the shampoo that is closest to my hand when I remember I'm supposed to buy shampoo. I"m also very swayed by advertising. If I've seen it in a commercial it must be better and if it is more expensive it must be for a reason.

 

[ehrenfest]

OK. So, just bought some Head and Shoulder's (ocean life to be precise). On the back it says that the single active ingredient is "pyrithione zinc 1%". Then there is a list of no fewer than 20 inactive ingredients. The meaning of "inactive" is subject to interpretation, but I would tend to understand it as "unnecessary" or "doesn't do anything".

Can someone please explain why they have added 20 inactive ingredients to the shampoo?

 

[tribdog]

to make it stink, to make it clean, to make it lather, to make it fill the bottle, to make it pretty, to make it squirtable, to make it slippery etc etc etc 20 times. the active ingredient is the thing that makes it dandruff fighting

 

[Cyrus]

It takes lots of time. I make an assumption that those prices are not randomly assigned.

What takes a lot of time? My method hardly takes any time at all.

 

[turbo]

OK. So, just bought some Head and Shoulder's (ocean life to be precise). On the back it says that the single active ingredient is "pyrithione zinc 1%". Then there is a list of no fewer than 20 inactive ingredients. The meaning of "inactive" is subject to interpretation, but I would tend to understand it as "unnecessary" or "doesn't do anything".

Can someone please explain why they have added 20 inactive ingredients to the shampoo?

I used to buy Head and Shoulders, years back, until I discovered that if I wash my hair with really mild, simple shampoo/soap, the dandruff would go away all by itself. For a long time, I used No More Tears baby shampoo (which we also used to bathe our ferrets), but Scent-A-Way hunter's soap is cheaper and lasts much longer, and is a good all-body soap.

 

[Moonbear]

But when choosing products, I look at all the prices and take their average. I buy the one that's closest to the average value.

I agree with Cyrus that sounds like an odd way to choose a product, not to mention, time consuming.

Generally, in any product category, I start out with whatever is cheapest. If it works, I stick with it, if not, I start working my way up in price. A lot of things are more expensive just to convince people they're better (tribdog's approach...if it's expensive, it must be for a reason), not because they really are better. And some are more expensive because they really are better or contain more expensive ingredients, so I have to try them to find out.

With soaps, unless you're getting the hippy dippy handmade soaps, there's not much of a range in prices. Shampoos are different. Those can range from $1.50 for a 20 or 30 oz bottle all the way to $15 or $20 for a 7 oz bottle (those really expensive ones are usually only sold in salons though). I've found ones I like at quite a range of price points. Suave makes some good shampoos that are pretty inexpensive, but I also use Head and Shoulders, Dove, Pantene, etc.

 

[ehrenfest]

They all basically do what they say they do, which is get your hair clean.

Do you think so? I am a bit more skeptical than that. I know that they wouldn't be on the shelf if they were actually harmful but what is stopping a company from making a shampoo that does basically nothing except make your hair smell good for like 30 minutes? Can you actually tell the difference between the cleanliness of your hair when you go into the shower and when you leave? And the other thing shampoos say they do is get rid of dandruff. Its hard to measure how much dandruff I have and even harder to compare that to how much dandruff I have had in previous time periods but anyway I get the sense that I will get dandruff no matter how often I use Head and Shoulders.

I guess what I am saying is that shampoo companies have a lot of leeway because it would be pretty hard to collect enough evidence to file a class-action law-suit against a shampoo company for making a shampoo that does more or less nothing.

 

[cristo]

Do you think so? I am a bit more skeptical than that. I know that they wouldn't be on the shelf if they were actually harmful but what is stopping a company from making a shampoo that does basically nothing except make your hair smell good for like 30 minutes?

It should be quite easy to tell whether or not shampoo cleans your hair. Do you use any product? If so, then the shampoo should wash it out. If not, then if the shampoo stops your hair becoming greasy, then it's quite safe to say it is cleaning.

 

[lisab]

My daughter's latest castoff that landed in my shower: shampoo for people with brown hair. What the... ?

Do brown-haired people really need their own shampoo? I didn't realize brown hair requires any special treatment.

The only difference I can tell is it makes my hair sort of dull.

 

[Evo]

I agree with Cyrus that sounds like an odd way to choose a product, not to mention, time consuming.

Generally, in any product category, I start out with whatever is cheapest. If it works, I stick with it, if not, I start working my way up in price. A lot of things are more expensive just to convince people they're better (tribdog's approach...if it's expensive, it must be for a reason), not because they really are better. And some are more expensive because they really are better or contain more expensive ingredients, so I have to try them to find out.

With soaps, unless you're getting the hippy dippy handmade soaps, there's not much of a range in prices. Shampoos are different. Those can range from $1.50 for a 20 or 30 oz bottle all the way to $15 or $20 for a 7 oz bottle (those really expensive ones are usually only sold in salons though). I've found ones I like at quite a range of price points. Suave makes some good shampoos that are pretty inexpensive, but I also use Head and Shoulders, Dove, Pantene, etc.

I use Dove for dry hair. It's cheap and works better than the expensive salon shampoos and conditioners that the Evo Child gets talked into buying at the hair salon.

 

[rootX]

I use Dove for dry hair. It's cheap and works better than the expensive salon shampoos and conditioners that the Evo Child gets talked into buying at the hair salon.

girls/maybe women like to waste money for some strange reasons ...

 

[mcknia07]

girls/maybe women like to waste money for some strange reasons ...

Hey It's pretty easy. Those people are very apt to get you to think it's the best and so good. You go into a salon sometime and tell me if you don't walk out buying something

 

[rootX]

Generally, in any product category, I start out with whatever is cheapest. If it works, I stick with it, if not, I start working my way up in price. A lot of things are more expensive just to convince people they're better (tribdog's approach...if it's expensive, it must be for a reason), not because they really are better. And some are more expensive because they really are better or contain more expensive ingredients, so I have to try them to find out.

It's fairly competitive market and I guess there aren't any monopolies who regulate the prices. So, higher must be better.

But sometimes, I end up wasting lots of money .. :(

 

[Moonbear]

Do you think so? I am a bit more skeptical than that. I know that they wouldn't be on the shelf if they were actually harmful but what is stopping a company from making a shampoo that does basically nothing except make your hair smell good for like 30 minutes? Can you actually tell the difference between the cleanliness of your hair when you go into the shower and when you leave? And the other thing shampoos say they do is get rid of dandruff. Its hard to measure how much dandruff I have and even harder to compare that to how much dandruff I have had in previous time periods but anyway I get the sense that I will get dandruff no matter how often I use Head and Shoulders.

I guess what I am saying is that shampoo companies have a lot of leeway because it would be pretty hard to collect enough evidence to file a class-action law-suit against a shampoo company for making a shampoo that does more or less nothing.

Yes, it has to clean your hair. Are really unable to tell it's doing that?

Shampoo is regulated just like cosmetics are, which means it requires FDA approval that it's safe and works as claimed.

Anti-dandruff shampoos, because they contain medications as ingredients are regulated as drugs by FDA, not just as cosmetics, so have a higher burden of proving their are effective. This is why your anti-dandruff shampoo has to list the "active" ingredient, which means that's the medication part, while all the "inactive" ingredients are the ones that deliver the drug to your head in shampoo form.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-218.html

 

[Monique]

Guys do need to be careful when picking out a shampoo, otherwise we end up smelling like citrus, avocado, or some kind of tropical fruit.

Or worse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D_w...ld.blog.nl/campagne/2008/09/17/axe-shower-gel

Translated:
The guy asks two beer and a juice from the barman.
The sign says: "Stop using the shampoo of your girlfriend"

 

[BobG]

I used to buy Head and Shoulders, years back, until I discovered that if I wash my hair with really mild, simple shampoo/soap, the dandruff would go away all by itself. For a long time, I used No More Tears baby shampoo (which we also used to bathe our ferrets), but Scent-A-Way hunter's soap is cheaper and lasts much longer, and is a good all-body soap.

Turbo's right. The main cause of dandruff is drying your scalp out by using too much shampoo, way too often.

That's why you really shouldn't wash your dog more than once a month. You're washing away protective oils that cause the skin to dry out, causing dandruff, etc.

The problem with humans is that walking around with all of those protective oils in your hair makes you look like some kind of geeky slob. People like it even less if you're one of those lumber jack types, since you'll probably also accumulate dirt, leaves, wood chips, twigs, bugs, small birds, etc.

Ideally, the shampoo you use is mild enough to wash away all miscellaneous debris, plus some of those protective oils without drying out your scalp. A milder, baby shampoo is often enough. If you're spending a lot of time outdoors, wearing a hat might make a dandruff shampoo unnecessary, since the Sun tends to dry out your scalp, as well. Sometimes you have to use a medicated shampoo to find a non-greasy balance.

Other than finding something fairly gentle, look for something cheap or something that smells fairly nice (unless you're female, in which case something that smells very nice is sometimes acceptable).

On the other hand, turbo's recommendations for shaving cream is horrible. I stuck a bar of soap in my hot lather machine, but nothing would come out the spout when I pushed the button no matter how long I left the soap in there.

I don't know of independent shampoo tests, but independent tests of laundry detergents are surprising. Clothes washed in plain water usually get an average rating in a comparison where the top to bottom ratings are practically random (in other words, you never get a consistent winner in different comparisons). Laundry detergent gets rid of heavy dirt and grease very effectively - except most people in office type jobs don't get enough dirt or grease in their clothes for laundry detergent to really matter.

There is an exception. Detergents with extra ingredients that interact with ultraviolet light get higher ratings, provided you follow the directions and use more than can possibly rinse out - your clothes will appear brighter, especially under black lights. Of course, if you follow the directions on laundry detergent bottles, your clothes will still have detergent left in the fibers while you're wearing them, so you'll need a fabric softener to counteract the stiffness caused by excess detergent. Now, that's a scam.

 

[turbo]

On the other hand, turbo's recommendations for shaving cream is horrible. I stuck a bar of soap in my hot lather machine, but nothing would come out the spout when I pushed the button no matter how long I left the soap in there.

You have to put in a bar of hard soap AND a boar-bristle brush! People just don't follow directions!

 

[BobG]

You have to put in a bar of hard soap AND a boar-bristle brush! People just don't follow directions!

I think my rating in the accident prone test is about to skyrocket.

The increased fire risk when I stuff all that stuff in my hot lather machine doesn't bother me so much, but pulling those bristles out of a wild boar could be quite a life changing experience.

 

[turbo]

I think my rating in the accident prone test is about to skyrocket.

The increased fire risk when I stuff all that stuff in my hot lather machine doesn't bother me so much, but pulling those bristles out of a wild boar could be quite a life changing experience.

My bad, Bob! I meant badger-hair. Badgers are quite chummy, so you should be safe.

 

[Topher925]

I don't use shampoo, ever. But when I do it makes my hair really dry and fine and makes it stand up strait.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know of independent shampoo tests, but independent tests of laundry detergents are surprising. Clothes washed in plain water usually get an average rating in a comparison where the top to bottom ratings are practically random (in other words, you never get a consistent winner in different comparisons). Laundry detergent gets rid of heavy dirt and grease very effectively - except most people in office type jobs don't get enough dirt or grease in their clothes for laundry detergent to really matter.

And then you get people like my step-dad who use laundry detergent as a shampoo. Well, he doesn't do that anymore, but back when he was a car mechanic, he did. He'd get all sorts of grease in his hair from climbing around under cars all day, and laundry detergent was the only thing that got him clean.

There is an exception. Detergents with extra ingredients that interact with ultraviolet light get higher ratings, provided you follow the directions and use more than can possibly rinse out - your clothes will appear brighter, especially under black lights. Of course, if you follow the directions on laundry detergent bottles, your clothes will still have detergent left in the fibers while you're wearing them, so you'll need a fabric softener to counteract the stiffness caused by excess detergent. Now, that's a scam.

One of my friends used to clean houses for extra cash in high school and college. She had one customer who would be very specific about how much detergent to use to mop the floor (always too much). One day she got fed up and just used a little detergent...less than is even recommended. He came home that day and asked her what she did differently that the floor was so clean...it wasn't sticky anymore! He never realized that the floor was so sticky from detergent residue, not from dirt. With detergent, more is NOT better!

 

[JasonRox]

Wow, I'm lucky my body is low maintenance. I can use anything and my hair feels the same. My hair is decently long for a guy (past my eyes).

So, I just get whatever is cheapest. Sometimes I don't even bother washing my hair and just water it. If I get a free bottle of conditionner (2 bottles in 1 deal), then I just use it as shaving cream.

Never had dandruff luckily.

 

[edward]

I don't use shampoo, ever. But when I do it makes my hair really dry and fine and makes it stand up strait.

There about 27 brands of conditioner that will help with the frizzies.

 

[mattmns]

I have heard good things about John Allan's Ocean Shampoo. Just got myself a bottle - it seems nice, not sure if it's anything special. However, I should note that I have a buzz cut, so my opinion on shampoo probably isn't worth much

I use Dove soap - bars, and recently started trying their body wash - I like it.