Using shampoo and conditioner is a fundamental step in our haircare routine. At its most basic, shampoos are meant to cleanse and conditioners are meant to detangle and soften hair. So why are there so many types of shampoos and conditioners, what exactly does each do and how do you choose the formula that is best for your individual needs? To demystify the choices, we breakdown some common shampoo and conditioner types below:
Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner
The name is very descriptive and as it suggests, volumizing shampoos and conditioners are developed to deliver volume to fine hair. This formula type is typically the most cleansing in a shampoo line up and the conditioning levels are usually the least conditioning and detangling of conditioner types, so hair is not weighed down. Not only do these formulas deliver a volume boost, but they also impart shine and body. If you have fine, limp, lackluster hair, selecting a volumizing formula should be the right choice.
Normal Shampoo & Conditioner
Women who do not color treat or chemically process their hair have hair that is known as virgin hair. This term simply means that the hair is untreated or unprocessed. This hair type is typically not porous and has little or no noticeable damage. It isn’t overly oily and so because this hair type has no special needs, shampoos formulated for normal hair have a moderate amount of cleansing so they do not strip natural oil and these conditioners have a moderate amount of conditioning. These are not too moisturizing, but will keep your hair hydrated and healthy.
Color Treated Shampoo & Conditioner
Color-treated hair has special needs. The hair coloring-process is very harsh on both the hair and scalp and in order to deposit hair color, the cuticle (the outer protective layer of hair) has to swell at a high pH in order for colorants to penetrate and react. This process damages not only the cuticle but it breaks bonds in the hair fiber that provide strength. As the strength-building bonds are broken, hair becomes more prone to breakage. As the cuticle is also damaged hair becomes rough and more porous. Shampoos and conditioners developed for color-treated hair help repair, smooth and also lock in color to keep hair color vibrant. They are often more moisturizing and the shampoos are formulated to be ultra-gentle. Hair color can be an expensive investment and shampoos and conditioners that are formulated for this type of hair literally protect that investment!
Dry, Damaged Shampoo & Conditioner
Damage by chemical processing, high lift hair-coloring processes, use of keratin treatments, heated styling tools, and even over-exposure to the sun can leave hair parched, fragile and failing to be healthy. Extremely dry hair is likely structurally damaged and so requires strand-saving moisture. Hair fiber in this damaged and weakened state lacks body, has lost elasticity and shine, all the hallmarks of healthy hair. This type of hair needs to be quenched and fortified with high dose hydration. These formula types have the most gentle level of cleansing to avoid stripping natural, protective oils and have the highest levels of conditioning to repair and prevent loss due to breakage. They infuse the hair with healthy levels of hydration and protect.
Curly, Textured Hair Shampoo & Conditioner
Curly, textured hair has unique needs. In the hair follicle, there is a gland that produces a natural oil that protects the hair, moisturizes it and keeps it soft and shiny. For women with curly textured hair the oil that is naturally produced has a hard time migrating, or moving down a fiber that is curved, and so this hair type typically lacks moisture and is often dry and can be frizzy. Shampoos are formulated to be mild and impart extra moisture and conditioners are intensive to hydrate and protect. Curly, textured hair can be hard to manage and these formula types help keep hair soft, add shine and promote curl definition.
All shampoos and conditioners were not created equally; there are specific needs that come with every hair type and hair care scientists address these needs by adding ingredients that are tailored to each type. If you are not using a shampoo or conditioner that is appropriate for your hair type, you could be stripping your hair of natural protective oils, or failing to add the strand-preserving moisture that your hair needs to stay healthy.
Keranique has an array of formulas specially developed to suit all of these hair types because we understand that women with all hair types experience hair loss. By clicking this link, you can check out our wide array of shampoos and conditioners and learn more about each formula. For even more information on Keranique’s range of shampoos and conditioners, and to help you decide which is right for you, click here for a video by Char Deegan-Calello, Keranique’s Senior Scientific Officer and Head of Product Development.
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