Experts believe that if you want strong, healthy hair, it all comes down to using the right treatment shampoos for your hair type as well as your scalp texture. According to Medical News Today, the number of times you wash your hair with a good treatment shampoo is a personal choice and depends on how your hair reacts to regular washing.
For some, daily hair washing can make hair feel dry and brittle, while for others who’s hair is prone to oiliness, it’s essential. The good news is, there are fabulous treatment shampoos on the market to help you manage your personal hair care problems.
The right treatment shampoo should never strip the hair of it’s natural oils, but rather gently clean the hair with the best nourishing ingredients to leave it feeling light, bouncy and shiny.
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Try these top treatment shampoos next time you wash:
Use a co-wash shampoo for frizzy, curly hair
Remember the multitasking 2-in-1 wash and go? Along a similar vein, ‘co-wash’ is now the new buzzword. It refers to a cleansing conditioner – aka a moisturising shampoo – and is much like conditioning hair before shampooing it.
But it’s not for everyone… it’s best suited to naturally dry hair – think curly, afro hair, or super frizzy. A blend of oils, like coconut, borage, avocado, grapeseed and argan, make this a one-stop shampoo.
Try these…
Palmer’s Coconut Oil Cleansing Conditioner Co-Wash, R112,99 for 437ml, is a no-lather shampoo that conditions and cleanses the hair and scalp. The sulphate-free formula contains pure coconut and keratin to smoothe and detangle the hair, making it easier to manage. It’s ideal for frizzy, curly hair.
Design Essentials Co Wash Nourishing Shampoo Almond and Avocado, R147 for 237ml. Ideal for African hair that tends to get dry, this co-wash shampoo helps to cleanse natural curls while leaving them frizz-free.
Cantu Shea Butter For Natural Hair Complete Conditioning Co-Wash, R139 for 283g, is a rich, rinse-out cream that makes super-dry hair soft, shiny, and more manageable. It helps to gently cleanse the hair without stripping it of any natural oils.
Use pre-shampoo for dull, lacklustre hair
Great for when you’re not in a hurry. A pre-shampoo, used before normal shampoo, puts a spring back into dull hair.
Here’s how to use a pre-shampoo:
- Massage a little into damp hair until your scalp and hair is coated.
- Wrap your head in a towel (or use clingwrap first to intensify the effect).
- Leave on for 20 minutes (longer if you have coarse, frizzy hair), rinse properly, and shampoo as usual.
Try these…
Phytodetox Pre-Shampoo Purifying Mask, R338 for 125ml. This energising mask helps to cleanse the scalp of any pollutants such as dust, pollution and product build-up before you wash.
Paul Mitchell Marula Oil Rare Oil Light Treatment, R635 for 50ml, has antioxidant-rich marula oil for softness and shine. It’s ideal to use as a pre-shampoo as an enriching treatment before you wash. Just a few drops is all you need.
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Use volumising shampoo for flat, thinning hair
Avoid anything that says ‘moisturising’ or ‘conditioning’ if you have fine, lank, or oily hair. “These weigh hair down and push oils closer to the scalp,” says hair expert Paula Halsey. “But volumising shampoo lifts hair to create more volume and body, so you can get away with washing every other day instead.”
Try these…
Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo, R355 for 250ml, helps lift hair at the roots by giving it a ‘deep clean’ to remove product build-up, which can weigh fine hair down.
John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchable Full Shampoo Fine Hair, R115 for 250ml, contains a special volume polymer to boost volume and control static so hair looks smoother and bouncier.
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Lightweight yet super-plumping Redken High Rise Volume Lifting Shampoo, R315 for 300ml, contains body-boosting filloxane to lift the hair and leave hair feeling soft and silky.
Use sulphate-free shampoo for coloured/chemically straight hair
Sulphates in shampoo (just like those found in laundry detergents) can cause itchiness, dryness, and irritation. Sulphate-free options suit all types of hair – especially if you have chemically processed hair – as the traditional chemicals have been replaced with organic alternatives.
Expect to see little to no lather due to the lack of sulphates (foaming agents), which can be quite harsh on delicate, porous or coloured hair. However, “Not all sulphates are bad,” says Paula. However, if you’re looking for extra TLC for your hair, especially after processing, steer clear of the sulphate.
Try these…
Creightons The Curl Company Sulphate-Free Shampoo, R100 for 250ml, a cream-gel enriched with moringa oil, is a lightweight, strengthening wash that’s ideal for dull, frizzy hair that’s prone to tangling.
Or try the foamy, vegan-friendly Pureology Clean Volume Shampoo, R330 for 250ml, which coats, repairs and softens each strand, while protecting the hair from further damage, such as split ends.
L’Oréal Professionnel Volumetry Shampoo, R270 for 300ml, is designed to gently cleanse and rehydrate your hair with every wash, while its nourishing ingredients boost volume and shine – that lasts!
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