 What shampoo is good for you?
by Janani Amarasekera
Grabbing a bottle of shampoo
from the supermarket rack, I read its label ‘special feature: daily
shine!’ Apparently, regular use of this shampoo might make my hair
gorgeous like Katrina Kaif’s. Ooh! I am excited. I already imagine
myself walking on the road with my beautiful and glossy hair. People
will ask my secret. I would tell them that is because I eat a lot of
fruits and hmm...What more should I say? …
“Hey” a voice interrupts my imagination and I look up dazedly to find
one of my friends standing next to me. “Oh Hi! What are you doing here?”
I casually inquired to hide my irritation over her disturbance. “What do
you think I am doing here in a supermarket?”, She mocked at me.
I grinned girlishly and said, “I know. Here, I am buying a shampoo
for my messy hair. Do you mind helping me?” Deciding to keep my mouth
shut about the fact that I have tried almost all the shampoos on that
rack, I gave an innocent smile.
She ran her fingers through my curls, and said, “Girl, you have dry
hair! See your hair is dry, fragile and dull. I feel that it is rough.
It breaks off easily too. Also, not forgetting your constant complaints
of finding it difficult to manage, I inferred that,” she tried her best
to sound like a serious professional, with matching facial expressions.
I knew it. That is exactly what I wanted to get rid of. I wanted her
help to find a better shampoo, not to repeat what I knew. Irritated by
her reply I looked at the rack again. “Any problems, miss?” She looked
at me carefully with a funny smile. “No, nothing,” I stuttered. “Now,
what do you think I should do? Should I apply half a bottle of oil on my
scalp and bathe every day?” I sounded sarcastic, but I could not help
it.
 “No, silly,” she smirked. “When you are choosing the shampoo, choose
according to your hair type. A shampoo that contains eggs or oils like
coconut is good for your hair.
Avoid shampoos with alcohol as they dry out your hair more. Go for
moisturising shampoo as they coat the strands and help to trap moisture
inside.” That was exactly what I wanted. “Thank you,” I said. With
another smile, she vanished behind the racks.
Again, I started my hunt for a shampoo, but this time with some
knowledge about my requirement. I wondered how all eye-catching shampoo
advertisements lure in many youngsters to try out all the shampoos
available in the market. I, myself spent thousands of rupees on them. As
a result, I spoiled my natural hair and now the volume of my hair is
less. They say stress makes us lose more hair. Ironically, the status of
my hair is the main reason I lose them. This is common among many.
However, if you know what you are doing, obtaining that perfect healthy
hair is easy provided you use the right shampoo. Let us give you some
tips for that.
Shampoo-choosing tips
Firstly, when you select a shampoo, identify your hair type.
Primarily, there are three different types: dry, normal and oily. Some
people also have combined hair types, hair that changes between oily and
dry according to the weather. In addition, you may have coloured or heat
damaged hair too. With modern technology and marketing tactics, every
hair type has a shampoo made specifically for it.
Oily hair
As my friend identified my dry hair by observing some signs,
everyone’s hair shows some characteristics to suggest its type.
Identifying oily hair is rather easy with its greasy looks and dullness.
It attracts dirt easily wanting you to wash often. If you have any
doubt, consult your hairdresser. As a rule of thumb, oily haired people
should never use shampoo or conditioner intended for dry hair. Those
will not remove the excess oil from your scalp and also it can cause
other hair problems such as dandruff, split ends or frizzy hair.
Damaged hair
 Shampoo manufacturers never neglect those with lovely colourful
hairs. They have shampoos made specifically for them too. Due to the
chemicals used when colouring, those hairs also fall under the category
of damaged hair. Do not worry if your colour has begun to fade. There
are magic shampoos to bring back the colour. Similarly, if you have
straight hair, a shampoo that help repair the damage and add moisture
will do the trick.
When it comes to hair, there are plenty of things to discuss. I must
say, this is not the best guide available on this issue. Therefore, do
research, ask your hairdresser, or read hair guides for more
information. After all, it is about your hair. Lovely tresses give you
that magical look, which grabs the attention of everybody. So, why not
shed some sweat to earn it? |
