Beyond Shampoo: A Guide To Bathroom Hair Products
(IMAGE: Pexels. CCO Licensed)
There are many different types of products that you can put in your hair when taking a bath or shower. Just what do all these products do? And which are the best products for my hair? This post delves more into each product and its benefits.
Regular shampoo
Most of us use a regular shampoo. These shampoos come in liquid form and are designed to be used on a regular basis with the purpose of getting rid of basic everyday dirt and grease.
Some regular shampoos may have slight formula variations in order to target specific hair types. This could include dry hair, oily hair, curly hair or certain colors. Such shampoos can be worth looking into if you have specific hair needs.
Regular conditioner
Conditioners, as the name suggests, are designed to improve the condition of our hair. This includes the look, the texture and the feel. They are important to use with long hair because they can help prevent knots and make brushing easier.
Conditioners are sometimes combined with shampoos to provide cleaning and conditioning. However, some people prefer to use the two products separately in order to explore different types of shampoo and different types of conditioner that may not otherwise be available together. There can also be benefits to using conditioner after using shampoo, such as being able to keep some conditioner within your hair.
Clarifying shampoo
Clarifiers are shampoos that are designed to break down grease and dirt much more effectively. They are ideal for people that suffer from very oily hair or people that use a lot of product in their hair (such as clays, gels or wax). The downside of clarifying shampoos is that they can be very harsh and can damage your hair and scalp if you use them too regularly. Therefore, it is recommended that you don’t use them more than once per week.
Clarifiers are typically designed to work with all hair types, however you can find some that are formulated to be used on specific hair types like curly hair.
Purifying shampoo
While you can use a clarifying shampoo on a dry and flaky scalp, a purifying shampoo could potentially be a better option. These shampoos are designed to not only get rid of dandruff, but to nourish the hair and scalp as you clean. They often include antimicrobial ingredients like tea tree oil to also help prevent infections.
Purifying shampoos are not as easy to find as other types of shampoo. It’s worth looking online for them rather than visiting a local store – here you will find the best range.
Moisturizing shampoo
Moisturizing shampoo is great for dry hair and dry scalps. It helps to clean and moisturize the hair at the same time. If your hair often gets dried out by hot weather or swimming, this could be a good shampoo to try.
You can compare a few different moisturizing shampoos here. As with other shampoos, you may find moisturizing shampoos targeted towards specific hair types.
Shampoo bars
Shampoo is mostly available in a liquid form, however you can buy shampoo bars. Shampoo bars are popular among those who are traveling – many airlines have restrictions on liquids in hand luggage and shampoo bars are typically a way of getting around this. Another advantage of shampoo bars is that they do not require any plastic packaging, and are therefore popular among people trying to reduce their plastic consumption.
Shampoo bars typically work like regular shampoo. However, you can buy specialist shampoo bars such as clarifying shampoo bars.
Dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is designed to be used on dry hair – often when you can’t access a bathroom to wash your hair. It helps to break down grease without the need for water and it is sprayed on. Such shampoos aren’t as effective as regular shampoos. However, they are a good solution for camping trips, festivals, hiking expeditions, and other events where you may not have access to a bathroom.
There are a few different types of dry shampoo that you can explore online.
Beard shampoo
Beard shampoo is formulated specifically to be used on beards. Regular shampoo is not as effective at cleaning this coarser type of hair and can be harsh on the face, which is why it’s worth using a beard shampoo if you have a beard.
There is a small range of beard shampoos available online, including some shampoos targeted at specific beard hair colors. Consider buying one of these products if you have a beard.
Leave-in conditioner
Leave-in conditioner is a conditioner that is not washed out. You simply put it in after washing your hair and leave it there to be soaked up by the hair. It is most commonly used on dry or frizzy hair where it can help the hair maintain moisture and shape. It is less suited to oily straight hair.
Some leave-in conditioners are targeted at specific types of hair such as frizzy hair. Make sure that you select the right one for your hair type to get the best results.
Deep conditioner
Deep conditioners are conditioners that are designed to not just maintain the condition of hair, but repair damaged or dry hair. As a result, they should be treated more like a treatment option. Such conditioners help nourish hairs all the way down to the follicle. Deep conditioners should be used not more than once per week – overdoing these products may have the opposite effect of making hair more brittle.
There are many different deep conditioner products that you can explore online. Some are designed to deal with specific types of damage like sun damage or water damage.
Hair mask
Hair masks are thick conditioners that are designed to stay in the hair for a while before eventually being washed out. They are full of oils, butters and nourishing ingredients which are allowed to soak into the hair. They get their name because they work much like a face mask, except they are designed for the hair.
Many hair masks are designed to be used on all hair types, but there are some that are formulated to be used on specific types of hair such as curly hair or oily hair. This is worth looking into when choosing a hair mask.
Hair oil
Hair oil is a conditioner that comes in oil form. It is more commonly used on dry hair and dry scalps as it can help to add oil back into the hair. It is not recommended if you have oily hair.
You can buy many different hair oil products on the market – each one with a different scent. Some hair oils are targeted specifically for certain types of hair like curly hair. You can also get beard oils.
