There are good shampoos and bad shampoos, and we all have different types of hair. This makes it hard to recommend a shampoo that’s good for everyone. While there are definitely bad over the counter shampoos that don’t really do anyone much good, finding the right shampoo for yourself will take some experimenting, and it may be beneficial to ask for a professional opinion as well. Let’s look at some factors that will help you determine the best over the counter shampoo and conditioner for your hair.
The goal of shampoo is to clean hair, and it does this by removing the oils and buildup in your hair. Shampoos do this with a variety of cleaners and detergents, and some of these cleaners can leave your hair looking dry and flat. So the point is to find something that cleans your hair without drying it out. Over the counter shampoos are cheaper than salon shampoos, and you should be able to find one that helps your hair. But there are also bad over the counter shampoos that will certainly not help.
You may want to start by spending the money for a salon visit to see what a stylist has to say. These are the professionals that see dozens of people a day, and so they have a good idea of what shampoo works with what hair. Think of it as an investment – they’ll tell you their opinion, you buy a couple bottles of shampoo to try, and take it home. Use this as the control – use one of the bottles for a week, and then try something over the counter and see how it compares. If it’s not as good keep looking. Don’t stop until you find one that works reasonably similar to the salon shampoo.
You’ll likely hear a lot said about shampoos with sulfites in them. These are common cleaners in shampoo that arguably dry it out to the point that it damages it. The shampoo makers say that there’s nothing unsafe about sulfites. On the other hand, most salons avoid sulfite shampoos. The only thing to keep in mind is, if you color your hair, you will certainly want to avoid sulfites, as they will flake the color out of your hair.
Finding the best over the counter shampoo is more art than science. Keep testing and trying out new things. Sure, it will cost extra money up front, but once you find the right shampoo, you won’t have to experiment again, and will save money from there on out.