Want softer hair? Change your shampoo or your conditioner?
An 'urgent' question in DCInside's perfume and cosmetics gallery: the poster had heard Head & Shoulders was good for the scalp and made hair softer, and wanted to know which version to buy: itchy scalp, cool menthol or oil control. They added that even with an oily-scalp shampoo, a treatment and a hair essence, their hair still felt rough.
What the replies said
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Someone who had used all three said the itchy-scalp version was best for scent and softness.
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Others said oily-scalp and anti-hair-loss shampoos tend to leave hair stiff.
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The most agreed-with point: shampoo is for cleaning, not for improving hair texture; softness comes from treatments, conditioner, hair oil or hair milk.
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One user said the oil-control version cleans the hardest but leaves hair frizzy.
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Plenty of brand suggestions followed, including a mild volumising shampoo as a middle ground between cleansing and softness. The poster started thinking about adding a conditioner.
Desk note: The American Academy of Dermatology also advises applying shampoo to the scalp rather than the whole length of the hair: shampoo's job is to lift oil and build-up from the scalp, and scrubbing the lengths can dry them out. For an oily scalp, that means a scalp-focused shampoo on the roots and conditioner on the hair, which is roughly where the thread landed.
Do you choose shampoo for your scalp or for your hair?
Original thread: DCInside perfume & cosmetics gallery — which shampoo should I buy? · Source: AAD — Tips for healthy hair
The same AAD page covers conditioner too: for fine or straight hair, apply it only to the ends; for dry or curly hair, work it through the whole length. For short, straight men's hair that can mean a small amount on the ends is enough, with no need to rub conditioner into the scalp. If an oily-scalp shampoo leaves hair rough, try getting that split right before switching shampoos. Source: AAD — Tips for healthy hair