Clarifying, Volumising and Moisturising: Understanding Shampoo Types
A shampoo, simply put, is a rock upon which you stack the rest of your hair care products. If you fumble that up, the entire routine can collapse. And while we all glorify our favourite products now and then, shampoo has a very real ‘make or break’ impact on your hair for the rest of the week. With a million types of shampoo making rounds, one would think finding the perfect ally is easy. However, it’s tough to narrow down on one that does just the job for your hair. To make things easier, we’re here to tell you about the different kinds of shampoo while helping you pick the best fit.
Types of Shampoo
Broadly, varieties of shampoos can be divided into three based on their functions - clarifying, volumising, and moisturising. While all of them largely help us with the cleansing benefits of shampoo, they do so differently. Here’s how.
Clarifying Shampoos
These types of shampoo give your hair and scalp a deep, thorough cleanse. Clarifying shampoos are cut out to get rid of buildup, pollutants, excessive oils, and any residue on your lengths left behind by styling products. These types of shampoos usually contain surfactants that help with thorough cleanses. If your hair is very oily, weighed down by buildup, then it's best to go for a clarifying shampoo.
Benefits of Clarifying Shampoos
Deep Cleanse
The core benefit of switching to, or adding, clarifying shampoos to your routines is to give your hair a thorough going over. While all different kinds of shampoos are designed to do the same job, a clarifying shampoo makes use of surfactants which give you that rich cleansing foam we all look for in shampoos. These also prep your hair well to absorb the other conditioning products.
Restores lightness
If you come out of a wash with dull, flattened hair, then it’s time to re-evaluate the types of shampoos you have been using. Hair falling too flat on the scalp and lengths looking lacklustre are signs of buildup. The residue from styling products and the accumulated dirt weigh down our hair more than we’d think. This is when a clarifying shampoo comes in and gets to every last bit of residue to keep your hair healthy and shining.
Less washes
Those with oilier hair types feel the need to shampoo more than twice a week. This frequent washing may not be healthy for your hair, especially in humid regions where it takes longer for hair to dry. Clarifying shampoo can help you get rid of the buildup once and for all, letting you go longer between two washes. However, you must make sure that you don’t overuse a clarifying shampoo to keep your scalp from running dry.
Who should use this type of shampoo?
- This kind of shampoo is ideal for those with an excessively oily scalp, that tends to accumulate buildup or impurities. Try looking for clarifying shampoos that get rid of buildup without stripping off hair moisture, like Redken’s Amino Mint Shampoo.
- If you use styling products often or leave-in other treatments in your hair, a clarifying shampoo comes in handy again.
- This type of shampoo is ideal for swimmers too, who are often exposed to harsh chlorine water. If your lengths are exposed to pollutants and hard water minerals, try Redken’s Hair Cleansing Cream to remove buildup and get instantly clarified hair.
Volumising Shampoos
These types of shampoos are created with lightweight ingredients that lift your hair to give it volume and a bouncy, fuller body. This works best on hair that has a very fine width. These types of shampoos lightly cleanse your hair and moisturise it without weighing it down. They are also often infused with active ingredients, such as keratin or biotin, that strengthen your hair from root to tip to add further volume.
Benefits of Volumising Shampoos
Fuller Hair
This benefit is at the front and centre. Volumising shampoos aim to add a bounce and the appearance of volume in hair that is very fine or has a thin diameter. Rich in protein, some volumising shampoos penetrate the hair fibre and encourage it to grow. These varieties of shampoos help you get a cleansed scalp, nourished lengths, and a hair body that has a bounce.
Lightweight Formula
Different kinds of shampoos utilise different formulae to give your hair a flawless finish. Moisturising shampoos may be too rich for certain hair types and clarifying ones may be too powerful at times. Striking a balance, volumising shampoos are known to have a lightweight formula with ingredients that don’t bear down on your lengths. These shampoos are also gentle on your scalp, making them perfect for frequent use.
Strengthened Hair
Infused with actives, volumising shampoos work towards fortifying your hair lengths and keeping them away from problems like breakage. They also take away the limp appearance of fine hair to make it more manageable and primed for styling.
Who should use this type of shampoo?
- Volumising shampoos are ideal for those who have fine hair lengths and wish to add volume to them.
- This type of shampoo is also ideal for those who have damaged lengths that are prone to problems like breakage and split ends. Infused with Amino Acids and Arginine,Redken’s Extreme Shampoo is perfect to give your hair gentle cleansing and lightweight nourishment.
Moisturising Shampoo
Moisturising shampoos are created to intensely moisturise and nourish dry and damaged hair. They are created with oils, actives, and humectants to give your hair the necessary hydration. These varieties of shampoos are also helpful for taming frizzy hair while enhancing its smoothness and shine.
Benefits of Moisturising Shampoos
Prevents Dry, Brittle Hair
Moisturising shampoos are the best option for those who often face dry, brittle lengths. These types of shampoos are also a great fit for brittle, damaged hair , which can often be the aftermath of coloured treatments. With hydrating agents, moisturising shampoos bring life back into dried-out fibre to give you healthy, luscious hair. With well-nourished lengths, the moisturising shampoos also reduce your chances of breakage.
Reduces Frizz
When your hair runs out of moisture, its cuticles raise to absorb moisture from the atmosphere. This causes unruly, frizzy hair which is easily prone to breakage. Using moisturising shampoos helps you restore hydration in your hair lengths to prevent problems like frizz and breakage. These types of shampoos also help your hair appear more healthy, shiny, and manageable.
Prevents Dry Scalp
Different kinds of shampoo often leave us at the risk of a dry scalp. Moisturising shampoos take this risk away. Leaving you with a well-nourished scalp, moisturising shampoos aid healthy hair growth and keep concerns such as dandruff, itching and flakiness at bay.
Who should use this type of shampoo?
- A moisturising shampoo is ideal for those who have dry, brittle, or frizzy hair lengths that need intense nourishment. If taming and managing frizzy hair is your concern, try Redken’s Frizz Dismiss Shampoo, infused with Babassu Oil, to achieve smooth, weightless hair.
- These shampoos are also a good pick for those who have a naturally dry scalp that is prone to flakiness.
- Moisturising and repairing shampoos also benefit those who are trying to revive colour-treated or chemically-treated hair. With a sulfate-free formula that intensely conditions your hair, Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo is the holistic solution to all sorts of hair damage.
Conclusion
Now that we’re equipped with the understanding of varieties of shampoo, it’s time to analyse your hair concern and make the right pick. With the right shampoo by your side, create your personalised hair care routine at Redken with a conditioner, mask, and leave-in treatment.