Have you ever asked yourself why you use shampoo? In my mind, the answer was always clear: we use shampoo to clean our scalp and hair from products built-up and dirt. But using shampoo is not a simple task, mainly because finding out the best product for your hair type and need can be a stressful process, it takes time and sometimes it costs lots of money.
So, let's talk about shampoo! I promise this blogpost will be informative and fun.
TABLE OF CONTENT
The history of shampoo
Does shampoo only clean up the hair?
How often should I wash my hair?
Do I need to wash my hair at all?
What about the CG method?
Conclusion: So, what have I learnt here?
In doubt of which product to use?
The history of shampoo
Shampoo is a hair care product recently developed - the first synthetic shampoos were introduced in USA in 1930's. Can you believe that bar soap made of animal fat and lye was used (and still is used) to remove unwanted oil and dirt from hair? I can only imagine how this product can leave the hair dry and rough. The development of shampoo, a product that acts in the same way as bar soap with the addition to leave the hair soft, smooth and manageable, was a huge advance for our hair care!!!
Today, you can find an infinite number of shampoos made for all hair types and need in the market. The main ingredient of these products is surfactants, which is responsible for cleansing the hair and the scalp. Unfortunately, surfactants are also responsible for removing the natural oil from hair.
Does shampoo only clean up the hair?
Advertisement is a powerful tool. I still remember an ad about conditioner I used to watch when I was younger. The catch phrase was: "Shampoo only washes the hair" (Shampoo só lava os cabelos). Although I forgot the name of the brand, this phrase never left me alone! In this ad, the brand built their discourse on the believe that conditioner was more important than shampoo - so why bother to spend money with shampoo, when you can invest your money and buy their conditioner?
This was a good example of how advertisement (should) works!
But, why should you use shampoo and what are its benefits? Today we know that shampoo is as important as conditioner - it provides the kick off for a good hair treatment. In addition to clean the scalp and remove built up, a good product can also nourish and moisturize the hair.
And although you might feel overwhelmed by the number of options in the market, you certainly can find today a good product for your hair type and need.
how often should i wash my hair?
There is no exact answer to this question. If you sweat a lot, if you live in a place where there is air pollution, if you use a lot of styling products - all these factors can speed up the frequency of washes. In my case, I realize that I do not need to wash my hair so often during winter as I do in summer. Furthermore, if I use less, but efficient styling products, the frequency of washes increases consistently.
In addition, people with dry scalp/hair like myself, unlike those with oily scalp/hair, do not need to wash their hair often, particularly because some shampoos tend to remove the natural oil that we produce.
Do I need to use shampoo at all?
Believe it or not, but some dermatologists affirm that people with healthy scalp do not really need to use shampoo at all. In this case, only cleaning the hair with water is enough, since shampoo removes the natural oil from our hair. So, let's say you have decided to not use shampoo, but you usually apply on your hair a a styling produc that contains non-soluble products. In this case, you might need to use lukewarm water and then finish the wash with cold water in order to remove non-natural oil. Attention here: because kinky, curly and wavy hair are prone to dryness, they benefit more from this approach than oily hair.
So, how do you know if you need to use shampoo? Well, if you have an oily hair/scalp, I recommend you continue using shampoo. If you are on the team "dry hair/scalp", and do not want to stop using shampoo, you can find at Curl2be many options of shampoo made with natural ingredients that are less harmful for your hair/scalp.
What about the CG Method?
Have you ever heard about the CG Method? Also known as Curly Girl method, it was officially created by the hairstylist Lorraine Massey. In her guide Curly Girl: the Handbook, she talks about hair products (including shampoo) and ingredients to avoid, as well as styling techniques used to enhance wavy, curly or kinky hair. According to this method, finding the best ingredients and application methods for your hair texture will enhance your curl patterns while reducing frizz, dryness and breakage. One of the main goals of this method is to avoid using shampoo, which is substitute by a cleansing conditioner, also known as co-wash.
If you are interested in starting this method, or if you are already on it, you can find co-wash products at Curl2be.
While some people (even curlies) love the CG method and share their great results on social media, others do not see benefits from it at all. I guess you need to try and see if you get used to it or not. I have tried it for two years, and although it worked well for mow, I am now back to the shampoo.
So, what have I learnt here?
In this blogpost, we talked about the history of shampoo, its benefits, how often it should be used, and if a person really needs it.
While talking about this subject, I didn't want to convince you to use or not shampoo. I believe each person might learn with time what works best for their hair. I myself stopped using shampoo for two years while I was trying the CG method, and I liked the result. But then I realized that there are so many good shampoos that my hair would benefit from them too. Today, I alternate from cleaning my hair with shampoo or with a cleansing conditioner. In this way, I try to keep its natural oil while hydrating and moisturizing my curls.
In doubt of which product to use?
At Curl2be, you can find a variety of shampoos - liquid, in bar and paste, for all hair types and need. And if you are in doubt of which one is the best for you, don't hesitate to contact us via our website or social media (Instagram or Facebook).
How to take the most of your shampoo?
When using shampoo, I recommend you first soak your hair in water before applying any product. For those who have a low porosity hair, this part may take longer, since this type of hair has some difficult in absorbing water. After that, apply the shampoo only on the scalp and massage it well with your fingertips and/or a scalp massage. Rinse all the shampoo before applying the conditioner.