To use a cliché, not all shampoos and conditioners are created equal for all hair types. You must use the best hair care products especially formulated for your hair type obviously to maintain your crowning glory’s healthy, shiny and silky appearance. You may have to experiment with different brands before pinpointing the most suitable hair care products but your time, effort and money will be well-rewarded with commercial advertisement-worthy tresses.
Straight Hair
Sleek, shiny and easy to style but can quickly become oily – these are the hallmarks of straight hair. Most manufacturers of hair care products have straight hair in mind when making and marketing their wares so it should be easy to find the best shampoos and conditioners.
Still, you should also determine your hair’s texture when choosing the right hair care products. We suggest the following products for specific textures for straight hair:
• Fine and thin hair are best with gentle shampoos like Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo, Matrix Biolage Normalizing Shampoo and Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo while your conditioners should be creamy in consistency.
• Medium texture straight hair can work with just about any shampoo and conditioner, say, from the Pantene line although we recommend Amplify by Matrix – Color XL Shampoo for chemically-treated hair.
• Coarse straight hair will look better with Bumble and Bumble Creme De Coco Shampoo because of its ultra-moisturization ingredients.
You may also use a clarifying shampoo like Kenra to remove the accumulated deposits from other hair care products like gels, mouse and hairsprays.
Wavy Hair
Shinier than curly hair but duller than straight hair, easily susceptible to frizz, and forming S-shaped curves – these characterize wavy hair. Like straight hair, it can also be classified into fine and thin, medium-thick, and coarse and thick.
For fine, thin as well as medium-thick wavy hair, we suggest shampoos and conditioners formulated for normal hair such as Dove Go Fresh Therapy Energize, Garnier Fructis Fortifying Daily Care and Charles Worthington Results Moisture Seal. For coarse, thick wavy hair, you can try Biolage Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and organic shampoos although we must warn against using too much conditioner.
Curly Hair
Curly hair can be classified into spiral, ringlets and corkscrews depending on the size of the S-shaped curl. If your hair is curly, you will love its full body as well as the ease with which it can be styled from the cutie to the glam. You will, however, dislike the ease with which it can be frizzy in humid climate, its relative lack of sheen, and its fragility.
Fortunately, manufacturers offer several brands of shampoos and conditioners formulated for all types of curly hair. You can try Fekkai Luscious Curls shampoo and conditioner that cleanses hair, eliminate frizz and add shine; Aveda Be Curly shampoo and conditioner with ingredients like wheat protein and organic aloe; and DevaCurl No-Poo Zero Lather Hair Cleanser and One Condition Ultra Creamy Instant Conditioner to hydrate dry curls.
Kinky Hair
Most women with African descent have kinky hair, which are characterized by tightly coiled and extremely defined curls. This type of hair is the driest, most fragile and least elastic among all four categories
The best hair care products are the gentle hydrating shampoos that will not strip moisture from your hair coupled with extra-creamy, deep conditioners. Your best choices include Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner, Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner and Ouidad Clear and Gentle Shampoo.
You may also ask your hairstylist for product recommendations as well as tips on proper care for your hair type. After all, daily maintenance is more important than salon visits in the long run.
