How to choose a shampoo for normal, dry and oily hair

The right shampoo is half the battle in your daily cleansing hair and scalp care. The shampoo is selected individually, depending on the type of hair.

Before, I was always sure that shampoo should only cleanse the hair and did not even think about the pH level of the scalp, hair and shampoo. It turns out that the acidity level of the shampoo plays a very important role in hair care.

Any shampoo for hair has a pH level, but the manufacturer does not always indicate it, and if it is not indicated on the labels, then it cannot be calculated without special research. The manufacturer usually writes: shampoo for oily, dry, normal hair. But this does not always correspond to reality, in shampoos for normal hair, the Ph level should be neutral - pH 6-7, and in most cases these shampoos are highly alkaline, especially for mass market products and using them daily, you can simply dry your scalp ... Professional brands of hair cosmetics, especially world famous ones, are somehow more responsible for this (at least those that I have tried).

Options for indicating the pH level by the manufacturer: the first photo indicates the exact pH level of 5.8, and the second photo simply indicates that the pH is balanced (optimal) for the scalp.

In the modern cosmetology industry, a pH scale from 0 to 14 is used, where from 0 to 7 is the acidic pH level. PH is considered neutral - 7, this is the pH level of water, and from 7 to 14 - alkaline.

In river waters, the pH level is in the range of 6.5-8.5, approximately the same pH level is greater than 7 in the water (from the tap) which we wash our hair, and it turns out that water itself is already an aggressive medium for hair Therefore, shampoos, masks, balms and conditioners contain weak acids that bring the pH value to the optimal value. There are products that regulate the pH level of the water, the slightly acidic pH level is 5-5.5, so it is useful to acidify the water (with lemon, apple cider vinegar) when rinsing your hair.

In seawater, the pH level is 7.9-8.3 - therefore, after swimming in the sea, the hair is coarse, overdried and requires restoration, and in rainwater, the pH level is 4.6-6.0, so it was not in vain that our great-grandmothers washed their hair rain water, it is very soft and ideal for washing hair (the normal pH level of the balance of the scalp and hair is approximately in the pH range of 4.5-5.5), I do not think that our great-grandmothers, in those days, knew about the pH level and how it affects the condition of the hair, so that great-grandmother's beauty recipes have a place to be in today's hair care.

The pH level of the scalp and hair is different: for the scalp, the normal pH level is 5-5.5, and for hair along the entire length of the pH up to 5, despite the fact that the surface of the hair does not have its own pH level, it is transferred from the pH of the scalp and is distributed through the hair with the help of combing, also from cosmetics (balms, conditioners, masks, lotions, creams, and the more saturated the products are for dry, damaged hair, the lower the pH level is 3.5-5). Each person's scalp and hair have their own pH level, and depending on this, you need to choose a shampoo.

For normal hair: A person consists of 80% water, respectively, there is a certain amount of moisture in the hair and the hair has a slightly acidic environment. Therefore, the normal pH balance of the scalp and hair is approximately in the pH range of 4.5-5.5. For normal hair, shampoos are optimal with a pH level of 5.5 to 7.

For dry hair: Dry hair is brittle, often begins to split, there may be dandruff, itching of the scalp or damaged by "chemistry", coloring. With dry hair, the pH balance of the scalp and hair changes from the normal pH level (acidic) to the alkaline side. Therefore, the optimal pH level for dry hair in shampoo is pH 4.5-7.It is advisable to use shampoos with a low pH level (below 5) for hair after bleaching, dyeing, chemistry, to restore the scalp and hair, but not for too long

For oily hair: Oily hair grows oily too quickly, thin, lacks volume, secrete sebum in excess. For such hair, it is better to choose a shampoo with a pH level between 6 and 8 (neutral or alkaline). If you have oily hair and you choose shampoos for oily hair, then they aggravate the situation even more, with regular use of such a shampoo, itching, flaking, dandruff (oily seborrhea) is possible, despite the fact that the hair will remain oily and this will not lead to more rare hair washing, why: shampoos for oily hair very "aggressively" cleanse the scalp, drying it out and forcing the sebaceous glands of the scalp to produce even more sebum.

The main truth: you need to choose shampoos that will bring you closer to the normal, natural pH level of 4.5 - 5.5.

The pH level in some hair products:

• balms, conditioners, masks pH from 2.5 (for colored, damaged hair) to 6;
• soap pH 7.5 to 10;
• perm, pH from 6.8 to 9.1;
• dyes: toning - pH - 8;oxidizing (enter ammonia) - pH - 9-10;blond - pH 10.5-11;
• bleaching agents (the most "violent") pH 12 and above.

If, after shampooing, the hair quickly becomes greasy and hangs down like "icicles", then this shampoo is too acidic. Choose a shampoo with a higher pH level.

If, after shampooing, the hair is coarse, matted, difficult to comb, it may even appear on the scalp, then the shampoo is too alkaline. Choose a shampoo with a lower pH level.

Acid shampoos (pH up to 7) are suitable for frequent use, in an acidic environment the hair shrinks and the scales are closed and smoothed. Alkaline shampoos (pH greater than 7) you also need to have your own products in your arsenal, but you do not use them often, these are the very deep cleansing shampoos that are needed to remove all styling products, silicones and other dirt from the hair well. In an alkaline environment, the hair swells and, accordingly, the cuticle scales open.

Scheme of using acid and alkaline shampoos, depending on the type of hair

All beautiful and healthy hair!