Walk into any department store, and you'll find a large area devoted to hair products. If you've been using the same shampoo for years and have never branched out and tried other types, the options may seem overwhelming. View the process as a fun venture to try out different types of hair products and find out what works best for you. Consider the texture of your hair, how often you prefer to wash it and whether you want to do something different for styling it.
Shampoo
Shampoo is designed for cleaning hair. It removes oil, dirt, skin particles and styling products. Some people like to wash their hair every day, while others only wash it every few days. You can choose shampoos for dry, normal or oily hair, and gentle formulations designed specifically for colored, permed or damaged hair. Baby shampoos also are gentle. Formulas are available for curly, fine and coarse hair, and some people need antidandruff shampoos, if only on an occasional basis. Clarifying shampoos provide deep cleaning, and these products are especially good for removing build-up of shampoo, conditioner and styling product residue. Shampoos contain detergent and may include a wide range of additional ingredients, including vitamins, herbs and other botanical substances, proteins, amino acids and fragrances.
Conditioner
Hair conditioner is designed to improve hair texture, keeping it smoother and more silky, and reducing frizz and static electricity. It also provides cosmetic repair for split ends, and can help prevent further hair breakage and sun damage by adding a light protective coating to hair. As with shampoo, you'll have best results when considering your hair type and its condition. Conditioners are available for dry, oily, colored and permed hair in formulations such as revitalizing, deep moisturizing and pH balancing. Some shampoos include conditioner so you don't have to buy the products separately. More intensive conditioning can be obtained with hot oil treatment products.
Styling Products
Styling products include sprays, spritzes, mousses and gels. These substances provide hold, volume and control. Mousse gives a lighter hold than gel, and spray a firmer hold than gel. You also can find gels from light to super hold. Spritz is a more focused approach for specific areas. Each of these hair care products coats hair to keep it in place.
Coloring Products
Perhaps you'd like to change the color of your hair. Temporary coloring products darken hair or cover gray, and they gradually wash out within a certain number of shampoos. Permanent hair dye products open the hair cuticle and then place the color inside the hair shaft. You can choose to go lighter, darker, highlight small or large areas of your hair, or cover gray hair. Because permanent hair coloring solutions change the structure of hair, you'll probably need to use conditioner on a regular basis afterward to keep your hair from drying out and being prone to split ends.
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