Men usually shampoo their hair with no rhyme or reason leading them to experience more hair fall than women. There are so many shampoos in the market but without understanding your hair type, texture, concern, or goals you are not helping your hair in any way. A very important part of men’s grooming is maintaining healthy hair and understanding your hair and its needs. Let’s look at the different hair types before we start fully indulging in healthy hair habits.
Understand Your Hair Type
There are different kinds of hair types that need different care. Here’s how you can select a shampoo for men based on your hair type.
- Straight: If you have straight hair your hair will tend to look thinner because there is no movement of flair to your hair, so look for volumising and hair growth shampoo for men that will make your hair appear thicker and fuller.
- Wavy: This hair type comes between curly and straight, where there is some movement and shape to your hair naturally. Wavy hair often appears frizzy so look for shampoos for men that are aimed at frizz control.
- Curly: If you have curly hair, your hair will need strengthening and nourishing ingredients in order to maintain the bounce and shape. Curly hair can look flat and lose its elasticity when it becomes weak.
- Coily: Super curly hair with tighter coils means the natural oil produced by your scalp finds it difficult to reach the tip of your hair. Thus, dense hair requires hydrating and nourishing shampoos that will replenish moisture loss.
Understand Your Hair Texture
Your hair texture is characterised by its thickness, diameter, and porosity. If your hair is thick you need an oil-heavy shampoo so the nutrients can enter your hair follicles and nourish your hair. If you have thin hair you need a strengthening shampoo for men that will reduce damage, breakage, and split ends. If you have highly porous hair, you need an ultra-moisturising shampoo that will retain hydration levels and provide nourishment. If you have less porosity in your hair you need a lightweight shampoo that won’t make your hair feel heavy and lead to damage.
What To Consider Before Buying A Shampoo For Men
These are the following things to consider before buying a shampoo for men.
- Hair Goals: If you want a certain result you need to invest in a shampoo that can do that for you. If you have an oily scalp then look for shampoos that can control excess oil and not generic shampoos meant for just cleansing. Similarly, other concerns such as dandruff, split ends, thin hair, etc can be resolved with the right shampoo.
- Hair Type & Texture: Make sure you buy products that are formulated for your specific hair type. Whether you have straight, wavy, and curly hair or thick, thin, or scanty hair, they all have different needs and a one-size-fits-all approach may not help you.
- Ingredients: Before you buy a shampoo make sure you check the ingredients. Keep toxic chemicals such as parabens, sulphates, alcohol, and silicone at bay because they are harmful to your hair and the environment. Also, look for ingredients that align with your hair goals.
- Patch Test: Lastly, make sure your skin is not allergic to any of the ingredients because the lather from the shampoo can irritate your skin if it is sensitive towards it.
Tips To Apply Shampoo For Men
- Soak your hair with water thoroughly before applying the shampoo. This allows the shampoo to lather and spread evenly.
- Take a coin-sized amount of the shampoo first and begin applying it to the scalp section by section.
- Take more shampoo as required depending on hair length and work your way to the tips.
- Massage the shampoo into your scalp for a few seconds to completely clean your hair and get all the nourishing benefits of your shampoo. Rinse it with water till all the product is removed.
- If you feel oiliness and grease after the first wash, you can do a second round of cleansing. However, avoid washing your hair multiple times as it can strip your scalp of its essential oils and make your hair frizzy.
- Once you are satisfied with the wash, follow it up with a conditioner to smoothen your hair shaft.
- Rinse the conditioner as well and towel dry your hair before you continue with the shower.
- Make sure to wash off any shampoo residue from your body, since shampoos are meant for your hair, they are not suitable for your skin.
- Air-dry your hair as much as possible to avoid thermal damage.
- Apply a serum to damp hair to promote growth, strength, and smoothness.
- Use a wide-toothed comb or your fingers to untangle your hair.
Mistakes To Avoid While Using A Shampoo For Men
- Avoid over-washing your hair, as it can strip away the natural oils your scalp produces.
- Always use cold or lukewarm water to wash your hair, and never hot water as it can damage your hair follicles.
- Never use a fine-toothed comb on wet hair, as wet hair is weak and can easily break when pulled or tugged.
- Make sure you use a shampoo that is aligned with your hair goals to avoid breakage and additional hair concerns.
Parting Thoughts
Shampoo for men is a very important part of men’s grooming and hair care routine. The right shampoo can do wonders for your hair and there are a few things to keep in mind before investing in a shampoo. Make sure to understand your hair type, people with straight, wavy, and curly hair all need different formulations to target their hair type. The next thing to keep in mind is your hair texture, thin hair v/s thick hair, high porosity v/s low porosity, these are all different textures of hair and thus need a different type of care.
Finally, the way you use shampoo makes a world of difference. Wash your hair regularly but not frequently, if you travel a lot and experience hair damage due to environmental stressors then washing your hair three times a week is recommended. If your scalp generally does not experience sweat, dust, and pollution then wash your hair not more than two times a week.