Choosing shampoo and conditioner for your hair type

The simplest rule for hair care is this: shampoo is for your scalp, conditioner is for the lengths and ends. Choose a shampoo for how your scalp behaves, oily, dry or sensitive, and a conditioner for the state of your hair, fine, thick, curly, coloured or damaged.

Expensive salon brands and supermarket bottles use many of the same basic ingredients. What differs is the balance of cleansing agents, conditioning agents and fragrance, and how that suits your hair. The right product is the one that leaves your scalp comfortable and your hair easy to manage, not the one with the most claims on the label.

This guide explains how to pick both, what the special products do and what to check before you colour your hair at home. For your face, see the guide to a simple skincare routine.

Start with your scalp and hair

How often you wash depends on your scalp. Oily scalps may need washing every day, while dry or curly hair often does better with two or three washes a week. There is no single right number.

Shampoo: what the labels mean

Most shampoos clean with surfactants that lift oil and dirt. The words you will see most often:

• Sulphate-free. Sulphates such as sodium lauryl sulphate give a rich lather and a strong clean. Sulphate-free shampoos use milder cleansers. Many people with dry, curly or coloured hair prefer them, although they lather less.
• Clarifying. A deeper clean to remove build-up from styling products or hard water. Once a week or less is usually enough.
• Moisturising or hydrating. Gentler cleansers with added conditioning ingredients.
• Tea tree, mint or menthol. Mostly about a fresh, tingling feel. Tea tree oil can irritate sensitive skin, so patch test if you react easily.

If your scalp is itchy and flaky for more than a few weeks, ask a pharmacist. Dandruff and scalp conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis can need a medicated shampoo rather than a cosmetic one.

You will find all of these in the hair care range, from supermarket brands to salon sizes.

Conditioner, masks and leave-ins

Conditioner smooths the outer layer of the hair so it tangles less and reflects more light. Apply it from mid-lengths to ends, leave it for a minute or two and rinse. Fine hair can go limp if conditioner goes on the roots.

• Rinse-out conditioner is the everyday product.
• Masks or deep conditioners are thicker and are used once a week, often left on for five to ten minutes.
• Leave-in conditioners and creams help with curls, frizz and detangling between washes.
• Bond repair products are aimed at bleached and chemically treated hair. Follow the instructions on how often to use them.

Silicones, often listed with names ending in “-cone” or “-xane”, coat the hair to make it smoother and shinier. Some people with fine hair find they weigh it down, which is when an occasional clarifying wash helps.

Coloured, blonde and grey hair

Colour fades through washing, heat and sunlight. To make it last:

1. Use a colour care or sulphate-free shampoo and wash in lukewarm water.
2. Use a heat protection spray before blow drying or straightening.
3. Cover your hair in strong sun or use a product with UV filters.
4. For blonde, highlighted or grey hair, use a violet or silver shampoo about once a week. Violet sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so it tones down brassy, yellow tints. Leaving it on too long can leave a lilac tinge on very light hair.

Before you colour at home

Hair dye reactions are uncommon but can be serious. NHS advice is to do a patch test before every use of a permanent or semi-permanent dye, even with a brand you have used before. Put a small amount behind your ear or on your inner elbow and follow the timing in the instructions, usually 48 hours.

• Do not use the dye if the test area becomes red, itchy, swollen or sore.
• Most reactions are linked to PPD (paraphenylenediamine), found in many permanent dyes and more so in darker shades.
• The NHS advises avoiding black henna tattoos, which can contain high levels of PPD and make a later reaction to hair dye more likely.
• If you have swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing, call 999 or 112 straight away.

Wear the gloves supplied, keep dye away from your eyes and never use hair dye on eyebrows or eyelashes unless the product says it is made for that.

Hair vitamins and supplements

The hair vitamins category has supplements marketed for hair, often containing biotin, zinc or iron. Most people get what they need from a varied diet, and a supplement does not replace one. Hair loss and thinning have many causes, from stress and hormones to iron deficiency and thyroid problems, so if you notice sudden or patchy hair loss, see your GP before buying supplements. If you take any supplement, follow the dose on the pack and tell your pharmacist if you take other medicines.

Quick checklist

• Shampoo for your scalp, conditioner for your lengths.
• Sulphate-free if your hair is dry, curly or coloured and you like a gentler wash.
• Clarify once a week or less if products build up.
• Weekly mask for dry, bleached or damaged hair.
• Violet or silver shampoo once a week for yellow tones.
• Patch test before every permanent or semi-permanent dye.
• See a GP about sudden or patchy hair loss.

Common questions

Is it bad to wash my hair every day?

Not if your scalp is oily and a gentle shampoo keeps it comfortable. If your hair feels dry or your scalp tight, try washing less often or switching to a milder shampoo.

Do I need to use shampoo and conditioner from the same range?

No. Ranges are designed to work together, but you can combine a shampoo that suits your scalp with a conditioner that suits your hair.

How often should I use a violet shampoo?

Once a week is a common starting point. Use it more often if yellow tones come back quickly, and less often or for a shorter time if your hair starts to look lilac.