Switching Shampoos

"Doesn't your hair get used to the same shampoo? Aren't you supposed to switch types every so often?" This savvy shampoo question came from my sister (surprisingly!), and so I of course needed to seek out an answer.

So what's the skinny on switching shampoos? Well the short answer: Yes, you should switch your soapy suds regularly. 

Apparently your hair gets used products after a while making them less effective. So while it might have been sweet for your mother to buy you 18 bottles of shampoo from Costco to last you throughout your entire college career, it might not have been the best idea for the care and keeping of your hair. Surfactants in shampoos can build up over time in your hair, so it's good to balance build-up by switching shampoos. (aka use another shampoo to clean your hair from the shampoo you used before).

So what's a girl (or guy) to do? Well, you could just buy a new brand of shampoo or conditioner each time you run out (that's what Paige and I planned on after we discovered this interesting product phenomenon). Or.. you could do what Terri suggests. (Terri does my hair, and her suggestions always make more sense and help me save more money).

The best thing to do is to pick 2 brands of shampoo/conditioners that you love and then alternate them each time you wash your hair (which.. apparently should only be about 2-3 times per week.. yay for not having to blow dry my hair every single day!!). If you have longer hair (me!) or dirtier hair (P!), an even better idea would be to use a cheap shampoo for your first lather than your nicer brand for your repeat lather (remember... lather, rinse repeat?) That way you aren't washing all your good stuff down the drain on your first dirt-removal rundown. If you don't need to wash your hair twice (aka you get enough suds the first time), then just switch off between your two different shampoos each time you wash your hair.

Or, you could pick up a clarifying shampoo (that'll help clean all the surfactants from your hair) and use it once a week or once a month. That's an especially good idea if you use a lot of products (mouse, gel, hair spray, creams) or swim often.

Think of it as the P90X regimen for your hair: you're always switching it up so your product potency never plateaus. :) You can also do the same with your conditioner (I usually rotate between a low-end (Costco :) ) bulk-brand and my delicious hair mask).

So now that you might be in the market for a second shampoo let me share some of my favorites (and I'll toss in Paige's too, since she helped me on this):

John Frieda's Root Awakening Shampoo and Conditioner: I wrote about this conditioner in an earlier post. It's fabulous and Paige ended up finding and buying the same brand on her own and adoring it. It smells great, and feels tingly, clean, and super rich but not super pricey. :)

Organix's Shampoo and Conditioner Line: Paige loves these adorable little bottles of Organix shampoo. They have all sorts of delightful scents, but these are the Paigey-est. I love the brand and would buy it myself if I didn't have so much thick hair to wash (I'd run through the bottles rather quickly). Though I do like how they come in smaller amounts so you can switch your scent quicker or with the seasons :).

David Babaii for Waldaid's Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner: We picked up this brand at Home Goods for our guest bathroom. The gender-neutral Polynesian White Ginger scent with volcanic ash smells amazingly spicy with an island flare. I like sneaking into the guest bathroom to use this occasionally because it's just so good. Plus, David Babaii also came out with a beach spray which makes me love his line even more.

Bain de Terre's Shampoo and Conditioners: This is another Home Goods find of mine. After a quality smell test, I begged JK to let me buy the $10 half gallon of their Coconut Moringa scent (not sure what moringa is? Me either.) I love using it, and it makes my hair smell wonderful all the way until my next shower. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they make the lovely coconut moringa scent any more, but as you can see, they've got a whole range of luxurious combinations to choose from.

So, grab a couple of your favorites, or maybe just a clarifying shampoo, and go ahead and switch it up!