Damaged Hair

Choosing the Right Shampoo for Damaged Hair

The primary mission of a good shampoo is to gently cleanse both the scalp and hair. Enriched with reparative agents, it transforms into a true treatment for damaged hair fibers.

Key Components of a Repair Shampoo

An effective restorative shampoo should delicately cleanse the hair and scalp without causing dryness. It ought to fortify the hair fiber, nourishing and repairing the damaged cuticle along its entire length. Furthermore, it must be easily rinsed away, preparing the hair for detangling and facilitating the brushing process.

Ingredients Breakdown (Each with a Unique Role)

Water: Shampoo, being a liquid hygiene product, is primarily composed of water.
Surfactants: Making up 10% of the formulation, surfactants play a crucial role in cleansing.
Non-ionic Surfactants: These include caprylyl/capryl glucoside or coco-glucoside, dissolving sebum to isolate impurities in the hair.
Anionic Surfactants: Responsible for foaming and dirt removal, they should be gentle, such as sodium lauroyl oat amino acids or sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, preserving the hydrolipidic filter and respecting pH.
Cationic Surfactants: Quaternium 80 and coconut polyamine act as conditioners, coating the hair and facilitating detangling.
Active Moisturizing Ingredient: Often derived from betaine (sugar beet), it regulates hydration, fixing water in dry or damaged hair.
Active Nutritive Ingredient: Extracted from plant oils (almonds, etc.), containing fatty acids or ceramides, it is a softening and lipid-replenishing agent that closes the hair's cuticles.
Pearlescent Agents: Micas or fatty substances (mono and ethylene glycol distearate) give the shampoo a pearly appearance.
Colorants and Perfumes: Used for their pleasant aroma, with fragrances kept at a low concentration (less than 1%) for hypoallergenic properties.
Thickeners: Ingredients like alginate, xanthan gum, or cellulose and acrylic polymers provide a creamy texture.
Preservatives: Essential for preventing bacterial proliferation, ensuring safety in use.

Avoid These Ingredients:

Surfactants that are too aggressive: Some anionic surfactants strip the hair fiber, removing the protective hydrolipidic filter and weakening it further.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): Best avoided in the long run as it can be irritating to the scalp or damage dry and damaged hair.
Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES): While well-tolerated in theory, it is sometimes associated with other actives that make it aggressive. Hence, it's better not to use it!

This type of restructuring shampoo is beneficial for strengthening dry or damaged hair and can be used daily without issues. Create a lather by massaging the scalp and distribute a repairing balm or mask from lengths to ends. Applying a mask for a few minutes once or twice a week does not overload the hair.