What shampoo do you use?

I've been using John Masters Organics for the past 6mo or so, and am looking to switch to something else. It's too costly for the amount of product you get, and it doesn't leave my hair feeling as clean or fortified as I would like (bottom half of my hair is color-treated from the last dye job that I've just grown out). Only upside is the scent and (mostly) natural formula. Prior to that, I was using some generic salon brand.

So what shampoos are you ladies using, and which would you recommend? Any good organic products out there?

Posted by Impulsv
I just found out have frizzy course hair. So hair stylist suggested purology smooth for my curly hair. Do
Weekly jojoba oil treatment

I've used Pureology before, actually, the purple bottle. I do remember it leaving my hair feeling very clean. I want to try other alternatives, but might go back to that if nothing else sounds suitable.

Suave professional. I gave it a shot because it was inexpensive and came in giant, pump bottles.

Ended up being amazing haha. I was using Aussie beforehand but it was causing my hair follicles to get "clogged" and I'd essentially get zits on my scalp occasionally. Sucky because I liked the scent and its moisturizing capabilities were awesome.


I still use their 3 minute miracle. GREAT treatment to use once or twice a week.


I also used argon oil for awhile. My stylist friend hooked me up with some really nice stuff. However, I did come across this recently, at the 99 cents store of all places. Once I read the reviews, I bought two just in case. After I tried it, I went back and bought two more. This stuff is 10 bucks a bottle and how it ended up at 99 cents store is beyond me, but I'm set for awhile! haha.




Whether or not any of this is environmentally friendly/animal friendly, not sure. :/

Pantene aqua light ( no sylicone ) - its just so perfect.

I use a private label sulfate-free shampoo 3x a week, and twice a week for a super clean scalp and super soft hair I use Dr Bronner's Tea Tree all in one bar, followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse. To keep feom smelling like a salad, I usually do a light sulfate free wash after that.

Really, the bar soap and ACV rinse is wonderful for my hair. I am hypothyroid, so hair and skin is a definite issue for me. Otherwise, I'd have never tried the soap/vinegar thing. But I'm glad I did.

I use Tresseme (luxurious moisture) shampoo and conditioner. Big bottles and soft shiny hair, you cant go wrong. For more expensive hair products i go to tjmaxx to the hair beauty section where i can buy large 32 oz bottles of specialty shampoos and conditioners at discounted rates.


Products that get rave reviews - trader joes yea tree tingle shampoo $ 2 and Giovanni 50:50 balancing shampoo (both sulfate free)

Posted by RainDancer


I was gonna say, "whatever's cheapest and on sale"

Aussie and herbal essence are my favorite cheapos

I tried Herbal Essence as well. Didn't really care for it. Left my hair feeling all... blegh. Too much residue and I had rinsed well.

I dye my hair and there's this after color treatment at Sally Beauty that's essentially like mega conditioner. It closes up the cuticle and wow. It's like insta silk. That stuff is 10 bucks for the larger bottle but it's worth it. I dilute it down a bit anyway because it works just as well in that form. Ends up lasting me quite a long time so the value is there despite the $ 10 price tag.

Posted by starlover
Argan oil shampoo but thinking of making my own as my naturopath suggested I avoid the products with SFS in them

The idea of argon oil shampoo seems redundant though. Shampoo gets washed out so I'm not sure how effective the oil is as opposed to just applying the oil itself afterwards or even in a conditioner. It's kind of like how 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioners aren't all that great for your hair because the shampoo cancels out the conditioner.

+1 on Tresemmé! I was always a Dove/Pantene user until I bought Tresemmé on a whim.

Immediate, BIG difference. My perfumer friend also fell in love with the smell and couldn't stop sniffing my hair. 🙂

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

I'll be looking into a lot of these... Suave Professional is first on the list, since it's sulfate-free and doesn't seem to contain much silicone.

Okay, further research reveals that Suave does actually contain sulfate. :/

Posted by channingtatumsneck
this is organic and cheap. gugo shampoo. i think a liter was $ 20-25 for me but it's probably more expensive there if you can find it.

Yeah, I can't seem to find this on any US or international shipping website.

Is this why you don't want to use sulfates?

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa090998.htm

Posted by rockyroadicecream
Is this why you don't want to use sulfates?

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa090998.htm

No, I've never heard of that before, actually.

The reason I try to stay away from sulfate shampoos is because they tend to strip color.

I was using REDKEN, now I'm using Kenra.


It's pretty amazing. 🙂

Posted by Montgomery
I was using REDKEN, now I'm using Kenra.


It's pretty amazing. 🙂

*for color treated hair.

Of course.

Posted by Prince_Pisces

This stuff ^^ ... love.

You need a serious deep conditioner afterward though.

Posted by Prince_Pisces

http://i.imgur.com/pjiFzfk.png<div class="bqfade">click to expand

I have this, now... stopped using it, though.

Disappointed. 😢

I use L'Oreal. Cuz I'm worth it.

Posted by Fleshpot

Posted by rockyroadicecream
Is this why you don't want to use sulfates?

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa090998.htm

No, I've never heard of that before, actually.

The reason I try to stay away from sulfate shampoos is because they tend to strip color.

click to expand

I noticed that when I was looking up the significance of sulfates beyond foaming.

I may have to consider a sulfate free route as well since I dye my hair. I don't think it really matters since I dye mine burgundy and the red fades by the time I need to do my roots anyway.

Posted by rockyroadicecream I noticed that when I was looking up the significance of sulfates beyond foaming.

I may have to consider a sulfate free route as well since I dye my hair. I don't think it really matters since I dye mine burgundy and the red fades by the time I need to do my roots anyway.

I had no idea until my colorist told me. My dye jobs are infrequent, bit pricey, so I try to do whatever I can to preserve the color and luminosity. I think the sulfates used in the Suave Professional line are on the mild side, so you should be okay.

Posted by channingtatumsneck
i need to get a better body wash then coz mine fills up the shower area with foam!

Yeah, generally, the more foamy the detergent, the more drying it is for the skin because it strips away all its natural oils. I've had to switch to a non-foaming facial wash because of that, but I've noticed a drastic improvement.

As for dry shampoo, it's just a very fine powder that absorbs the oils in your hair to make it feel and look more clean. A lot of people use it as a quick fix in-between washes. They can also be used as a volumizing product.

Posted by channingtatumsneck
what's the use of a dry shampoo? i think someone used it on me in a salon once.

Dry shampoo is usually used inbetween hair washes to remove that greasiness on the crown. You're a dude, right? Dudes can get away with washing their hair every day whereas girls can't, so idk, you probs don't wash your hair enough 😛

Shampoos containing SLS (the ingredient that allows you to lather) strips your hair's natural oils and gives it that frizziness. But it's so difficult finding a good SLS free shampoo 😭

Posted by channingtatumsneck

Posted by Velocity

Posted by channingtatumsneck
what's the use of a dry shampoo? i think someone used it on me in a salon once.

Dry shampoo is usually used inbetween hair washes to remove that greasiness on the crown. You're a dude, right? Dudes can get away with washing their hair every day whereas girls can't, so idk, you probs don't wash your hair enough 😛

Shampoos containing SLS (the ingredient that allows you to lather) strips your hair's natural oils and gives it that frizziness. But it's so difficult finding a good SLS free shampoo 😭

yes but i am doing the black indian challenge where i am growing my hair out to black indian levels so i might as well switch to girl products eventually.

how dare you i wash my hair everyday! didn't you see my shampoo in the 1st page it says daily protein blah blah! 😛

click to expand

Ah okay, washing your hair every day can dry out your scalp and make it think you need to produce more oil and then bam, greasiness from that too, IT'S NEVER A WIN/WIN SITUATION. I don't know why on earth you'd submit yourself to such a challenge... brave soul.

Posted by channingtatumsneck lol i love foaming cleanser too! i use a blue neutrogena but it's almost gone. dermalogica is up next.

i think it looked and felt like mousse. i'll buy a can when my hair is actually longer.

For dry shampoo, I prefer the aerosol cans.

Dermalogica contains a lot of complex ingredients that are more geared toward those who have acne-prone or problem skin. I've used the gel cleanser before and found that it was still a bit drying. Right now, I'm using Cera Ve, which was recommended to me by my dermatologist, and it works better than most high-end brands I've tried in the past. It's very affordable and accessible, as well. Doesn't foam, but still leaves the skin feeling clean. You can buy it as a soap bar or liquid form. I like both.

You could alternate! 😛

Get the Cera Ve for use in the mornings, and keep the Dermalogica for night time. I have this mud to foam cleanser from Sephora that I still reserve for once a week.

Posted by Fleshpot

Posted by rockyroadicecream I noticed that when I was looking up the significance of sulfates beyond foaming.

I may have to consider a sulfate free route as well since I dye my hair. I don't think it really matters since I dye mine burgundy and the red fades by the time I need to do my roots anyway.

I had no idea until my colorist told me. My dye jobs are infrequent, bit pricey, so I try to do whatever I can to preserve the color and luminosity. I think the sulfates used in the Suave Professional line are on the mild side, so you should be okay.

click to expand

I dye my own hair and it costs me like 10 bucks every 6 mos or so (I can get 2-3 dye jobs out of the two bottles that I mix my color with haha). I don't worry too much about touch ups.

Posted by rockyroadicecream
I dye my own hair and it costs me like 10 bucks every 6 mos or so (I can get 2-3 dye jobs out of the two bottles that I mix my color with haha). I don't worry too much about touch ups.

I've tried the DIY route before, and it was a disaster every time. Sag moon, so no patience, and my bathroom always ended up being a mess. The color would look unflattering because it was either unevenly distributed, or lighter at the top and darker at the bottom, like a reverse ombre. I just couldn't figure out a non-fuss way to do it at home, so I figured best leave it to the professionals from then on, lol.

Posted by centipedes
Do you have light colored hair naturally? I'd love to dye my own hair, but I have jet black hair, so no color will show up on it unless I bleach it first. And bleaching really dark hair pretty much requires a professional. A really skilled one at that.

That plus having really long hair = holyfucktaculously expensive salon visit

I've heard there are specific dyes sold on the market that contain lightening agents, so that you don't necessarily need to get your hair bleached. You could look into that.

I just started using OGX shampoo - it's works well, smells nice, too.

The Awapuhi Ginger conditioner, and Coconut milk shampoo is what I use.

Posted by centipedes

Posted by rockyroadicecream

Posted by Fleshpot

Posted by rockyroadicecream I noticed that when I was looking up the significance of sulfates beyond foaming.

I may have to consider a sulfate free route as well since I dye my hair. I don't think it really matters since I dye mine burgundy and the red fades by the time I need to do my roots anyway.

I had no idea until my colorist told me. My dye jobs are infrequent, bit pricey, so I try to do whatever I can to preserve the color and luminosity. I think the sulfates used in the Suave Professional line are on the mild side, so you should be okay.

I dye my own hair and it costs me like 10 bucks every 6 mos or so (I can get 2-3 dye jobs out of the two bottles that I mix my color with haha). I don't worry too much about touch ups.

Do you have light colored hair naturally? I'd love to dye my own hair, but I have jet black hair, so no color will show up on it unless I bleach it first. And bleaching really dark hair pretty much requires a professional. A really skilled one at that.

That plus having really long hair = holyfucktaculously expensive salon visit

click to expand

Nah, my hair is dark brown with subtle red undertones. I dye it burgundy brown so it looks dark brown in regular light, but when the sun hits it, it turns bright red haha. It's kinda cool. It was an unintentional fun thing when I started dying it that color.

I dye it to cover up greys though so I have to stay on top of it. I'm sure the grey also helps in the color popping at this point. Not entirely too sure since I started covering it up 6 years ago. Who the hell knows how much of my hair is grey now haha. Damned genetics. :/

The thing is though, when it comes to dying your hair when you have long hair, you can do your roots only unless your color fades that badly between dye jobs. I used to completely do everything, but it got to be so tedious. I started to do roots only, and did a pretty good job matching the fade color. I also run the brush over the length of my hair a bit to help mix in old color with new, so it almost created a bit of a highlight thing.

Regardless, it works somehow! It's been a lot of experimenting and learning as I go. I get a lot of compliments so I must be doing something right haha.

Posted by Fleshpot

Posted by rockyroadicecream
I dye my own hair and it costs me like 10 bucks every 6 mos or so (I can get 2-3 dye jobs out of the two bottles that I mix my color with haha). I don't worry too much about touch ups.

I've tried the DIY route before, and it was a disaster every time. Sag moon, so no patience, and my bathroom always ended up being a mess. The color would look unflattering because it was either unevenly distributed, or lighter at the top and darker at the bottom, like a reverse ombre. I just couldn't figure out a non-fuss way to do it at home, so I figured best leave it to the professionals from then on, lol.

click to expand

Haha, really?

I started out with the boxed stuff. Once I got the hang of how things went and learned the "how to" behind dying hair, I ventured into doing my own colors (the boxed stuff was also frying the shit out of my hair). I keep the colors really similar though so it's nothing drastic. If someone were to ask me to go from much darker to much lighter, I'd run away haha. I did tackle my mom's hair when it grew back after chemo. But it was mostly grey with some dark undertones and we got a caramel colored brown to work for her, after consulting with a few stylist friends. She'd been going to a stylist and dropping like 90 a visit for a light brown with blonde highlights and it's like ugh we can't afford this anymore. So I was happy we found a similar color that she liked that actually worked with her greys.

I get a dark burgundy brown and a medium intense red from the ION line at Sally. Mix mostly dark burgundy with a bit or medium intense to make the red pop more and I apply it with a brush. I used to use one of those nozzle comb type adapters on a bottle, but I got away from that since the brushes use less dye so it makes it all more economical.

I also invested in a cape and use a dark towel on the floor.

Posted by Fleshpot

Posted by channingtatumsneck lol i love foaming cleanser too! i use a blue neutrogena but it's almost gone. dermalogica is up next.

i think it looked and felt like mousse. i'll buy a can when my hair is actually longer.

For dry shampoo, I prefer the aerosol cans.

Dermalogica contains a lot of complex ingredients that are more geared toward those who have acne-prone or problem skin. I've used the gel cleanser before and found that it was still a bit drying. Right now, I'm using Cera Ve, which was recommended to me by my dermatologist, and it works better than most high-end brands I've tried in the past. It's very affordable and accessible, as well. Doesn't foam, but still leaves the skin feeling clean. You can buy it as a soap bar or liquid form. I like both.

click to expand

I just got a sample pack of this stuff. Haven't tried it yet, but it's nice to know that your dermatologist is behind this stuff.

I'm not staying to stop using whatever you all use. But one time try this!!

For shampoo: baking soda and water. Mix (proportions are not a biggie. I'd say 1 part baking soda 2 parts water. But use as much as you need) wash hair, it even lathers up sometimes. Rinse thoroughly.

To Condition: 1 part Apple cider vinegar 2 parts water. Let sit on hair for a minute and rinse thoroughly.

You can even add coconut oil, or other oils/fragrances to the mix. It's all I use.