How To Understand That Bottle of Shampoo

Have you ever wondered how shampoo works?

When hair is at its dirtiest, it will contain dust, dirt, skin flakes, salt and oil. A shampoo has to break it down and pull it away from the hair. Water won't do this alone so, shampoo to the rescue.

Modern shampoos contain a soapless detergent that reduces the surface tension of the water, allowing it to move into the small crevices in the scalp and hair shaft.

The detergent also breaks the oil up into tiny droplets that can be easily washed away.

Other ingredients that you will find in a typical bottle of shampoo include salt for thickening, fruit extracts to draw in moisture from the air, citrus acids to maintain the ph of the hair...

You might also find egg as an ingredient which adds protein, which in turn, sticks to the porous areas of the hair shaft...

Beer coats the hair shaft, adding body and shine...

Fruit extracts draw in moisture from the air to hydrate the hair...

Perfumes which is often a nice touch, offers nothing to the product other than the fragrance which generally washes away.

Tips:

Always use a shampoo that is specifically formulated for your hair. That will ensure that the right amount of oil is removed from your hair.

*Did You Know...

In Victorian days, carbolic soap, bright red in color and with a very interesting fragrance, was used to clean just about everything, ranging from floors to even washing hair. And if that wasn't enough, children's mouths were even washed out with this soap!