How To Choose The Right Shampoo For Relaxed Hair

Choosing shampoo for relaxed hair can be more confusing than it needs to be.

There are moisturizing shampoos, hydrating shampoos, clarifying shampoos, strengthening shampoos, volumizing shampoos, and sulfate-free shampoos. Then you have shampoos designed for color-treated hair, scalp concerns, breakage, and more.

With so many options, how do you know which shampoo is actually right for your hair?

I used to make shampoo shopping much more complicated than it needed to be. I would look at all the different labels and wonder which type I should be using. Over time, I've found that choosing shampoo becomes easier when I focus on three things: what my scalp needs, what my hair needs, and how often I plan to use the shampoo.

Here's how I approach it.

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The four types of shampoo to know about

One way to simplify shampoo shopping is to group shampoos according to their primary purpose. I find four groups particularly helpful.

1. Maintenance shampoos

Maintenance shampoos are the ones you use for regular washing. Moisturizing and hydrating shampoos often fall into this group. These shampoos can be a good option if your relaxed hair tends to feel dry and you want a regular cleanser that works well with the rest of your hair routine.

Your scalp's needs still matter, though. A moisturizing shampoo that works well for someone else might leave your roots feeling coated or weighed down. The goal is to find a regular shampoo that cleans your scalp and hair while leaving them feeling comfortable afterward.

2. Deep-cleaning shampoos

This group includes clarifying and chelating shampoos, as well as products marketed as detox shampoos.

Clarifying shampoos help remove product buildup and residue from the hair. Chelating shampoos are formulated to help remove mineral deposits, including those associated with hard water.

Detox shampoos may use ingredients such as charcoal or clay, depending on the formula. What they remove depends on the ingredients and formulation, so the word "detox" alone doesn't tell you everything you need to know.

These shampoos can be useful when you need a deeper clean, but that doesn't mean you need to use one every wash. How often you use a deep-cleaning shampoo depends on your buildup, scalp, hair condition, and the particular product.

3. Treatment shampoos

Treatment shampoos are made to address specific scalp concerns. For example, medicated dandruff shampoos may help manage dandruff and associated flaking. The appropriate product and frequency depend on the scalp concern and the directions for use.

You don't necessarily have to use a treatment shampoo as your regular shampoo. You might use one for your scalp concern and keep a separate maintenance shampoo for your other wash days.

4. Specialized shampoos 

Specialized shampoos focus on a particular hair need or goal. You might see shampoos marketed for strengthening, repair, volume, thickening, or color protection. These can be worth considering if you have a specific goal, but you don't automatically need one just because the label sounds appealing. 

Also, sulfate-free isn't a separate shampoo category. It describes the cleansing formula. You can find sulfate-free shampoos designed for moisturizing, clarifying, volume, and other purposes. 

How to choose the right shampoo for your relaxed hair

Now that you know the different types of shampoo you may come across, how do you decide which one to buy? I find it helpful to focus on three things before choosing a shampoo: what my scalp needs, what my hair needs, and how often I plan to use it. These three things can help you narrow down your options and figure out whether a shampoo makes sense for your hair routine.

1. Think about what your scalp needs

Even though you're shopping for shampoo for your relaxed hair, your scalp should be part of the decision. After all, shampoo is also responsible for cleansing your scalp, and your scalp may have different needs from your hair strands.

If your scalp gets oily quickly, you may prefer a shampoo that cleans more effectively. If a particular moisturizing shampoo consistently leaves your roots feeling greasy or coated, it may not be the best match for you.

On the other hand, if your scalp tends to feel dry, tight, or sensitive, you may prefer a gentler shampoo for regular washing rather than using a deep-cleaning formula every time.

If you're dealing with persistent dandruff or frequent flaking, consider whether a shampoo designed for that scalp concern is appropriate. Persistent symptoms that don't improve may warrant advice from a dermatologist.

Pay attention to how your scalp feels after washing. Does it feel clean and comfortable? Does it become oily again quickly? Does it feel tight or irritated? Determining this can help you narrow down your options.

2. Consider what your relaxed hair needs

Once you've considered your scalp, think about your hair. Does your hair tend to feel dry? Is it fine and easily weighed down? Are you dealing with breakage or trying to maintain the condition of your hair?

If your hair tends to feel dry, a moisturizing or hydrating shampoo may be a good starting point for regular washing.

If your hair is fine or easily weighed down, a volumizing shampoo might be worth trying. However, you don't need to switch to one if your current shampoo cleans well and your hair feels good afterward.

If you're concerned about breakage or damage, a strengthening or repair shampoo may be another option to explore.

Just remember that shampoo isn't responsible for conditioning your hair all by itself. Your conditioner, deep conditioner, leave-in products, and treatments also contribute to your overall hair routine.

For relaxed hair, that distinction is especially helpful when you're trying to balance cleansing with keeping your hair manageable. You don't have to find a shampoo that promises to address every concern at once.

3. Decide how often you'll use the shampoo

This is one of the most useful questions to ask before buying a new shampoo. Not every shampoo needs to become part of your regular wash routine.

Your maintenance shampoo will probably be the one you reach for most often. Depending on your needs, that might be a moisturizing shampoo, a hydrating shampoo, or another formula that works well for your scalp and hair.

Other shampoos can serve specific purposes. For example, you might use a clarifying shampoo occasionally when you have product buildup. If hard-water mineral deposits are a concern, you might use a chelating shampoo when appropriate. You might also keep a treatment shampoo for a scalp concern or choose a specialized shampoo when you have a particular hair goal.

I like to think of shampoos as tools. You don't need every tool for every job, and you don't need to use every shampoo every wash.

How I choose shampoo for my relaxed hair

My scalp tends to be dry, and I have thick hair, so moisturizing and hydrating shampoos make up most of my regular shampoo rotation. However, I don't use those shampoos exclusively.

When I need to address or prevent flaking, I sometimes use a medicated shampoo. I apply that shampoo to my scalp according to its directions rather than using it to wash my hair lengths.

When my hair and scalp need a deeper clean, I'll reach for a clarifying shampoo. In that case, I apply it to both my scalp and hair because I'm trying to remove buildup from both areas.

And when my hair needs strengthening or repair, I don't automatically change my regular shampoo. I'll consider using a separate hair treatment instead.

This approach allows me to address different needs without expecting one shampoo to do everything. You can see all of the shampoos I’m using by visiting this page.

What if your shampoo leaves your hair feeling dry or coated?

Before replacing a shampoo after one disappointing wash day, consider what else might have affected your results.

Have you used more styling products than usual? Has it been longer than normal since your last wash? Could hard-water buildup be contributing to how your hair feels? Have you changed your conditioner or another product?

One wash day doesn't always tell you whether a shampoo is a good fit. Instead, look for patterns.

• If your scalp consistently feels dirty after washing, you may need a shampoo that cleans more effectively or a change in your washing routine.
• If your scalp repeatedly feels tight or irritated, consider whether your shampoo is too harsh for your needs.
• If your hair consistently feels coated or weighed down, the formula may not be a good match.

And if your hair repeatedly feels very dry after shampooing, look at your shampoo and the conditioning products you use afterward. The goal isn't to blame every bad hair day on one product. It's to understand what your hair and scalp are telling you over time.

You don't need a shampoo for every hair concern

When you're shopping for shampoo for relaxed hair, remember that you don't need to own every type of shampoo available.

Start by asking yourself three questions:

• What does my scalp need?
• What does my hair need?
• How often will I use this shampoo?

Then consider what the shampoo is designed to do and whether that purpose matches your needs. You may find that one shampoo works well for most of your washes, with one or two additional shampoos for specific concerns.

Your shampoo can focus on cleansing, your conditioner can focus on conditioning, and your treatments can address other needs. Once I started thinking about shampoo this way, shopping for it became much less complicated. I wish I'd understood this when I first started learning how to care for my relaxed hair.