| Shampoo Basics & Hair Tips |
| Karen Marie Shelton - Copyright 2002 - All
Rights Reserved |
| Revised Date: 3/14/08 - Original Publication Date: 7/14/2002 |
Introduction
 |
|
Image Courtesy
of Biosilk |
|
Farouk
All Rights Reserved |
Due to the ongoing introductions of the latest and greatest hair
care products, hair consumers have developed some misconceptions
about the basics of shampoo. Although modern day shampoo
products may promise to achieve a wide range of benefits from
fattening strands to adding color or changing texture, the key
component of shampoo is quite simple.
That component is to clean the scalp and the attached tresses.
It has been the primary requirement of shampoo since it was first
created.
Shampoo Basic Requirements
The basic shampoo requirements include:
-The ability to cleanse hair of oils, sebum, debris and dirt
-Should work equally well in all types of water from hard to soft to
well
-Should be gentle enough not to irritate eyes, skin or scalp.
-The ability to leave the hair in the basic condition it was in
before the shampoo was applied. In other words, not damage the
hair in any way by applying shampoo. It is
important to have a basic understanding of how shampoo is created.
Shampoo Basics - Molecules
No discussion of the action of shampoos and how they function to
cleanse the hair and scalp can be meaningful unless a study is made
of the shampoo molecule.
Shampoo formulas are composed of a series of large, specially
treated molecules. Each molecule consists of both a head and
a tail section designed to handle specific cleansing
functions.
The tails of the shampoo molecule attracts dirt, debris, grime,
grease and oil but repels water. The head attracts water but
repels dirt. The two heads work together in unison to clean
the hair.
The Basic Shampoo Cycle
The shampoo cycle first starts with the hair as it becomes dirty.
The scalp naturally excretes sebum or natural oils. The
oils flow from the top of the head down the length of the hair.
As the hair becomes oily, those oils, which are sticky and greasy
cling to the surface of the strands. These greasy strands
attract dust, debris and other types of foreign matter.
Because of the sebum and natural hair oils, plain water can not
easily clean the hair because water molecules alone are unable to
pull dirt from the cuticle.
This is why shampoo contains a tail embedded with the ability to
attract dirt, grease, oil, grime and debris to it. In essence
the tail molecules of the shampoo will suck up the dirt from the
surface of the hair.
Importance Of Massaging Shampoo To Activate Tail Molecules
To activate the tail molecules, the shampoo formula must be
massaged into the scalp and hair. This insures that the
shampoo's tail molecules can be brought into direct contact with all
the oily, dirty, grimy substances and vacuum them out. The
action of massaging the shampoo into the hair and scalp will cause
grease, oils and dirt, as they are sucked up by the tails and roll
up into small blobs.
If an excess of shampoo is used, the formula will seep into what
is known as imbrications that cover the strands. This can
cause excessive tangling, matting, tearing and dryness. This
is especially true with shampoo formulas that are alkaline.
As currents of warm water runs over the top of the shampoo
covered hair, the water literally washes away the blobs of dirt and
grease that the heads of the shampoo molecules have sucked up from
the surface of the strands. Foreign matter captured by the
tails are removed only during the rinse stage of cleansing.
Excess Shampoo Challenges
Excess shampoo molecules that haven't been utilized to remove
dirt and debris are less easily removed from the hair shaft.
This is why hair that is not rinsed properly will become coated with
the excess shampoo.
Continued rinsing is essential to completely clean the hair of
all leftover shampoo.
The amount of time required to rinse shampoo from the hair is
greatly reduced when less shampoo is initially applied.
This is why my ongoing theory of "less is more" when it comes to
shampoo procedures is so important. It is always better to not
use enough shampoo than too much shampoo.
It is also know that excess swelling of the cuticles is prevented
by acid, soap less shampoos.
Summary
All professional cosmetologists understand the importance of
shampoo and how the cleanliness of hair affects other hair services.
Although modern day shampoo products may promise to achieve a wide
range of benefits from fattening strands to adding color or changing
texture, the key component of shampoo is quite simple. That
component is to clean the scalp and the attached tresses.
It has been the primary requirement of shampoo since it was first
created. |