Shampoo

Shampoo for Different Hair and Scalp Needs

Browse everyday, moisturising, anti-dandruff and combined shampoo-and-conditioner formulas. Compare hair type, scalp suitability, ingredients and usage directions on each product page.

Use according to the manufacturer’s directions and avoid contact with eyes unless the product label states otherwise.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose shampoo for my scalp or for my hair?

For your scalp. Shampoo is a scalp product — it is applied there, and that is where oil, flaking and buildup actually occur. The lengths get cleaned by the runoff, and conditioner is the product that addresses their condition. Someone with an oily scalp and dry ends needs a clarifying shampoo and a rich conditioner, not a compromise between the two.

What does sulfate-free mean, and does it matter?

It means the formula avoids SLS and SLES, the surfactants responsible for most of the foam in conventional shampoo. Sulfate-free versions clean more gently and foam less, which suits dry, curly or colour-treated hair. They are not safer in any meaningful sense — the widely repeated health warnings about sulfates are not supported — but they are less stripping, which is a real difference for some hair types.

How should I use an anti-dandruff shampoo?

Contact time is what most people get wrong. The active needs to sit on the scalp for the period the label states, typically three to five minutes, rather than being rinsed straight out. Massage into the scalp rather than the lengths, leave it, then rinse. Used correctly, two to three times a week is usually enough.

Why did my anti-dandruff shampoo stop working?

Often because flaking has more than one cause. Malassezia-driven dandruff responds to antifungal actives such as selenium disulfide, ketoconazole or piroctone olamine; a dry, tight, non-oily scalp does not and needs moisture instead. Some people also find rotating between two different actives works better than one indefinitely. Persistent, painful or bleeding scalp problems belong with a doctor rather than another bottle.

Do I really need to shampoo twice?

Only sometimes. A second wash helps if you use styling products, dry shampoo or oils, or if you wash infrequently — the first pass lifts the buildup and the second actually cleans. On a normally clean scalp washed regularly, once is enough and twice is just extra stripping.

Are 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner products a compromise?

Somewhat, by design. Cleaning agents and conditioning agents work against each other, so a combined product does both moderately rather than either well. They are genuinely convenient for short hair, travel and gym bags — the Dr Organic Hemp Oil Shampoo & Conditioner is ours — but long, dry or damaged hair usually does better with two separate products.