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How Do I Choose the Best Straightening Shampoo?

Sherry Holetzky
Sherry Holetzky

Straight hair is very popular and there are many wonderful straight hairstyles. There are also numerous products and pieces of equipment available for straightening hair. These tools are not only for those who have natural curls or waves, because even some people with straight hair like to use such products to create a nice, smooth, look. Straightening shampoo can also be helpful in making your straightened styles look great. Choosing the best one will be determined by your hair type, style, color, texture and more.

Keep in mind that straightening shampoo will not completely straighten your hair. It will not look as smooth as it does when you have used heated tools to straighten. If your hair is thick, thin, dry, oily, or a combination type, look for formulas specifically suited to your type. If your hair is especially curly, wavy, or frizzy, look for a straightening shampoo that contains deep conditioning ingredients and moisturizers.

Plastic bottles of shampoo.
Plastic bottles of shampoo.

The other ingredients in the straightening shampoo you select are also very important. You will likely want to avoid items that can make your hair dry, as straightened hair is prone to damage. Be sure to look for formulas that don’t contain ingredients that can increase the risk of damage by drying out hair, such as sodium laurel sulfate, which is added to create foaming action. While many people like the feeling foaming action gives them, it is not necessary to have foam in order to get clean hair.

A stylist can offer helpful recommendations for a good straightening shampoo.
A stylist can offer helpful recommendations for a good straightening shampoo.

Alcohol is another thing to avoid in a straightening shampoo, as it can also cause increased dryness. Dryness can make hair brittle and unmanageable and it can also cause scalp irritation. Using a heat treatment such as a blow drying or hair straightening on dry hair can cause even further damage.

Utilizing a good straightening shampoo can actually help you keep your hair healthier, while still creating the look you love, if you choose a quality product. Since some of the desired straightness will come from the shampoo that means less heat treatment will be required to achieve the style and texture you want. As you compare different brands, be sure to examine how your hair looks and feels not only after washing but also after you have completed styling it.

A stylist can offer helpful recommendations for a good straightening shampoo. He or she may even have sample packets available. Another option is to have your hair washed with different brands of straightening shampoo when you visit the salon.

Discussion Comments

bluedolphin

@turquoise-- I agree that some shampoos claiming to straighten hair don't do that at all. And others that do, make hair kind of stiff and dull for some reason. So if you have a specific straightening shampoo in mind, you should definitely read reviews to see if it delivers what it claims.

The other thing is that sometimes shampoos take time to show their effects. The straightening shampoo I'm using right now didn't really do anything for my hair until I had gone through two-thirds of the bottle! It's straightening my hair quite well right now. If I hadn't continued using it for the sake of making it worth my money, I would have never known!

turquoise

@ZipLine-- I haven't tried a shampoo with silk protein yet. I'm going to put that on my shopping list!

I actually haven't had very much luck with straightening shampoos and I have tried about five different ones by now. The only that slightly made a difference was one with olive oil in it. But even then, my hair wasn't completely straight, it was just less voluminous.

I will have to try the silk one and see if it will work for me.

ZipLine

I love straightening shampoo!

I have really thick, frizzy hair that becomes slightly wavy after washing. I've been using a hair straightener to get it straight and just like the article said, it has damaged my hair very badly.

I had never tried straightening shampoo before because I didn't think it would work. But I decided that it's worth a shot. I went to a beauty supply store and asked the lady there which straightening shampoo is best. She recommended one with silk protein in it.

I've been using it for the past three weeks and I love it! All I do is blow dry my hair as usual and my hair is completely straight! It's even better than when I used a hair straightener. I'm guessing that the silk protein is the major reason behind it. It has made my hair really soft as well.

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    • Plastic bottles of shampoo.
      By: Dessie
      Plastic bottles of shampoo.
    • A stylist can offer helpful recommendations for a good straightening shampoo.
      By: Max Tactic
      A stylist can offer helpful recommendations for a good straightening shampoo.
    • People with curly or wavy hair should look for a straightening shampoo that contains moisturizing ingredients.
      By: Piotr Marcinski
      People with curly or wavy hair should look for a straightening shampoo that contains moisturizing ingredients.
    • Towards the end of the 1990s, straight hairstyles started to become very popular.
      By: and.one
      Towards the end of the 1990s, straight hairstyles started to become very popular.
    • Look for natural products without harsh chemicals, particularly when straightening brittle or damaged hair.
      By: Laurent Hamels
      Look for natural products without harsh chemicals, particularly when straightening brittle or damaged hair.
    • Sodium laurel sulfates are often added to shampoos to create lather.
      By: corinne matusiak
      Sodium laurel sulfates are often added to shampoos to create lather.