Unlike regular shampoos or clarifying shampoos, gentle shampoos cleanse hair without damage or irritation and provide extra conditioning for your hair.
Gentle soothing shampoo that allows you to have healthy and good hair? What are the benefits of being gentle? Is a gentle shampoo healthy? Is a gentle shampoo good?
In your quest for the perfect hair care product, someone may recommend using a "gentle" shampoo.
If you're not sure what that means, don't worry. We'll break it down for you.
What is a gentle shampoo?
A mild shampoo is a shampoo that contains milder and often weaker cleansers (detergents and surfactants) compared to other shampoos.
Detergents help remove oil and dirt from hair, but shampoos that contain typical cleansers can make hair rough, frizzy, and easily tangled.
In addition to gentle cleansers, gentle shampoos contain conditioners and natural oils or plant extracts to keep hair soft.
A mild shampoo is a good choice for any of the following standards:
- You need to wash your hair every day.
- Your hair can be damaged by chemicals or heat.
- Your hair is dry or brittle.
- Your hair is good.
- You have dandruff.
- You're losing your hair.
The gentle shampoo still removes oil and dirt without damaging the hair.
However, if your hair is particularly greasy, or if you use a lot of styling products in your hair, such as gels, hairsprays, or mousse, you may still need to use a stronger shampoo in your hair care routine.
The benefits of using a gentle shampoo on your hair and scalp
The difference between a mild shampoo and a potent shampoo is that it does not contain powerful cleansers called surfactants and detergents. Surfactants and cleaners are soap-like ingredients that remove residue, grease, and contamination from hair.
More potent clean shampoos, such as clean shampoos, usually contain one or more of the following cleansers:
- Ammonium lauryl sulfate
- Ammonium laureth sulfate
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Triethanolamine lauryl sulfate
- Triethanolamine Laureth sulfate
- Disodium oleamide-sulfonyl succinate
- Sodium dioctylsulfonylsuccinatedioctyl sulfonyl succinate
Thanks to these powerful cleansers, you should reduce the frequency with which you use clean shampoos when you need extra cleansing.
Mild shampoos still contain surfactants and cleansers, but they are not as strong as the cleansers used to clarify shampoos.
Examples of surfactants and detergents used in mild shampoos include:
- Cocamidopropyl betaine
- Long-chain amino esters
- Urethane
- Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride
- Polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol
- Polyoxyethylene sorbitol ester
- Alkanolamide
- Sodium laurethamine propionate
In addition to gentle cleansers, gentle shampoos contain additional conditioners in the form of natural oils, silicones, it's or proteins. Examples include:
- Hydrolyzed silk and animal protein
- amino acid
- glycerol
- Dimethicone
- Propylene glycol
- keratin
- Natural or essential oils
- Plant extracts
- shea butter
- Vitamins, such as panthenol and provitamins
There are many benefits to the ingredients used in mild shampoos. Mild shampoo:
- Do not irritate the scalp
- Clean the scalp, but do not over-dry
- Does not cause hair loss
- Will condition damaged or dry hair
- Gentle shampoo for dry hair
When your hair doesn't stay hydrated enough, it becomes dry. Gentle shampoos are an excellent choice for dry hair as they provide gentle cleansing and good conditioning, but don't lose your hair its much-needed natural oils.
If your hair is dry, be sure to use conditioner after shampooing and consider applying hair oil or leave-in conditioner after showering.
A gentle shampoo for hair loss
While not all hair loss can be prevented, especially as you age, you can slow it down by treating inflammation of the hair follicles. Over time, using a gentle shampoo can prevent irritation and damage to hair follicles.
If you are experiencing hair loss or thinning, use a gentle shampoo to prevent the scalp from breaking and drying out. More demanding formulations can dry out hair and cause it to break, resulting in more hair loss.
A gentle shampoo for oily hair
If you have oily hair, you may need to use a stronger shampoo at least once a week. At the same time, the gentle shampoo still has enough cleansing power to remove excess oil and is suitable for daily use.
You may want to avoid mild shampoos that contain silicones such as cyclopentyl silicone oil and dimethicone. While they can add shine, they may make your hair feel particularly greasy.
A gentle shampoo for thinning hair
For thinning hair, gentle shampoo is also a good choice that prevents hair breakage and keeps it soft. Look for a mild shampoo that also contains thickeners, such as:
- amino acid
- biotin
- ginseng
- peppermint oil
A gentle shampoo for curls
Curly or wavy hair tends to dry out because oil can't be applied to hair as easily as straight hair. Curls need more moisture to stay soft and prevent curling.
People with curly hair should use a mild shampoo to prevent frizz and keep their curls clear, but they should try not to wash their hair every day.
Gentle shampoo for colored or chemically treated hair
Gentle shampoos are great for dyed or chemically treated hair, as they don't contain the irritating cleansers that would normally flake off-color or further damage hair.
Gentle anti-dandruff shampoo
Strong surfactants can dry out the scalp and produce more oil from the underlying cells, which can worsen dandruff.
To combat dandruff, look for a gentle shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione as an additive. It slows down the production of skin cells and prevents flaking.
Can I give my baby a mild shampoo?
Gentle shampoos are recommended for babies as their scalps do not produce a lot of oil. Specially formulated baby shampoos tend to be milder than adult shampoos and may contain ingredients that help numb the eyes to prevent irritation.
Where to buy mild shampoos
Mild shampoos don't always come with the label "mild," but it's not hard to find in supermarkets, pharmacies, or online.
Look for shampoos that don't contain sulfates (such as sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium Laureth sulfate) but contain conditioners such as silicones, proteins, and oils.
Mild shampoos are usually more expensive than regular or potent shampoos and cost around $5 to $10 at local pharmacies. They are sometimes cheaper if you buy in bulk. Of course, some brands have much higher prices (up to $30 per bottle).
There are hundreds of mild shampoos on the market. Here are some of the most popular mild shampoos, all of which don't include ingredients from typical shampoos:
- Kiehl's pure coconut oil amino acid shampoo
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine shampoo
- Aquaphor baby shower gel and shampoo
- Mild By Nature Thickening B-Complex+ Biotin Shampoo
- Pure Nature Argan Oil Shampoo
- L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisturizing Shampoo
- OGX Hydrate and Repair + Argan Oil Shampoo
- For chemically treated or colored hair, you may need to ask your stylist for specific product recommendations.
Conclusion
Unlike regular shampoos or clarifying shampoos, gentle shampoos cleanse hair without damage or irritation and provide extra conditioning for your hair.
If your hair is oily or dirty, you should still use a more potent clarifying shampoo, but you should only use it once a week. On other days, you can use a gentle shampoo.
Many shampoos are marketed according to the type of hair they are suitable for. Shampoos for oily hair have a stronger ability to remove stains, while shampoos for dyed, chemically treated, bleached or dry hair use mild surfactants to reduce oil removal.
Baby shampoos are usually the mildest and won't irritate the eyes.
Still, you'll need to check the ingredients listed on the label so you know you're choosing the type of shampoo that works best for your hair.