How to choose the right shampoo

Start from your scalp and your main concern, not from the scent or the colour of the bottle.

A shampoo's main job is to clean the scalp. The best choice depends on what the scalp and the hair need most right now.

Match the shampoo to the concern

• Hair loss: look for targeted actives such as BioComplex B11, and pair the shampoo with a scalp serum.
• Thin, flat hair: volumising formulas with collagen, biotin and peptides add body without weighing hair down.
• Damaged, breaking hair: keratin and argan oil help repair the fibre and reduce breakage.
• Dandruff: choose a treatment shampoo with anti-dandruff actives and use it as directed, usually a few times a week.
• Healthy hair: a gentle daily shampoo free from SLES and parabens is enough.

Wash the right way

Wet the hair well, lather a small amount between your hands, and massage the scalp with your fingertips, not your nails. The foam that runs down while rinsing is enough to clean the lengths. Treatment shampoos work better when left on the scalp for two to three minutes.

Rinse with lukewarm water rather than very hot water, which can dry out both the scalp and the hair.

This guide is general information about cosmetic care and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist.