I’m sure you’ve heard and read the phrase “buy a mild shampoo” many times on the internet, from your group’s beauty guru, in health magazines etc. etc. But you’ll be surprised when I tell you that people don’t usually know what a ‘mild shampoo’ truly is or how to classify or recognize a mild shampoo. Many times I’ve heard my friends say, ” I use a mild shampoo” but when I ask them which one is it? they would say, “Dove”. Which in fact is not a mild shampoo. People start believing that it is a mild shampoo because the company has been advertising it as such for such a long time now (at least here in India). I’m not saying that Dove is a harsh shampoo either, it is of course milder than most regular shampoo’s out there. But no, it does not qualify as a Mild Shampoo and the reason I say so is because it has SLS in it and that’s just one such reason I can come up with at this precise moment.
So what exactly is a Mild Shampoo?
A mild Shampoo that is mild to both you scalp and hair even when it effectively cleanses your hair. It doesn’t irritate your scalp and most of all, it does not make your hair go crazy.
When buying a mild shampoo you should always go for these things:
- The shampoo you’re going to purchase should not contain SLS or SLES
- It Should not contain any typEs Sulfonates either.
- It should not have sodium C12-14 and/or sodium C14-16
- Although silicones are mildness boosters but they should be avoided as they have bad long term effects on your hair.
- Parabens should be avoided.
What should you look for in a mild shampoo?
A shampoo can only be mild if it has enough hair-conditioning agents in it. While buying a mild shampoo look for conditioning agents like:
- Glucocide
- Polymers such as Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Quaternium 80
- Guar or Guar Gum
- Polyquaternium – 7/10/11/44 (any of the numbers are good.)
P.S. choosing a shampoo that abides by the above mentioned rules and also has some natural oil or extracts added to it is a plus! Personally I would recommend choosing natural or organic shampoos over regular ones. But it depends on your personal choice.
A method that can combat the harshness of your shampoo if in case you’re unable to get your hands on a mild one or want to make your mild shampoo even milder is:
- Dilute your Shampoo i.e. mix water into your shampoo of choice.
- Add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil in your shampoo. Read our top 15 list of essential oils .
- Add half or full capsule of vitamin E oil in your shampoo depending upon how much you will require to condition your length of hair.
Note: You can’t keep or store this formulation. You have to make it prior to going for a bath and finish it on the same day as your bath when you shampoo your hair.
There are plenty of organic and natural shampoos out there that are easily available on amazon, to name a few: Forest Essentials, Biotique, KAMA AYURVEDA in India (They’re available at SEPHORA outlets too in India and they have their own stores, you can get spear membership discount if you shop from them) For brands available in The US/UK/Canada try these:
- Rahua
- John Masters Organics
- Calia
- Hugo Naturals
- Acure
The above mentioned shampoo’s can also be bought from amazon without any hassle. (Yup, sit at home and do all your shopping).
So these were my quick tips for choosing a mild shampoo and I hope it helps you out on your future visits to where ever you buy your shampoo from.
