Shampoo is a hair care product that is commonly used for cleaning dirt and removing dead skin cells that accumulate in hair. The best approach is to apply in wet hair, through the way of massaging and then rinse the hair with water.
Cosmetic companies prepare various kind of shampoos based on the requirements of consumers. Some shampoos are specifically, prepared to get rid of dandruff, by adding fungicides that reduces dander by killing fungi like Malassezia furfur.
Some shampoos are prepared for infants and kids, keeping in balance the PH level to suit the gentle skin of babies. Most of the other generally available shampoos in the market lure consumers by claiming long and lustrous hair, some even go to the extent of stating the repair of damaged hair and growth of new hair.
Shampoos have existed in India since ancient times; it was prepared using a variety of herbs extracts that made the hair soft shiny and manageable. In Europe and America, the commercial shampoo was available from the beginning of the 20th century.
Natural Cleansers
In this fast-paced world, people are busy in their daily activities and they prefer purchasing products available from the market rather than making their homemade product. Shampoos can be prepared in the home using natural cleansers that remove dirt, well on the scalp and improve hair quality and makes them shiny and long.
Reetha (Sapindus Mukorossi), a species of family Sapindaceae also commonly known as Indian soapberry is one such natural cleanser. One has to soak reetha overnight in water, and next day boil the mixture reetha and water, then mash it and filter out the water.
This water acts as a natural shampoo and is the best for any hair. This water mixed with Shikakai (Acacia concinna) provided natural shine and lustre to hair. This treatment is not advisable for coloured hair.
Conditioners
Conditioners are a close associate of shampoos. Consumers prefer applying conditioners after rinsing the hair with shampoo, to make their hair more lustrous and manageable. Hair looks shiny, but their long term effects are disastrous.
The best conditioner to apply in wet hair after shampooing is pure coconut oil; this maintains the shine of hair and makes it manageable without having any side effects.
Buying Guide
Shampoo is an essential part of hair care, as they help in removing dirt from hair. Consumers are more concerned about their looks and managing and maintaining great hair enhances their beauty.
Price: This is one of the main factors of any consumer. Every household has a budget to procure the monthly necessities. The best shampoo often comes with a price. Consumers select a product based on their budget.
Ingredients: The ingredients play a major role in the selection of a product. Shampoos containing sodium lauryl sulphate and Sodium laureth sulphate, that helps in generating lather should be avoided.
Chemicals such as Ammonium chloride, Ammonium lauryl sulphate, PEG that is used by most commercial manufacturers can cause skin allergy. These harmful chemicals affect the skin and damages hair, making the hair dull that leads to hair loss.
Some manufacturers just mention a few of the ingredients and hide the harmful chemical compositions. Consumers are attracted by advertisement and brightly coloured containers.
Fragrance: Usage of fragrance in shampoos attracts consumers. The chemical composition of these fragrances is never disclosed. The chemicals used in these fragrances damages the hair often causing skin allergies. Consumers should prefer shampoos with natural fragrances.
Colour and Opacity: A quality shampoo should be devoid of any colour. Addition of colours, only adds to the chemicals already present in the product. A transparent shampoo devoid of colour should be the preferable choice of the consumer.
Lather and Foam: Shampoo that produces rich lather and foam are also high in the usage of harmful chemicals that can damage hair and have allergic effects on the skin.
Best shampoos are the one that are made of natural herbs, free from any toxic chemicals and contains natural fragrance.
Nikwik provides an unbiased review of shampoo, based on extensive research. This is an honest review and not sponsored by any company or organisation.
Top 5 Shampoos In India
Organic Forest Anti Hair Fall Shampoo: This is a quality product from the house of Organic Forest. The shampoo is prepared from natural ingredients, like Moroccan Argan oil, Onion Oil, Aloe Vera, Amla juice, Tea tree oil, and Baobab oil that help in maintaining cleaner hair.
This shampoo is free from chemicals like parabens, sulfates, and silicones. A unisex product, suitable for all hair types including coloured hair. It is a PH-balanced formulae that nourish hair and helps in making hair shiny. Ideally, this shampoo should be used twice a week.
It provides natural nourishment for hair that rejuvenates and conditions it. It also protects hair from further damage providing deep cleansing and keeping the hair healthy. Gentle on hair and skin, this product does not have any side effects. Its fragrance is natural and not due to any added chemical fragrances. Gradually improves hair quality.
This product is good and makes the hair shiny and healthy after a couple of washes. Though this product has ingredients that reduce hair fall, hair fall depends upon many other factors mainly on the diet and nourishment of the individual.
This product is available in a plastic bottle of 200 ml with a plastic push nozzle.
Bella Vita Organic Shampoo With Growth Protein: This is a quality product from the house of Bella Vita Organic, a natural beauty and skincare brand offering handcrafted and organic solutions. This shampoo is prepared from Bhrami, Bhringraj, Reetha, Ashwagandha, and Amla which keep hair healthy and lustrous.
It also has coffee beans that make the hair smooth and softer. It also has apple cider vinegar that prevents scalp infections and onion oil that strengthens hair follicles.
This shampoo is free from toxic chemicals like sulphates, silicones, and parabens but lists Lauryl Glucoside, and coco glucoside. Lauryl glucoside is a non-ionic surfactant that is used as a foaming agent, conditioner, or emulsifier and is approved by dermatologists. It has natural fragrances, and the pack contains coffee beans at the bottom of the container.
A product made from natural ingredients that can be applied to wet hair thrice a week, with gentle massage by diluting the shampoo with water. This shampoo cleans the hair provides the shine nourishes the hair and makes it healthy.
This is a quality product from the house of Bella Vita that has a honey-like texture, and a natural fragrance and removes dandruff. Gentle on the skin, improves the quality of hair by nourishing it after a couple of washes. Maintains PH balance and unclogs hair follicles and pores. A unisex product, that is suitable for all types of hair, including coloured hair.
This product is available in a plastic bottle of 250 ml with a plastic pop-up cap.
Khadi Reetha Shikakai Shampoo: This is a quality product from Khadi Gram Udyog. Khadi products are handmade using natural extracts of plants. The shampoo is prepared using three main ingredients that are best for hair; Reetha, Shikakai, and Amla. This product is herbal and makes hair smooth and silky and maintains the texture.
This shampoo is free from parabens, dyes, sulphates, silicones and chemical fragrances. This product does not produce much lather, for best result mix this shampoo with water before applying.
Thick violet-colored in appearance, it boasts a natural fragrance. Gently massaging wet hair with this shampoo for a couple of minutes is desired before rinsing.
A natural product, that provides the lustre and protects hair from damage. Applying the shampoo thrice a week gives better results. Cleans the hair effectively and nourishes the hair follicles. Removes dirt, cleanses the dead cells improves the hair quality, and removes dandruff.
This product is better with the quality of ingredients present in it. The improvement in hair quality is visible after a few washes by controlling hair damage and strengthening hair follicles. A unisex product, that is suitable for all types of hair, including coloured hair. Consumers having allergic skin should stay away from this product.
This product is available in a plastic bottle of 210 ml with a plastic pop-up cap.
The EnQ Organic Hair Fall Control Shampoo: This is a premium quality product from the house of EnQ. Established in 2017, they use the purest of organic ingredients for their products. This shampoo is an amalgamation of 14 different herbs that include Reetha, Amla, Shikakai, Bhringraj, Mulethi, Onion, Aloe Vera, Brahmi, etc.
This is an herbal product with all the herbs mixed in the right quantity to provide smooth and silky hair that is healthy and strengthens hair follicles.
This shampoo is free from parabens, dyes, sulphates, silicones, and additional fragrances. This product does not produce much lather, for best results mix this shampoo with water before applying depending upon the length of hair. The shampoo itself is transparent and comes in a dark green bottle. It has a natural soothing fragrance of herbs.
This product does not produce much lather, so it is best to apply this shampoo over the entire hair after mixing it with water with gently massaging the wet hair. The hair becomes more shiny and lustrous and it strengthens the hair follicles. This product also helps in removing dead cells from the scalp. This product cleans the hair effectively and provides the required nourishment.
This product is excellent in terms of the quality of the ingredients present in it. It prevents further hair damage by removing dead cells strengthening hair follicles and removing itchiness. Hair becomes more lustrous and smooth after a few washes.
A unisex product, that is suitable for all types of hair, including coloured hair. Consumers are advised to avoid eye contact, and those having allergic skin should stay away from this product.
This product is available in a green coloured plastic bottle of 200ml with a golden cap.
Blue Nectar Hair Fall Control Shampoo: This is a premium quality product from the house of Blue Nector. They prepare healthcare products using premium natural ingredients that are free from harmful chemicals. This shampoo is an amalgamation of 10 natural herbs that include Amla, Gudal, Bhringraj, Mulethi, Brahmi, Honey etc.
Herbs are mixed in the right quantity to make this incredible product that makes dull and fizzy hair more lustrous and shiny and repairs damaged hair follicles.
The best thing about the product is that there is no hidden ingredient; the manufacturer is transparent about the ingredients used in the product. This product is free from silicones, sulphates, parabens, and dyes. This product has a shampoo base and contains capryl glycol.
Capryl glycol is an alcohol derived from a fatty acid. It is a humectant, which means that it pulls water into the skin and helps to hold moisture into the skin, and also acts as a preservative. The biggest potential drawback is irritation, though that is most likely to occur when used at a very high concentration.
This product does not produce much lather, so it is best to apply this shampoo over the entire hair after mixing it with water with gently massaging the wet hair for about 3 minutes. Hair becomes stronger, due to the presence of Bhringraj and shinier, due to the presence of honey after a few washes.
It is recommended to use this shampoo thrice a week. The ingredients present in the shampoo boost the ability of the body to prevent further damage to hair by strengthening hair follicles.
This is a quality product that checks all the parameters of herbal shampoo with natural fragrance and transparency. It improves the quality of hair, provides more shine and lustre, reduces dead cells, and strengthens hair follicles making hair more manageable.
A unisex product, that is suitable for all types of hair, including coloured hair. Consumers are advised to test the shampoo on their skin for allergic reactions before applying.
This product is available in a plastic bottle of 200ml with a golden cap and a pump.