It is very important to keep hair clean, and making shampoo a part of your hygiene routine is important. Caring for hair isn't as easy as going to the store and buying a bottle of shampoo, though. You have to take into account a lot of factors, especially if you are of an ethnicity with unique hair.
All ethnic groups have hair that is unique, for one reason or another. Often, the special nature of the hair of certain ethnicities makes it difficult to care for. Genetics can make hair dry, oily, curly, wavy; you name the quality, an ethnicity probably struggles with it on a daily basis. African hair in particular can be tough to take care of for quite a few reasons.
Moisturizing Needs
First of all, black hair tends to dry very easily. When choosing a shampoo, you have to keep that in mind. Many shampoos for black hair contain ingredients that moisturize very heavily. Some key ingredients in these shampoos are avocado, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and tea tree oil. These shampoos are also unique because they are free of alcohol, a common ingredient in many shampoos that strips hair of moisture.
Sulfate-Free Shampoos
A lesser-known fact is that black hair should never be washed with shampoos that contain sulfates. Sulfates are chemicals that can be seriously damaging to hair. They can strip already-fragile black hair of moisture, and encourage breakage. Sulfates also strip color out of dyed hair, black or otherwise. They should be avoided at all costs. Sulfate-free shampoo is very easy to find and is carried by almost all drugstores and beauty supply stores.
Avoiding Artificial Colors
This isn't too hard to avoid, but make sure you are avoiding shampoos that contain artificial colors. Some shampoos contain a bit of color to make them stand out on the shelf, but artificial color should be avoided. While a treatment that contains natural color derived from plants can be completely harmless, synthetic color can strip hair of oil and damage it. Just check the label for things like "blue no. 3," and other giveaways that the shampoo you are using might contain some fake color.
Washing Frequency
A tip for washing black hair is that you do not usually need to do it more than once a week. This is because of the breakage, and lack of moisture. If you overwash black hair, it will end up damaged and dry, regardless of the shampoo you use. So make sure to buy a moisturizing shampoo that prevents breakage, and do not wash hair more than once a week.
Overall, black hair is different from other ethnicities because it is easily damaged and breakable. The best thing to do is to wash it sparingly with a gentle shampoo. Make sure to buy shampoos that do not contain sulfate or artificial color, but do contain natural oils.
