Across the NYLON team, all hair types are covered. Issues like oily scalps, and on the other end of the spectrum, really, really dry hair; hair that’s never been coloured, as well as hair that’s been bleached or permed repeatedly – many of us have indeed put our tresses through a lot, basically.
That’s why we feel like a roundup of our personal choice of shampoos would be pretty telling: these are the stuff that work for our hair issues, and you’ll probably find something that meets your specific hair needs among the ones we’ve listed here. There’s the luxurious stuff, the drugstore stuff… and the $2 Disney character stuff (go figure). Read on, as everyone needs shampoo after all.
The Body Shop Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
My scalp can be real troublesome to deal with. Doesn’t matter what shampoo I use – it’ll get greasy easily, and I’ll start noticing clogged pores and even some light snowfall on my shoulders at the end of the day. Having used this anti-dandruff shampoo for a couple of months now, it’s safe to say that this works better than any I’ve tried in the past. It cleanses the scalp thoroughly without drying my strands out, and the smell of ginger is so faint, you’ll barely notice it.
– Jade Yeo, Writer
$16.90 for 250ml, The Body Shop stores
Aesop Nurturing Shampoo and Conditioner
Have you smelt anything from Aesop? Like the store? Everything about Aesop looks and smells wonderful, including their shampoos and conditioners. Okay I admit, Aesop comes at a price, but this Nurturing set makes my stupid dry hair actually manageable. After a wash and my hair dries, my mane doesn’t resemble grass like it usually does; it looks and feels less dry and is definitely softer to the touch. I can use this sparingly because I have short hair, and you know… expensive. And it’s funny cos when I spot Aesop bottles in friend’s bathrooms, I always tease them about being rich and spoilt. Shhh…
– Adele Chan, Editor-in-Chief
$37 for 200ml and $67 for 500ml, Aesop stores
Kevin Murphy Repair-Me.Wash
First of all, I was immediately drawn to Kevin Murphy’s packaging. The shampoo and conditioner set look so good in my shower shelf and slot in together so nicely, like a modular collectible set (BRB buying the Blonde.Angel.Wash to add to the collection…). The design is practical too; it’s so convenient to pour the product out from the jug-shape container. The shampoo itself is supposed to restore damaged hair, which I definitely have from continuous bleaching sessions. It left my hair feeling clean, without any residue, and my hair was less dry and didn’t break off as easily.
– Joanne Cheah, Designer
$45 for 250ml, available at selected salons (see kevinmurphy.com.au/locator for listings)
L’Oréal Paris EverPure 6-in-1 Cleansing Balm in Rosemary Mint For Colored Hair
I’ll be honest – I wasn’t expecting much from this when I took a bottle of this home, because how “cleansing” could this balm be? It’s said to combine 6 products to help you save time and put your hair through less stress… and to prove my skepticism wrong, it did just that! At first, I was a bit put off by the fact that it doesn’t lather up like a shampoo would, and instead feels more like a conditioner with just the tiniest hint of suds. However, after drying my hair I found it to be much softer than it was before; and despite this being a balm, there was no greasy residue left over. To top it all off, the one I had used is the one for the coloured hair, which comes with a lovely rosemary mint scent that lingers for hours after you’ve washed your hair – which is a plus for me because I love the smell of anything minty! I’ve been using this product for months now, and can testify that my hair has never been softer.
– Patrene Mathieu, Designer
$25.90 for 500ml, Watsons, Guardian and Sasa stores
John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Shampoo
I’ve never been particularly picky about my shampoo – it’s trickier with bleached hair though. My hair’s naturally straight, but pretty thick, so I never get the silky tresses you see in commercials, and since I coloured it with an ombré style that required bleaching, the split and damaged ends have gotten worse than ever. I swear it feels like dry hay sometimes.
Yes, it can get very, very bad – but this shampoo makes bad things disappear! It’s said to tame frizzy hair (caused by our humidity, no less), and most importantly, condition damaged strands with intense nourishment, and I’m glad to report that I do have immediately smoother hair after. From the tube, the creamy formula builds up into a rich lather easily, so it feels like the shampoo is evenly spread over my scalp and hair. Even without conditioner, it de-tangles my hair so I don’t break any combs, and goes deep to nourish my hair too since I always get smooth, shiny, yet lightweight, hair after.
– Amelia Tan, Associate Editor
$15.90 for 250ml, selected Watsons, Guardian, Cold Storage and FairPrice stores
Ma Cherie Air Feel EX Shampoo
I really do enjoy trying new shampoos, since washing my hair is a daily ritual that I genuinely look forward to. My requirements for a good shampoo: refreshes my scalp, softens my hair, and leaves my head smelling nice in general. For the good part of last year, it was also all about it being able to preserve ashy tones on my bleached hair, but now that that expensive need is thankfully out of my life, I’m glad that I can go back to drugstore options that are accessible and don’t burn such a big hole in my beauty budget.
Happily, there are plenty of products that fit that description, and work really well to boot. My latest discovery is Ma Cherie’s Air Feel EX shampoo, which doesn’t weigh down my hair at all, and leaves behind a light fruity scent that’s quite refreshing and not too cloying. Technically, my hair’s still really damaged because it’s still bleached underneath the dark brown dye, so it can feel really tangled at times. This one detangles and leaves my hair feeling reasonably soft throughout the day, by a formula that repairs cuticles that have become loose or peeled off, and protects them to prevent the loss of cuticle layers.
– Tami Lai, Associate Editor
$19.90 for 450ml, Watsons stores
Eskulin Kids Donald Duck Shampoo and Conditioner
Are you familiar with the brand Eskulin? Yeah, neither am I, but I have to unironically say that their Donald Duck shampoo is hands down the best shampoo I’ve ever used (emphasis on the “I”) in my 26 years of existence. Sure, it might be shadily sold for two dollars at those Value Dollar stores you see in every heartland mall and have the word “kids” on the bottle, but if you can look past those minor technicalities you’ll be treated to what is — and I’d like to once again reiterate that this is my personal opinion — the best smelling bath product that you can put on your head. For such a low-cost shampoo it’s awfully long lasting too, with its unmistakable fruity / flowery smell still lingering after an entire day out, and despite technically being for kids my head actually feels fresher as compared to the other “adult” shampoos I’ve tried. Don’t judge a shampoo by its bottle, folks.
– Jared Alex Tan, Editorial Assistant
$2 for 200ml, Valu$ stores.
Main image: Instagram @kevinmurphy_sea
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