10 Aug Don’t Use Cheap Shampoo

Using cheap shampoo is equivalent to making love to your lady, then suddenly pulling out at the climax and replacing yourself with a dwarf from the Middle Ages. It’s like filling your BMW with the same fuel you’d use to start a lawn mower, or like making a martini using bottom shelf vodka that costs $5.99 a handle. All of these crimes of nature derive from the same question: How much do you love yourself?

When I ask men what shampoo they use, the answer I get is usually something along the lines of, “Um, the stuff in the shower, the kind my lady bought, or the first cheap shit I could grab off the shelf in Duane Reade.” The sad part is, most of these guys seem proud of themselves, when in reality they should be ashamed.

Your hair and your scalp should be preserved and studied with the same notion and method you would use to save for your retirement—it’s money. If you have a lot of hair, which believe me, most men who do complain about it they say things like, “My hair is too thick and it grows really fucking fast, but why is my scalp dry or itchy?” Otherwise I hear the opposite complaint of, “Dude look at me, I am losing my shit, and why is my scalp so oily?” Even though I know what is happening in both cases, the first question I always ask is the same: “What kind of shampoo do you use?”

Below, I’ve answered 7 simple questions to help guide you into switching your shampoo and making the most suitable choice for your scalp.

Why is it bad to buy the cheap stuff?

Being cheap is one of the worst qualities a man can have—plus, life is too short. Every guy who tells me he’s not spending good money on his shampoo usually has a fucked up scalp and isn’t even aware of it—he’s basically pissing into the future of his hair. He may think he’s saving his money, but investing in your scalp rather than beer, internet porn and fantasy football, will be more beneficial in the long run.

What do I want out of my shampoo?

Your shampoo has an important job: to clean, condition, soften and make your hair more manageable. The advantage of investing in a better shampoo is simple—you’re getting and using better ingredients for the job, like quality essential oils, botanicals, plant and fruit extracts, and high grade ingredients that are geared towards the needs of your scalp and hair type.

What stores are okay for buying shampoo?

Let’s start with where NOT to buy your shampoo: grocery stores, convenient stores and bodegas. These scalp cleansers may be cheaper in price, but they contain harsh surfactants, which are cheap in quality and can be damaging to your hair and scalp. Instead, buy your shampoo at health food stores; most organic grocery and convenient stores have strict standards regarding which products they carry, so you will find great natural alternatives. I know what you’re thinking: “Why should the tie-dye guy behind the health food store counter, who has split ends from here to Mars and looks like he is still at the Grateful Dead concert from ’75, be telling me what to use on my hair?” Remember: it’s not so much about the hippie as it is about the standards of the products he is carrying.

Where is the absolute best place to buy shampoo?

Head to a quality high-end salon, where a professional stylist can diagnose your scalp and hair texture; from there, he/she can prescribe you a professional product that is best for your needs. Professional hair care products are better quality for many reasons, including the fact that they’re created and manufactured with the backing of stylist—people who work on and touch hair all day long.

What type of shampoo should I buy?

When it comes to stabilizing and improving the condition of our scalp, the key for us men is balance. There are two general types shampoo I recommend for men: If you’re a guy with thick hair that grows at a decently fast rate, use a moisturizing shampoo—most likely, your hair and scalp are dry and require a shampoo that is going to hydrate and give you more conditioning. For men with fine, thinning hair, chances are you have an oily scalp when the weather is warm, and in the winter, your scalp is battling dry flakiness and that oil; you’d want a thickening shampoo, which helps clean the oils off the scalp while also conditioning and giving your hair body and manageability.

Is it okay to shampoo my hair everyday?

Yes. I always hear this question from men who have either self-prescribed their hair care routines or have gotten really bad advice. As long as you are using a quality shampoo, it’s okay to wash your hair everyday. If you wash it more than once a day (those of you who are in training for a marathon or the next big fight), go ahead and use a conditioner to help maintain balance and to prevent overstimulation of your hair texture and scalp.

Should I change my shampoo every so often?

No, not if you are using quality shampoo. (If you’re using cheap, shitty shampoo, then change it to something of good quality right now, forever.) This is a that many men come to me with: “I hear you should change your shampoo every month because your scalp gets use to it and then it doesn’t work as well.” This is a crock of crap—your hair product doesn’t have feelings and doesn’t randomly decide to stop working. Here’s my advice: invest in good quality shampoo from the beginning.

PRZ TIP: The foundation of all shampoo is the foaming agent, which is called the surfactant. Surfactants that you don’t want listed as ingredients in your shampoo are: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, TEA Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Xylene Sulfonate.

Here is what you do want: Sodium Laureth Sulfate.