Thursday

How to choose the right shampoo & conditioner

Choosing the right shampoo and conditioner can become a bit overwhelming with all of the options out there. If you’re looking for mega-watt shine, steer clear of products that contain silicone. They coat the hair with silicone to give it shine but ultimately you are weighing strands down and getting a lackluster effect in the long run.

The silicone coating actually creates a blurry look if used too often. “Think of it as placing a piece of tape over a picture,” says Kristina Barricelli, Creative Consultant for TouchBack and co-owner of NYC’s Gemini14 salon. “That initial piece of tape may make the image shiny but as you layer piece over piece the image becomes totally blurred. Essentially this is what you are doing to your hair when you wash with a silicone based product. The layering continues to coat the hair giving it a blurred, lackluster effect. Instead, you need a product that penetrates the hair rather than coating it.”

Here is a tip for figuring out if your shampoo and conditioner is penetrating or coating your hair. “If your hair feels buttery the first couple of seconds after you’ve applied it, then you are using a high silicone product that is only coating your hair.” For richness in color and shiny strands, “I recommend TouchBack Plus. The shampoo (1) and conditioner (2) deliver similar results to an in-salon glaze for a fraction of the cost. If you color your hair, the product penetrates the hair follicle to deposit color back into your hair adding depth and richness while delivering glossy shine. You can opt for the Clear TouchBack Plus (3) to get the high shine without depositing color.”

One last tip! “Good conditioners without silicone take a few minutes to work but ultimately get you the shiny strands you’re after. Always make sure that you leave these in for 3-5 minutes for best results.”

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