Reader Mail: When Does Shampoo = Dry Hair?

By: MsNastassja

A reader asked "How do you know a shampoo makes your hair dry?"

I can tell that a shampoo has made my hair dry when it makes my hair feel "squeaky clean," like it has been stripped of all the oils/moisture I've added. It will tangle much easier when it's "squeaky clean." Also, if I try to go down the length of a piece of hair, it will sort of catch on my fingers instead of there being a smooth gliding down slippery, moisturized hair.  If you've ever gotten a strand of hair and slid it between your fingers in one direction (root/scalp down to ends), you've noticed it felt smooth compared to the other direction, right? That ends-to-roots feeling is sort of what I mean by this "catching" sensation.

Don't get me wrong, a shampoo should still cleanse the hair and get rid of the dirt on it (especially the scalp!). But ideally your hair shouldn't feel like straw afterwards. I am really sorry if this isn't clear, since I think it is a hard thing to describe. I hope this helps.