How to Choose Shampoo and Conditioner | By Scalp Condition, Hair Type and Cleansing Ingredients
Prices, point rates and sale details in this article were checked by the mottoku editorial team against each service's official site and API (as of the last update). Always check the official sites for current prices, stock and campaign terms.
Start choosing shampoo from the cleansing ingredients, not the scent
The shampoos lined up on a drugstore shelf all look good, with similar packaging and similar fragrance claims. But what actually touches and works on your scalp and hair is not the fragrance or the look. It is the cleansing ingredient (surfactant). Even with the same "moisturizing" or "refreshing" tagline, a different base cleansing ingredient means a very different finish and a very different load on your scalp. So the most effective step in choosing shampoo is to read the ingredient list on the back of the bottle and pick a cleansing ingredient that suits your scalp condition (dry or oily).
Hair itself is already dead cells, and shampoo cannot "grow" it. What shampoo deals with every day is less your hair than the skin of your scalp. The scalp is delicate skin continuous with the skin of your face, and both oil levels and how easily it dries vary a lot from person to person. That is exactly why a highly rated product is not guaranteed to suit you. If you have dry skin and use a strong cleansing shampoo, it strips too much sebum and can bring on dandruff and itching. If you have oily skin and use one that is too mild, your roots get greasy by evening.
This article is general information only. Prices and point-back rates change with the season and the store, so please check in stores or on the official sources in the end. Also, the scalp is delicate, so if itching, redness, eczema, hair loss or similar symptoms continue, do not keep switching shampoos to fix it yourself; see a dermatologist. Shampoo cannot cure scalp disease.
In one line: for dry or sensitive scalps, or hair damaged by coloring or perms, choose a mild amino acid-based cleansing ingredient; if oil, greasiness or summer odor bothers you, choose a refreshing type or a scalp-care type. The starting point for the decision is whether your scalp gets dry or oily. Scent and popularity are fine as the final tiebreaker.
How to read the ingredient list | The first surfactants tell you the type
As a rule, ingredients are listed in order of amount. The surfactants that appear around 2nd to 4th place, right after water (purified water), are the shampoo's "base cleansing ingredients," and they give you a good idea of its type. You do not have to memorize every difficult chemical name. Knowing the typical patterns in the names is enough to decide in front of the shelf.
| Type | Examples of words in the ingredient name | Typical finish |
|---|---|---|
| Amino acid-based | Cocoyl-, lauroyl-, -glutamate, -methylalanine, -sarcosinate, -alaninate | Mild and gentle. Does not strip too much sebum; leaves hair moist and manageable |
| Betaine-based | Cocamidopropyl betaine, -betaine | Very mild. Often used as a supporting ingredient in baby and sensitive-skin products |
| Higher alcohol-based | Lauryl sulfate, laureth sulfate | Rich lather and strong cleansing; refreshing. Suits oily scalps. Be careful if you have dry skin |
| Soap-based | Sodium soap base, fatty acids, potassium salts | Refreshing and natural-leaning. Leans alkaline and can feel squeaky |
As a rough rule of thumb, if words like "cocoyl," "glutamate" and "alanine" appear near the top, think amino acid-based; if "laureth sulfate" or "lauryl sulfate" come early, think higher alcohol-based. That is enough for practical use. There is a trade-off: amino acid-based formulas are gentle on the skin but lather less and cost a bit more, while higher alcohol-based ones lather well and are affordable but have stronger cleansing power.
Terms like "amino acid-based" and "silicone-free" are not categories defined by law; they are each company's own wording. Even if the package says "amino acid shampoo" in large letters, the main cleansing power may come from a different higher alcohol-based ingredient, with only a small amount of amino acid-based one. When in doubt, checking the order in the ingredient list is the surest way.
Turn the bottle over before you buy | The order to check, and what happens if you skip it
Whether in a store or online, it is easy to decide on shampoo by looking only at the front of the package. But what really determines how it feels to use is the full ingredient list on the back and the specifications of the container itself. If you decide the order of checks in advance, you will spend much less time hesitating at the shelf.
- Read the first five full ingredientsThe surfactant after water decides the type. If sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate is near the top, it is higher alcohol-based; if TEA-cocoyl glutamate or sodium lauroyl methylalaninate is near the top, it is amino acid-based; if cocamidopropyl betaine is the main one, it is amphoteric surfactant-based. Skip this, and you end up judging only by surface claims like "moisturizing" and buying a strongly degreasing product even though you have dry skin.
- Check how scent strength and lasting power are describedIf you share a bathroom or wear perfume, how long the scent lingers matters more than you might think. Products labeled "long-lasting scent" or "fragrance shampoo" are designed so the scent stays until the next day, not just right after washing. Get this wrong, and you end up with the most wasteful failure: you like the product itself but cannot finish it because of the scent.
- Size, and whether there is a pump or refillCheck whether both the main bottle and refill pouches are available, and how many refill sizes there are. With a brand that has no refills, the more you like it, the heavier the burden of buying more.
- Matching conditioner / treatmentEven within one series, lines often branch into "for damage," "for volume" and so on, so you may buy only the shampoo and find the partner product belongs to a different line. Check that product numbers and color bands match.
- Just "check" whether it is silicone-freeTreat it not as a verdict of good or bad but as information for predicting how smooth the hair will feel. Some people find silicone-free products squeaky, but they suit people whose roots go limp easily. Switching without keeping this in mind often leads to the mistaken idea that "my hair suddenly got damaged."
On online product pages, the ingredient list is sometimes only inside an image. If it is unreadable even when enlarged, check the same product on the manufacturer's official page before ordering. Review comments such as "it doesn't contain XX" may refer to the version before it was reformulated.
First identify your scalp type | Dry, oily or combination
Once you understand the types of cleansing ingredients, the next step is to work out which way your own scalp leans. This is the most effective axis for narrowing down shampoos that suit you. No difficult tests are needed; you can judge roughly from how your scalp usually behaves.
Dry / sensitive type
Your scalp feels tight after washing, you get dandruff (fine, powdery flakes) and itching in dry seasons, and you feel irritation right after switching shampoos. People like this get irritated all at once when a strong cleansing shampoo strips their sebum. Choose a mild amino acid-based or betaine-based shampoo, and one with moisturizing ingredients (such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid) is even more reassuring. Wash less often, and wash gently with lukewarm water.
Oily / greasy type
Your roots go flat by evening, your scalp is already oily the day after washing, and odor bothers you in summer. People like this are left with greasiness if the shampoo is too mild to remove the sebum. A scalp-care type or refreshing type suits them, but the trap here is that "the stronger the cleansing power, the better" is not true. If you strip too much, the scalp may produce even more sebum to make up for the shortage, so choosing a shampoo with moderate cleansing power and rinsing carefully ends up leaving you fresher.
Combination / changes with the season
The crown and front hairline are oily, but the ends are dry and frizzy. Or you lean oily in summer and dry in winter. This is actually the most common type, and trying to cover the whole year with one bottle of shampoo strains the approach. A two-step approach makes it easier to manage: use a refreshing type in summer and a moisturizing type in winter, or use a refreshing shampoo and make up for the ends with a treatment. Keeping two kinds of refills in stock and swapping them by season is also a realistic option.
By hair concern | Damage, volume, curly hair, color care
Once you have settled on the cleansing ingredient type by scalp type, narrow things down further by layering a "type" based on the hair concerns themselves. The scalp's needs (dry/oily) and the hair ends' needs (damage/volume) are separate things, so think of it as looking for a combination that satisfies both.
- Dryness, damage, frizz: hair damaged by coloring, perms, or the heat of dryers and irons has a rough surface cuticle, and moisture escapes easily. Choose a damage-care type with repairing and moisturizing ingredients, based on a mild amino acid-based formula. A finish that is not squeaky and leaves hair moist and manageable suits it. Shampoo alone cannot keep up with damage at the ends, so work a treatment mainly into the ends.
- Making color and perms last: hair after coloring is in a state where the pigment is easily lost. Strong cleansing shampoos can speed up fading, so a mild amino acid-based one or a color-care type that promises color retention works well. Washing especially gently for the first few days after coloring slows fading.
- Lack of volume, flat hair: if your hair is fine and the roots do not lift, go for a light-finish volumizing type or a silicone-free type. The lighter coating makes the roots fluffier. Conversely, rich, heavy or oil-based shampoos are not suited to people who want volume.
- Curly, wavy or frizzy hair: for hair that frizzes or waves in humidity, a moisturizing type that promises manageability and wave care is easier to handle. A type that holds a moderate amount of moisture makes morning styling easier.
Silicone is not a "villain"
The idea that silicone-free is healthy and silicone-containing is bad for hair has taken on a life of its own, but it is not accurate. Silicone coats the surface of the hair to make it slip through your fingers and reduces squeakiness in damaged hair; it does not harm the scalp itself. Silicone-free suits people who want a light, fluffy finish or lift at the roots, while for damaged hair where smoothness matters, a silicone-containing one can be easier to handle. Neither is better; the right answer is to choose by the finish you prefer.
Using it alone or one bottle for the family | Where the right answer depends on your household
Talk about choosing shampoo assumes "your own scalp and hair," but in a real bathroom there are family members too. Who uses how many bottles changes the direction of your choice quite a lot.
Living alone with one bottle just for you
This is the position with the most freedom of choice. You can match your scalp type and hair concerns head-on. What to watch is size: large bottles tend to have a lower unit price, but it takes longer to finish them. Quality changes little by little after opening, so work backward from your hair length and washing frequency to how many months it will take to use up, and it is safer to choose a size that does not span too many seasons.
Sharing one bottle among the family
People with different scalp types use the same one, so avoid extreme formulations. A strongly degreasing product may feel great to people with oily scalps but be hard on people prone to dryness. Conversely, if you lean too far toward moisturizing, people with oily scalps feel greasy the next day. When sharing, a realistic approach is to keep one middle-of-the-road bottle based on amino acid or amphoteric surfactants, and have only the people it really does not suit add their own. Choosing a scent that is not too strong also makes objections less likely.
Washing less often / long hair that uses it up fast
People who wash about every other day have more sebum each time, so a shampoo with too little cleansing power leaves hair not fresh after washing. Conversely, people with long hair who wash daily use a lot, so choosing a brand with large refill sizes reduces the effort of restocking.
Limited storage space
On the shelves and hanging racks of a prefab bathroom, the height limit can be tighter than the width. Large pump bottles are tall, and on an upper shelf you may not be able to press the pump head. If you plan to transfer to a general-purpose refill bottle, you can avoid this problem.
If you share with a small child, it is safer to choose a product promoting a low-irritation design that is gentle if it gets in the eyes, or to prepare a separate children's line. Adult scalp-care types and types with a strong cooling feel may sting.
The same shampoo can behave differently | The basics of washing and rinsing
It is easily overlooked, but the cause of scalp trouble is often "how you wash" rather than "the type of shampoo." Before switching to an expensive shampoo, just improving how you wash can ease the problem. Once you have chosen a good shampoo, make sure you also get the way of using it right.
- Pre-rinse with warm water only firstRinsing your scalp and hair with lukewarm water for about a minute before shampooing removes most sweat, dust and styling products. That alone makes the shampoo lather better, so you need less.
- Do not put undiluted shampoo directly on the scalpLather it lightly in your palm or with a little water before putting it on your head. Putting undiluted shampoo on one spot concentrates the irritation and also causes leftover residue.
- Wash with the pads of your fingers, not your nailsWhat you wash is the scalp, not the hair. Massage gently without rubbing, moving the scalp with the pads of your fingers. Digging in your nails hurts the scalp and causes itching and dandruff.
- Rinse for twice as long as you washLeftover residue is a major cause of scalp trouble. The hairline, behind the ears and the nape are especially prone to leftovers, so rinse carefully until the lather is completely gone.
- Apply conditioner to mid-lengths and endsDo not plaster conditioner or treatment on the scalp; work it into the hair from the mid-lengths to the ends, and rinse at the end until no slipperiness remains.
Beware of over-washing: washing several times a day or using a shampoo with too strong a cleansing power can dry out the scalp and actually bring on more sebum, dandruff and itching. The more oil bothers someone, the more they tend to think "I have to wash more," but moderate cleansing and careful rinsing calm the scalp better. If you feel itching, redness, eczema, increased hair loss or irritation after use, stop using it right away. If symptoms continue or are severe, do not keep trying over-the-counter products; see a dermatologist.
Buy on the assumption that "I don't know if it suits me" | How to use trials and small sizes
What makes choosing shampoo decisively different from other purchases is that you cannot tell whether it suits you until you try it. Moreover, whether it suits you changes with your scalp condition and the season. So if you suddenly buy a large size or stock up on refills, the whole lot is wasted if it does not suit you. The first step to buying wisely is to keep the scale of failure small.
- Start a new product with a trial or small size: if there is a mini size or trial set, use that first for one to two weeks. The scalp and hair cannot be judged in a few days, so use it several times at the very least and see how it goes.
- Settle in the order main bottle, then refill: once you are sure "this one suits me" with a small size, move on to the main bottle, and then to refills. After you settle on a favorite, you can optimize how you buy with value for money in mind.
- Salon-exclusive does not always mean right: there are certainly many products that focus on ingredients and finish, but many over-the-counter products are also excellent and affordable. What matters is not the price but whether it suits your own scalp and hair. Expensive does not mean good.
- Review it when the season changes: a refreshing type that was perfect in summer can cause dryness in winter. Reviewing about once a year whether it still suits your scalp condition helps you avoid stock-up failures.
It didn't suit my skin / it was leaking | Who to consult and what to do after buying
Unlike home appliances, shampoo is not often described as having "initial defects," but returns and exchanges do come up in practice. The following three patterns are especially common, and each is handled differently.
My scalp turned red or got itchy after use
First, stop using it. Many manufacturers state that "if any abnormality appears on your skin, stop using it and consult a dermatologist or other specialist," and this is not just a formality; it is a situation where you really should do so. If the itching or dandruff continues for several days or eczema spreads, seeing a dermatologist solves it faster than trying other shampoos on your own judgment. When you go, bring the bottle or the ingredient list of the product you used, and the conversation goes faster.
If you contact the manufacturer's customer service, you may get information about ingredients and, depending on the situation, guidance on refunds or returns. Many will take inquiries even for opened products, so first check the phone number or form to contact. This contact information is always printed on the back of the bottle or on the outer box.
The refill pouch was torn / leaking
This is a trouble that tends to happen with mail order. When it arrives, check at the moment you open the box whether anything is leaking from the corners of the pouch or the spout. If you contact them after time has passed, it becomes hard to tell whether it was damaged in transit, so photographing the state when you open it makes your case easier to get across. If you bought through a retailer, the point of contact is in principle the store you bought from, not the manufacturer.
The contents' color or scent differ from before
It may be a formula change (renewal). Even with the same product name, ingredients can change when the package is revised, and this is not a defect. But if the previous version suited you better, you will need to decide whether to look for sales channels that still have old stock or switch to a different product of a similar type.
Some online shops accept returns if unopened, but for cosmetics most say "no returns after opening." For a product you are unsure about, trying a small size or trial is ultimately more reliable than counting on the return terms.
Once you've settled on a favorite | Improve value with refills and sales
Shampoo is used up a little at a time every day and the same one is used for a long time, so it makes a difference to think in terms of total cost on the assumption you keep buying, rather than the discount per purchase. After you have settled on one that suits you, layering the following three makes it easy to save without strain.
Refills are cheaper per volume and make less waste
For many products, refills are priced lower per volume than the main bottle. They also cut plastic waste, so for a product you like and keep using, refills are the default. The larger the refill, the lower the unit price tends to be, so the faster your household uses it up, the bigger the benefit. When refilling, take care of hygiene too, such as cleaning the bottle before filling it.
Gather your usual items during sale periods
Shampoo keeps well, and once you know what suits you, stock-up mistakes are unlikely. That is exactly why it is efficient to secure your usual refills in bulk in line with the Rakuten Okaimono Marathon, Amazon sale periods, and drugstore special sales. Prices and point-back rates change by period, so please check specific figures with the official sources.
Using each mall and store differently
| Where to buy | Good for | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Ichiba | Bulk refills, focus on points | Bundling during a buy-more campaign period makes it easier to stack points. Check SPU conditions with the official sources |
| Amazon | Staple items you don't want to run out of, large sizes | Subscribe & Save (Teiki Otoku Bin) helps you avoid accidentally running out, and a discount may apply. You can change or cancel the frequency at any time |
| Drugstore | A first-time product, trying a small amount | You can pick it up in store, and trials and small sizes are easy to find. App coupons and point days are good targets |
Roughly speaking, try a first bottle in a small size at a drugstore, and once it becomes your staple, move to bulk refills online; that is the smart flow suited to shampoo. Point-back rates, annual fees and campaign conditions change, so please check the latest figures on each official page.
Top up before you run out | How to think about when to buy shampoo
Shampoo is a consumable, so you hardly need the "wait for a new model" mindset you have with home appliances. But there are a few cycles specific to this product.
Secure the next one when 30 to 40 percent is left
When a pump is nearly empty it sucks in air and stops dispensing well, so a portion effectively cannot be used up. If you start looking only once you have to tilt the bottle to get any out, you tend to settle for whatever is at the nearest store in a hurry. Keeping one refill pouch in stock is the buying approach with the fewest failures. However, if you stock too much and your hair concerns change midway, you will not be able to finish it, so keeping about one pouch on hand keeps things light.
Season changes are a time to consider switching
Scalp condition shifts quite a bit with the seasons. From the rainy season into summer, sebum and sweat increase, so even people who normally use a moisturizing type may find the finish heavy. Conversely, from autumn into winter the air dries and heating dries the scalp further, so the refreshing type that was comfortable in summer starts to feel tight. Some people rotate two bottles, one for summer and one for winter, and even if you use one all year, reviewing at this time whether the current one still suits you lets you catch any mismatch sooner.
Before and after life events
Right after coloring or a perm, or after straightening treatment, the condition of your hair itself changes. If you stock up heavily before the treatment, you will have more than you can use if you then want to switch to a color-care one. If you have a salon appointment, it makes more sense to leave restocking shampoo until after the treatment.
When a renewal is announced
Once a brand announces a revision, stock of the old formula gradually decreases. If your current bottle suits you perfectly, securing one more before the renewal is a possible decision. Conversely, if you have complaints, it is worth waiting for the new formula and trying it.
Buying a large size all at once in a big sale is a way of buying for people who have already used the same product for several years. At the stage where you have not yet settled on "this one," prioritizing the number of bottles you try over quantity gets you there sooner in the end.
It won't fit the refill / won't go on the shelf | Physical checks around the container
Even if you like the contents, a container that does not fit your bathroom makes it less convenient to use. Here are points you can avoid by checking before you buy.
Do the refill size and the bottle size match?
This is where people trip up most often. With some brands, the refill pouch is larger than the main bottle and does not all fit in. If you store the leftover in the pouch, even with the opening closed, it can fall over and leak. Compare the contents of the main bottle and the refill side by side, and if the refill is larger, prepare an empty bottle to take the leftover, or from the start transfer all of it into a general-purpose refill bottle, and it will sort itself out.
Refilling another company's bottle is at your own risk
Many people use commercial refill containers to make the look match, but manufacturers basically do not recommend refilling into any bottle other than their own. If mixed with the remains of a different product, ingredients can separate or bacteria can multiply. If you transfer, use up the previous contents first, then wash the bottle and let it dry thoroughly before refilling.
Dimensions of the storage spot
The thing to check is height. Hanging racks and bathroom shelves often have another shelf board above, and a large pump bottle's head can hit it and not press all the way down. The height needed differs between pump type and cap type, so measuring the inside of the shelf once saves hesitation. If you use magnetic or hanging holders, the shape of the bottle's base (round or square, with or without a handle) also matters.
Ease of operating the pump
Refill bottles vary in how they feel to press, and some types cannot be pressed with one hand. If you refill a foaming shampoo into an ordinary liquid pump, it will not foam. Conversely, putting a liquid shampoo in a foam pump causes clogging. Always think of the pump type and the viscosity of the contents together.
If you refill shampoo and conditioner into identical bottles, you cannot tell them apart with wet eyes. Adding markers you can feel by touch prevents mix-ups, such as sticking on labels, changing the cap color, or using a bottle with a textured side for one of them.
Patterns people tend to regret when choosing shampoo
Finally, here are common mistakes. All of them tend to happen when you are "not starting from your own scalp."
- Choosing only by reviews or popularity rankings → A high rating does not guarantee it suits your scalp. Treat reviews as a rough reference and choose starting from your scalp type and hair concerns.
- Feeling reassured just by the label "amino acid shampoo" → The main cleansing ingredient may be of another type. When in doubt, check by looking at the order in the ingredient list.
- Choosing a strong cleanser because oil bothers you → Stripping too much can actually increase sebum, dandruff and itching. Moderate cleansing power plus careful rinsing calms things down better.
- Cutting the rinse short in a hurry → Leftover residue is a classic cause of scalp trouble. Rinse until no lather is left, all the way to the hairline, behind the ears and the nape.
- Putting up with it and continuing to use something that doesn't suit you → If you have itching or redness and try to finish the bottle, it may get worse. If it doesn't suit you, stop, and see a dermatologist if symptoms continue.
- Buying a first-time product straight away in a large size or as refills → The loss is big if it doesn't suit you. First check with a trial or small size before moving on to the full-size bottle or refills.
Frequently asked questions
Where on the ingredient list can I tell the type of cleansing ingredient?
After water (purified water), in the list ordered by amount, the surfactant that appears around 2nd to 4th place is the base cleansing ingredient. If "cocoyl," "glutamate" or "alanine" come early, it leans amino acid-based; if "laureth sulfate" or "lauryl sulfate" come early, you can guess it is higher alcohol-based. You do not need to memorize every ingredient; checking the order is enough.
Is amino acid-based shampoo good for everyone?
The cleansing ingredients are mild and gentle, so it suits people with dry or sensitive skin, damaged hair, and hair damaged by coloring or perms. However, it lathers less and costs a bit more. For people with oily, easily greasy scalps, the refreshed feeling may be lacking. It is not a cure-all, so the basic approach is to choose by whether your scalp gets dry or oily.
Oil and greasiness bother me. Should I choose a strong cleanser?
Not necessarily. If the cleansing power is too strong, the scalp loses too much sebum and may produce even more to make up for it, ending up greasier. Choosing a scalp-care or refreshing type with moderate cleansing power and rinsing carefully leaves you fresher in the end. Over-washing or washing several times a day also backfires.
Is silicone-free better for hair?
"Silicone-free is good, silicone-containing is bad" is not accurate. Silicone coats the hair surface and makes it slip through your fingers; it does not harm the scalp. Silicone-free gives a light, fluffy finish and lifts the roots easily, so it suits people who want volume. For damaged hair where smoothness matters, silicone-containing ones are also easy to handle, so choosing by the finish you prefer is fine.
How do I choose a shampoo that makes color and perms last?
Strong cleansing shampoos easily strip color pigment, so a mild amino acid-based one or a color-care type that promises color retention works well. The first few days after coloring are especially prone to fading, so washing gently makes the color last more gradually. Heat damage also speeds fading, so be careful not to overuse an iron.
What is the difference between conditioner, treatment and rinse?
Roughly speaking, rinse (conditioner) smooths the surface of the hair so it slips through your fingers, while treatment delivers repairing and moisturizing ingredients inside to care for damage (the boundary is vague depending on the product). For everyday care, just conditioning after shampooing is often enough, and if your hair is damaged by coloring or perms, use treatment mainly on the ends. In either case, do not plaster it on the scalp; work it into the mid-lengths to ends and rinse thoroughly. Matching them within the same series often works well together.
What is the trick to finding a shampoo that suits me without failing?
The trick is not to buy a large size right away with a first-time product, but to try a trial or small size for one to two weeks. The scalp and hair cannot be judged in a few days, so use it several times and see how it goes. If you move on to the main bottle and then refills only once you are sure it suits you, the loss is small if it does not. It also helps to expect that your scalp condition changes with the season.
What should I do if I get dandruff or itching?
First, the cause may be a shampoo that does not suit you, leftover residue or over-washing, so try switching to a milder one, rinsing carefully and reviewing how often you wash. If dandruff, itching, redness, eczema or hair loss still continue, there may be a skin condition. It is not something shampoo can cure, so do not keep trying over-the-counter products; if symptoms continue or are severe, see a dermatologist.
Do I have to match shampoo and conditioner from the same series?
You do not necessarily have to match them. Products in the same series are designed with compatibility in mind, so it is the safe choice, but if your scalp dries easily and your ends are badly damaged, choosing the shampoo for your scalp and the conditioner for your ends separately tends to be more satisfying. However, changing both at once makes it impossible to tell the cause, so switch one at a time.
My hair feels squeaky since I changed to a new shampoo. Does it not suit me?
It is safer not to judge right away. Especially right after moving from a silicone-free or higher alcohol-based shampoo to an amino acid-based one, the coating that had built up on the hair comes off and your hair may feel less smooth for a while. Wait about one to two weeks, and if the squeakiness continues or comes with itching or dandruff, it likely does not suit you, so try a different type or consult a dermatologist.
* This article is for reference only. Sale dates, point rates and campaign terms can change, so check each store's official page for the latest details.