My thick, dry hair felt weighed down with stiff residue after poor lathering and distribution.
This shampoo lathered poorly, making it hard to spread through my thick, dry hair. It left a stiff, sticky residue that weighed my hair down and made strands clump together unpleasantly.
This is a review from Amazon.com about product:
SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo for Dry, Damaged Hair Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Sulfate-Free 13 oz

It doesn't lather super well so it can be a bit hard to distribute through the hair. My hair is thick and dry but did not agree with this. It left this weird residue that would make my hair feel stiff and stuck together. Weighs it down a bit, too.
Shampoo Basics & Tips
Understanding Shampoo Performance: Lather, Residue, and Weight
Shampoo effectiveness depends on several factors, especially hair type and formulation. The review highlights common issues: poor lather, residue buildup, and hair feeling weighed down. Let's break these down.
Why Lather Matters (or Doesn't)
Lather, primarily created by surfactants like sulfates (SLS, SLES), helps distribute the shampoo and lift dirt and oils from the hair and scalp. While a rich lather feels cleansing, it's not strictly necessary for cleaning efficacy. Many gentle or sulfate-free shampoos (using alternatives like coco-glucoside or decyl glucoside) produce less foam. For thick hair, less lather can indeed make it harder to feel like the product is evenly coating all strands, requiring more water or product and thorough massaging.
The Dreaded Residue: What Causes Hair to Feel Stiff and Sticky?
Residue leaving hair feeling stiff, sticky, or "crunchy" often points to a few culprits:
* **Product Buildup:** This shampoo might contain heavy conditioning agents, silicones (like dimethicone), waxes, or polymers that aren't fully rinsed out. These can coat the hair shaft, leading to a stiff, unnatural feel and causing strands to stick together unnaturally.
* **Hard Water Interaction:** Minerals in hard water (calcium, magnesium) can react with ingredients in some shampoos (especially soaps or certain surfactants), forming a scum-like film (soap scum) that deposits on hair, making it feel stiff, dull, and tangled.
* **Incomplete Rinsing:** Thick hair requires thorough rinsing. If the shampoo isn't rinsed completely due to its texture or hair density, leftover product will dry on the hair, causing stiffness and stickiness.
Why Hair Feels Weighed Down
"Weighing down" occurs when heavy ingredients accumulate on the hair shaft, coating it and pulling it flat. This is particularly noticeable on fine, thin, or limp hair, but as the review shows, even thick hair can be affected if the product is too rich or leaves significant residue. Silicones, heavy oils (like coconut or mineral oil in high amounts), and certain conditioning polymers are frequent causes. Hair loses its natural volume, bounce, and movement, feeling heavy and flat at the roots.
Why Hair Type Compatibility is Crucial
The reviewer has thick, dry hair. While thick hair often needs more moisture, "dry" doesn't always mean it needs heavy products. This shampoo's formulation was clearly incompatible. It either:
* Lacked sufficient cleansing power (surfactants) to handle the density/oil distribution of thick hair, leading to uneven cleaning and potential buildup.
* Contained heavy moisturizing or conditioning ingredients that overwhelmed the hair, leaving residue and weight, despite its dry nature. Dry hair needs hydration, but lightweight humectants (like glycerin) or light oils (like argan) are often better than heavy butters or silicones for avoiding buildup.
Solutions for Residue and Weight
* **Clarifying Shampoo:** Use a clarifying shampoo once a week or every two weeks to remove stubborn buildup from silicones, hard water minerals, and excess products. Look for ingredients like sulfates (if tolerated) or chelating agents (EDTA, citric acid).
* **Thorough Rinsing:** Always rinse hair for significantly longer than you think is necessary, especially thick hair. Use warm (not scalding hot) water.
* **Water Softener:** If hard water is suspected, installing a shower head filter can make a substantial difference.
* **Choose Wisely:** For thick hair prone to feeling weighed down or getting residue, look for labels like "clarifying," "volumizing," "lightweight," or "build-up removing." Avoid shampoos high in heavy butters, waxes, or silicones (look for terms ending in -cone, -conol, -xane). Opt for sulfate-free options with good lathering alternatives if sulfates irritate your scalp.
* **Scalp Focus:** When shampooing, concentrate the initial application and lathering on the scalp and roots where oil and buildup originate. Let the suds run through the lengths when rinsing, rather than applying heavily all over unless the lengths are very dirty.
This hydrating shampoo lathers richly, leaving my hair moisturized without dryness—highly recommend!
This hydrating shampoo deeply moisturizes my hair, prevents dryness, and produces luxurious lather for a refreshing cleanse—absolutely recommend for soft, healthy locks!
This affordable shampoo transformed my hair; love its salon-quality results from Amazon!
Discovering this affordable shampoo transformed my routine—salon-quality nourishment and shine now easily accessible through Amazon. My hair has never felt healthier!
This shampoo revived my dyed curls, reduced shedding, and restored natural shine effortlessly.
My chemically damaged curls regained elasticity, color vibrancy improved significantly, and daily hair fall reduced by half since using this restorative shampoo consistently.
I love how this shampoo adds volume, shine, and reduces washes with its lightweight, heavenly scent.
This shampoo gives my straight hair incredible volume and shine without weighing it down, smells amazing, and lets me wash less frequently—leak-free bottles every time!
This Purple Shampoo Bar Nourishes Without Drying – My Hair Feels Revived!
This sulfate-free purple shampoo bar cleanses gently, neutralizes brassiness, and leaves my hair soft, shiny, and smelling fresh for days.
My rosemary shampoo lathers richly with minimal product, lasting months effortlessly.
This rosemary shampoo surprises me daily – tiny drops transform into voluminous, scalp-nourishing lather that keeps my hair fresh for months per bottle.
People who viewed this article also viewed
Switching to Coco & Eve shampoo and hair oil revived my straw-like hair weekly, despite high costs.
This shampoo gave me softer, fuller hair with less shedding and a refreshing scent I love!
I love the luxurious shampoo bundle with free oil—great value, amazing hair feel!
I found the perfect non 2-in-1 men's shampoo with amazing scent and hair benefits.
Related articles
My stylist's shampoo stopped hair loss, giving me thicker, longer locks in just five months.
I feared oily hair but got amazingly soft, lightweight locks that surprised me delightfully.
One wash gave me incredibly soft, shiny hair with a lasting, delightful fragrance I adore.
More Shampoo reviews In Shampoo Say Website
Previous: I feared oily hair but got amazingly soft, lightweight locks that surprised me delightfully.





Comments(0)