Ph Balanced Shampoo List

**jennescence** · March 20th, 2012, 11:54 PM

Im no expert obviously and i'm sorry if there is a thread on this already, but we should use a shampoo that is ph balanced. 1. To prevent from drying your hair out 2. to cleanse the scalp properly. Here is a video explaining why no-poo may not be the best idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3n6FSeC34c

Here is a list of ph balanced shampoos:
•Avalon Organic Thickening B Complex Shampoo
•Now Foods Berry Full Shampoo
•Dial Body and Hair Shampoo
•Little Twig Tangerine Shampoo
•Mill Creek Organic Keratin Shampoo
•Mill Creek Jojoba Shampoo
•Beauty Without Cruelty Volume Plus Shampoo
•Mill Creek Henna Shampoo
•Kiss My Face Scentless Self Foaming Shampoo
•Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Illuminating Shampoo
•Shikai Everyday Shampoo
•Nature's Gate Tea Tree Calming Shampoo
•California North Sea Blast Shampoo
•Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating Clarifying Shampoo
•Sauve Performance Series Shampoo
•No Rinse Shampoo
I got this list from:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ph-balanced-shampoo.html

**Mina17** · March 21st, 2012, 04:29 AM

Great information, thanks! When I tried CO it gave me scalp issues when I had never had a problem before.

**Kelikea** · March 21st, 2012, 04:57 AM

What is considered "pH balanced"? 7-neutral or an acidic range closer to your scalp's natural pH (4.5-5.5)?

**ktani** · March 21st, 2012, 05:21 AM

ETA:6 Great video! I agree with the trichologist in that conditioning shampoos do cause build-up. That is why clarifying with a clarifier without build-up causing ingredients is best, in my opinion. Conditioning shampoos are best used as alternate shampoos, again, in my opinion. When one of my friends a while back started to get ETA:8 excessive build-up - from conditioning shampoos, I suggested switching to a shampoo for normal hair, to wash out some of it gradually, and conditioner for normal hair too, and it helped. Clarifying is faster and more complete.

ETA:7 Conditioner only washing has caused problems for some but not all, as per reports. The latter may be down to how often one clarifies. All conditioners cause build-up.

The average skin pH, according to this, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489300, is about 4.7.

However, there is a variation among inviduals. The range I was given when checking with cosmetic companies is on average 5.5-6.5 for pH values of a line, or still acidic.

ETA:5 More on pH and bacteria, recommending a pH of about 5.5, http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...name=94670.pdf

Most shampoos and all conditioners these days are acidic, including baby shampoos. Neutral pH shampoos usually indicate that on the label.

ETA:3. The exceptions would be soap based shampoos and soap based shampoo bars. All true soaps are alkaline with a pH range of about 9 -10. That is why vinegar rinses are ususally recommended after using them, as acidic rinses, like vinegar, citric acid and lemon juice are more acidic than the average conditioner.

Some shampoos for coloured hair have pH values in the lower range, closer to pH 4, to compensate for raised or roughened cuticles, due to chemical processing.

Well diluted lemon juice or vinegar rinses are often helpful too, for hard water issues. ETA:4 Club soda, with a buffered pH of about 5 can also be used for hard water, to help remove mineral deposits, used undiluted and straight from the bottle or can, without the need of using it flat.

ETA: Human newborn skin has a near neutral pH, http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...rtikelNr=66140.

ETA:2 Baby shampoo pH for Johnson's, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...&postcount=631

It is good to have all of this in one place. I have posted this before in different threads.

**jennescence** · March 21st, 2012, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by ktani

ETA:6 Great video! I agree with the trichologist in that conditioning shampoos do cause build-up. That is why clarifying with a clarifier without build-up causing ingredients is best, in my opinion. Conditioning shampoos are best used as alternate shampoos, again, in my opinion. When one of my friends a while back started to get ETA:8 excessive build-up - from conditioning shampoos, I suggested switching to a shampoo for normal hair, to wash out some of it gradually, and conditioner for normal hair too, and it helped. Clarifying is faster and more complete.

ETA:7 Conditioner only washing has caused problems for some but not all, as per reports. The latter may be down to how often one clarifies. All conditioners cause build-up.

The average skin pH, according to this, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489300, is about 4.7.

However, there is a variation among inviduals. The range I was given when checking with cosmetic companies is on average 5.5-6.5 for pH values of a line, or still acidic.

ETA:5 More on pH and bacteria, recommending a pH of about 5.5, http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...name=94670.pdf

Most shampoos and all conditioners these days are acidic, including baby shampoos. Neutral pH shampoos usually indicate that on the label.

ETA:3. The exceptions would be soap based shampoos and soap based shampoo bars. All true soaps are alkaline with a pH range of about 9 -10. That is why vinegar rinses are ususally recommended after using them, as acidic rinses, like vinegar, citric acid and lemon juice are more acidic than the average conditioner.

Some shampoos for coloured hair have pH values in the lower range, closer to pH 4, to compensate for raised or roughened cuticles, due to chemical processing.

Well diluted lemon juice or vinegar rinses are often helpful too, for hard water issues. ETA:4 Club soda, with a buffered pH of about 5 can also be used for hard water, to help remove mineral deposits, used undiluted and straight from the bottle or can, without the need of using it flat.

ETA: Human newborn skin has a near neutral pH, http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...rtikelNr=66140.

ETA:2 Baby shampoo pH for Johnson's, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...&postcount=631

It is good to have all of this in one place. I have posted this before in different threads.

i am sorry Ktani i didnt know you had started one before. I just came across that video and it got me really thiinking about if we are doing more harm than helping. All of you information is really great! I want to learn as much about this as i possibly can!

**ktani** · March 21st, 2012, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by jennescence

i am sorry Ktani i didnt know you had started one before. I just came across that video and it got me really thiinking about if we are doing more harm than helping. All of you information is really great! I want to learn as much about this as i possibly can!

That is just it. I did not start a thread. This thread is perfect for the information to be in one place. I have posted the information before, in bits and pieces in different threads, at different times. This thread is a great idea.

ETA: And even if I had started such a thread, there are multiple threads on similar or the same topics, like henna for example. No big deal if I had done so.

**Siiri** · March 21st, 2012, 03:05 PM

What's the benefit of using a pH balanced shampoo and conditioner, if the tap water you're using is neutral or slightly alkaline? Even if you were using distilled water, the pH is 7? Would the tap water just raise the cuticles again when you rinse the shampoo and conditioner out?

I was just wondering, because here the pH of tap water is 8.2 - 8.5. I'm using a pH balanced shampoo, and I'm using a citric acid rinse as the last rinse to counteract the water.

**Miss Catrina** · March 21st, 2012, 04:34 PM

Aveda Scalp Benefits is, I believe.

**ladyfey** · July 21st, 2013, 05:16 AM

SO thankful for this thread. I had never thought of this before. So I got some of the Now Berry Full shampoo (got the conditioner too) and I love it. It has only been two shampoos so far, but my scalp seems much happier. I also shed less than usual with both washes I've done with this. Might just be a coincidence, we'll see. I also switched my face wash from a soap bar to a pH 5.5 wash. I washed my face that first night with it and in the morning, my rosacea was much better. It almost looked like I had light layer of foundation on. Clearly, my skin prefers this! So thanks so much, jennescence, for making this thread!

**Firefox7275** · July 21st, 2013, 06:44 AM

All conditioners do NOT cause build up, there are many curlies who never shampoo and don't have build up because they are careful to avoid ingredients known to cause issues, and because they cleanse their hair and scalp well. Since I quit shampoo my skin has never been healthier, I haven't had atopic eczema or contact dermatitis in over two years: it may not be for everyone but it is highly effective for many. Dermatologists actually recommend cleansing the face and body with a lotion/ cream type product in certain skin disorders. We didn't evolve 'needing' foaming surfactants they are a modern invention!

I'd like to know the ethnic origin of that trichologist's client base particularly considering she refers to 'natural' women (usually means no relaxer), if they more from Afro-Caribbean background with kinky coily hair she won't necessarily see the same as if she were seeing a caucasian/ straight to wavy hair client base. Products containing shea and other butters are very popular in some curly communities, that can build up and can feed the malassezia yeast implicated in SD. Also accessing the scalp for effective cleansing and rinsing - regardless of product - can be more difficult with dense kinky curly hair, that is often discussed on curly forums and YouTube.

There are products labelled 'pH balanced' that are neutral or 7, AFAIK the term is not regulated in the US, it certainly is not here in the UK. Lines that are primarily pH 4.5 to 5.5 (labelled on the packaging) include Komaza Care, Dermorganic, As I Am and Keracare. A selection of other product pH's are listed on the Natural Haven blog. No tears type baby shampoos can be neutral to alkaline as the ocular mucosa is.