i need a shampoo that will wash my hair properly but wont make my scalp itchy.

[StephenFrySaidSo]

I've been using tresemme for a few years and have had an itchy scalp for just as long, for a while i put it down to the hair colour i was using so stopped using it but the itch continued. eventually i decided to try another shampoo, so i just lifted the first thing my eyes landed on in asda which was herbal essences, it took the itch away but didn't actually wash my hair properly and took two shampoos each wash and lots of it to even get a lather (my hair is a short bob and i was using about a full palmfull of shampoo!)

so what do i buy now?- I've gone back to tresemme just for the fact that it at least washes the hair but my scalp is sore and itchy again and it's getting unbearable.

T-Gel is great if you have an itchy, flaky scalp.

I use Aveda. Not as expensive as you might imagine, a litre bottle costs me about £25-30 ordered online and delivered, and lasts for a year.

Ditch the SLS in shampoo and silicone in conditioner.

You'll probably need to shampoo with a clarifying shampoo to strip the silicones out and then don't use any again. You'll probably notice lots of split ends because the silicone is not slicking your hair down. Get the ends cut off and start afresh with less harsh shampoo and conditioner that improves your hair rather than putting a bonding agent on it.

Naked from boots is easily available and there have been lots of good suggestions up thread. Once your start looking you'll find loads of good SLS and silicone free products.

You'll probably find you don't need to wash you hair as much too.

I agree about avoiding SLS, cutting them out of my shampoo and shower gel has cut out almost all the itchiness. I use Aveda shampoo (like Alibaba says it's goes a long way so doesn't work out that expensive) use a smaller amount than you think you need, you can always add a little more if it doesn't lather enough. I use Aussie conditioner, I've tried loads of different and more expensive ones but Aussie does the job the best.

The other thing that can cause itchiness ime is the styling spray/mousse you use (if you use it). Weirdly, I find V05 spray is ok, but I've tried some 'green' products that have me itching like mad.
Would like to find a more ethical alternative but have drawn a blank so far - can't find anything that both makes my hair easier to style and nourishes my scalp.

good point about the styling products! that is probably part guilty for the itch aswell.

I went today and got T-gel- the one for seborhaeoic (sorry I know that isn't the right spelling) skin and the aussie hair conditioner.

I also looked at the ingredients list on both the asda little angels baby shampoo and the johnsons baby shampoo and both have SLS so I gave them the swerve.

Silicones, SLS and parabens all make my head and back itch. Bodyshop do a rainforest range that is free of them. Lots of different makes available on the web too.

Nizoral to get rid of the itchiness.

Tgel stinks and it feels horrible on my hair but I suppose that's the lack of silicones and SLS. I did have to lather twice! i'm now starting to wonder if the water supply to my house has changed or something as prior to the last few months I had no problem getting a really good lather with only a small blob of shampoo even when my hair was waistlength!

The t-gel with the salicylic acid, rather than the coal tar is the one to go for to sort out a flaky scalp. It smells of nothing and gently dissolves away the flakes and the grease that's sticking them to your scalp. I always have some to hand. Happy hair days is quite gentle, but cleans well. Lather isn't essential for the shampoo to clean your hair - that's often just down to foaming agents, anyhow.

I don't use the t-gel as much as I use to (I have really short hair, now, which doesn't get so scurfy) but when I used it regularly, I used it a couple of times a week - I'd do the first wash with it, leave it on for 2-3 minutes, rinse it out and then use my normal shampoo and conditioner to finish my hair, so it didn't end up feeling so dry.

good call artex i'll give it a soak in some vinegar tonight.

thank ourvye- I've bought the coal tar one so will try the other one.

Just be careful with the Aussie range-makes me want to rip my scalp off! T gel is good though.

ooh really valium? even the conditioner? I don't put it on my roots.

I have to be as careful with conditioner as I do shampoo, even putting it on the ends results in me scratching. I use the Loreal conditioner for coloured hair, red bottle.

thanks valium- I will keep a watch out for that.

Artex I just use the styling spray plus a few drops of argan oil, then blow dry. It's straight I suppose, but I try and inject a bit of volume and movement into it.
Thanks for the flaxseed offer - I actually have some, and would you believe, made the gel a few years ago, mainly for DS who was then 12 and starting to want to style his hair. Can't remember if I tried it on myself, though, so I should probably get onto that next.

I do think diet can have an effect on the skin/scalp as well; have you considered that as a possible cause op? Hard to determine what the culprits might be (and if you can avoid it by changing products U'd stick with that), but dairy (afair ) is one of the main suspects.

Tresemme is the devils work! Had the worst silicone build up. I threw away the rest of the bottle and am now back on redken. Using the cleansing cream shampoo which has got rid of that nasty greasy itchy build up.

Head has started itching again. Hair was washed yesterday with tgel and aussie conditioner. I'll try tomorrow with just tgel and no conditioner and see if that makes a difference. I am due on though so maybe thats whats causing it? Will have to start noting down when this happens to see if its hormonal.

I suffered for years with a chronically itchy and flaky scalp. Went silicone free and it is so, so much better.

I wash with Tresemme Naturals conditioner (and very occasionally the shampoo) and scrub my scalp with the Denman shampoo brush as I do. Coconut oil on the ends and Naked leave in conditioner and styling products.

My hair and scalp always feel clean after a conditioner wash.

Leave the t gel on for as long as you can,I wrap mine up in a towel for 20 mins then wash and rinse again.

Philip Kingsley here. Have been using it for about3 years now and will never stray. You can buy1 litrebottlesdrom JL. It really is a miracle and got rid of DH's dandruff too.

thank you- im not going anywhere today so can leave the tgel on for a good while.

I've also tried cocnut oil in the past but couldn't get to grips with the right amounts or when to apply it.