New to Van Clarke? Subscribe to our newsletter for 15% off your first order. Start your haircare journey today.

Myths and Misunderstandings

February 26, 2021

Myths and Misunderstandings

“All shampoos are the same stuff in different packaging!”

Some people think a shampoo is just a shampoo. And if you grouped 98% of all the different shampoos together, you’d not be far wrong. But using a quality shampoo is very different.

Many people will have experienced using a cheaper shampoo in a gym or a hotel and then struggled to get a comb through their hair. That shampoo was designed with the singular aim to degrease. Oh, and really cheaply. Many others will be loaded with silicone to compensate for that harsh cleansing, but that can also lead to drier more brittle hair going forward. Silicone also builds up on the hair making it dull and less responsive. Hey presto, try a detox shampoo. Detox, retox, detox, retox…..Kerching Kerching!

The cheapest shampoos wouldn’t differ too far from washing-up liquid or something to clean the garage floor. But hair is a delicate organic material, and you wouldn’t want to use floor cleaner on your cashmere jumper or a silk blouse, let alone skin or hair. The production budget for the shampoo inside that bottle on the Tesco shelf can be as little as 14 pence. Thankfully, I don’t have to meet the budget restrictions of a big beauty conglomerate.

I’ve been touching and feeling hair for 43 years and getting honest face to face feedback from clients. I’ve learnt what works and what doesn’t through thousands of product tests and hundreds of tweaks to formulations to improve them further.

Because of that experience, our shampoos are crafted and very carefully balanced to have just enough surfactant to cleanse well, but with a whole host of other ingredients to hydrate and feed goodness back into the hair.

Our unique cashmere amino acid blend plays a key role in that, and all our shampoos are designed with a specific need in mind. Each moving the hair towards an ideal, whether that be fuller hair, smoother hair, colour protected hair or scalp cleansing and balancing, but always for healthy, strong and supple hair.

Volumising – to plump and thicken fine or soft hair
Moisturising – to smooth drier hair
UV Protective – to smooth and colour protect all hair types
Angelica Rose – to smooth and enrich all hair types
Balancing Scalp – to calm oilier scalps and strengthen hair
Exfoliating Scalp – to cleanse clogged scalps and strengthen all hair types

Michael Van Clarke

 Michael Van Clarke





Also in Blogs

Lip Blushing
Lip Blushing

May 10, 2025

Lip blushing is an advanced semi-permanent makeup treatment designed to enhance the natural tone, shape, and symmetry of the lips. Using cutting-edge PMU technology and ultra-fine needles, we delicately implant pigment into the lips to create a subtle tint that looks effortlessly natural.

Continue Reading

Gaby's Bakery - Raspberry Bakewell Tart
Gaby's Bakery - Raspberry Bakewell Tart

May 08, 2025

Such is the power of advertising in my formative youth, that the words ‘Bakewell tart’ seem inextricably linked to Mr Kipling.

Trust me, this tastes nothing like it’s been living in a box on Tesco’s shelves these last months… 

Continue Reading

In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Georgina
In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Georgina

May 08, 2025

In this series of blogs, we look at the common mistakes hairdressers make, and how to get the best out of your hair.

Continue Reading