If I had a pound for every time someone asked me this at the basin, I could retire to a beach hut in Flamborough. "Which shampoo should I actually be using?" is the most common question I get, and after 35 years behind the chair I can tell you the answer is never "whichever one smells nicest". It comes down to your hair type, your scalp, and what you put your hair through each week. Here's how I'd answer if you were sat in my chair in Bridlington.
Wash every day? Start with Shampoo One
Paul Mitchell Shampoo One is the original — the shampoo the whole brand was built on. It's a gentle daily cleanser for fine to medium hair that lifts away residue without stripping, so hair stays light and bouncy even if you wash every morning. If you're not sure where to start, start here. From an £8.45 travel size up to a full litre, it's the safest first bottle in the range.
Oily roots or a gym habit? Shampoo Two
If your roots look flat by teatime, or you're rinsing out sweat after a run most days, you need a deeper clean. Paul Mitchell Shampoo Two is made for medium to thick hair, oilier scalps and active lifestyles — a more thorough cleanse than Shampoo One, without going anywhere near harsh. It's the one I recommend to clients who say their hair "never feels properly clean".
Swimmers and product lovers: Shampoo Three
Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three is a clarifying shampoo, and it's a different job entirely. It strips away chlorine, mineral deposits from hard water, and the build-up left behind by styling products. If you swim regularly, or your usual shampoo has "stopped working", this is the reset button. Use it periodically — once a week or so — not as your everyday wash, then go back to your regular shampoo.
Itchy, flaky or tired scalp? Tea Tree Special
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo is the salon's go-to for scalps that feel tight, itchy or clogged with product. Tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender give it that famous cooling tingle, and the sulphate-free base means it's safe on coloured hair and gentle enough for daily use. Clients either try it once or use it forever — there's rarely an in-between.
Dry, frizzy or coarse hair: two good options
For dry hair you've got a choice. Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo blends monoi, pequi and jojoba oils to put serious moisture into dry, coarse or curly hair while it cleanses — my pick when hair is properly parched. If you want something lighter, the classic Awapuhi Shampoo uses Hawaiian wild ginger to add shine and slip to dehydrated, frizzy or chemically-treated hair without weighing it down. It's what I reach for when a client says their hair feels like straw.
Fine or flat hair that won't hold a style
Again, two routes. Extra Body Shampoo cleanses gently while bulking up each strand, so fine or limp hair looks visibly fuller and a blow-dry lasts from morning to evening. Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo takes a more invigorating approach: tea tree, lemon and sage clear build-up from the scalp while panthenol adds visible density. If you like a fresh, zingy wash, go Lemon Sage; if you want simple everyday volume, go Extra Body.
Coloured hair: protect the investment
You've paid for beautiful colour, so don't rinse it down the plughole with the wrong shampoo. Color Protect Shampoo is sulphate-free and made to keep colour vibrant over weeks of washing — for permanent colour, semis, balayage and highlights alike. Wash with lukewarm water rather than hot, because heat is one of the biggest culprits for fading.
Blondes: pick your problem
Blonde hair usually has one of two complaints. If it's turning brassy or yellow between appointments, Platinum Blonde Violet Shampoo deposits violet pigment to neutralise warmth in blonde, highlighted and grey hair. If your blonde feels fragile and over-processed, Forever Blonde Shampoo is the kinder choice — kerActive protein and safflower oleosomes strengthen and soften delicate hair while still keeping tones cool. Plenty of my blonde clients keep both and alternate.
Buying from The Color
We've been an authorised Paul Mitchell Signature Salon here in Bridlington since 2006, and everything we sell comes direct from SweetSquared, Paul Mitchell's official UK distributor — so it's always genuine, fresh stock. Order on a weekday before 2pm and we dispatch the same day, with UK delivery in 1–3 working days and free delivery on orders over £30. If you pick the wrong one, there's a 30-day returns policy — but ask us first and you probably won't.
Quick answers
What is the difference between Paul Mitchell Shampoo One, Two and Three?
Shampoo One is a gentle daily wash for fine to medium hair. Shampoo Two is a deeper daily clean for thicker hair and oilier scalps. Shampoo Three is an occasional clarifier that removes chlorine, hard-water minerals and product build-up — use it weekly, not daily.
Which Paul Mitchell shampoo is best for coloured hair?
Color Protect Shampoo for most colour, Platinum Blonde for brassiness in blonde or grey hair, and Forever Blonde for fragile, over-processed blondes. Tea Tree Special is also safe on coloured hair if your scalp is the bigger concern.
Can I use Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo every day?
Yes — it's sulphate-free and gentle enough for daily use, despite the invigorating tingle. If your scalp is very dry, alternate it with a moisturising option like Lavender Mint.