# Poll: regarding shampoo **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391 "2007-07-11T17:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/1 "2007-07-11T17:26:39Z")
Let’s say you have two plain white bottles in your shower. They are identical except that one has a white cap, and one has a black cap. Which is the shampoo, and which the conditioner? I’m asking because I recently tried to lather up with a big handful of conditioner, and I’m curious if anyone else has the same shampoo assumptions that I do. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/2 "2007-07-11T17:29:45Z")
I always associate white with conditioner. So I’d probably assume the black one is the shampoo. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/3 "2007-07-11T17:31:42Z")
Don’t know. In both of the brands of shampoo/conditioner that are presently in my shower, the conditioner is designed to sit with the lid on the bottom, and the shampoo with the lid on the top. This makes it easy. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/4 "2007-07-11T17:33:21Z")
Black is shampoo, white is conditioner. Which did you pick? ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/5 "2007-07-11T17:49:07Z")
I too would say that black is shampoo and the white is conditioner. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/6 "2007-07-11T17:54:08Z")
I’d think white is shampoo, black is conditioner. My bottles are the same shape and color, but the bottle of conditioner is smaller than the shampoo. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/7 "2007-07-11T17:59:18Z")
I’ve always thought white = conditioner. But apparently Pantene doesn’t agree with me, because the new jumbo bottles I got at Costco have it all backwards. I’m switching the caps. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/8 "2007-07-11T18:19:38Z")
Take _two_ bottles into the shower? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/9 "2007-07-11T19:04:31Z")
I have no idea. I don’t use conditioner generally, even though my hair is way of control, and currently way too long (I’m thinking a 50 year old non-balding Jimi Hendrix). My friends’ bathroom has an astonishing array of unlabeled bottles from Rainbow Grocery, none of which as far as I can tell, is actually shampoo. I stock Costco size Head and Shoulders. If people need conditioner, they should’ve brought their own. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/10 "2007-07-11T19:17:34Z")
The white is the conditioner. I don’t know why, though - my shampoo AND conditioner both have black caps (when I’m not using a solid shampoo). Though they’re in clear bottles, so I don’t have to worry about mixing them up. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/11 "2007-07-12T03:02:32Z")
I would assume black is shampoo and white, conditioner. Probably because conditioner is generally a creamier/lotionier texture than shampoo and I’d equate that with the color white. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/12 "2007-07-12T13:15:41Z")
Shampoo is green, and conditioner is pink! (I buy in bulk and transfer it into travel-size bottles) ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/13 "2007-07-12T13:51:56Z")
Without reading any responses…I say black cap is shampoo; white cap is conditioner. I have lots of hair, and buy lots of both. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/14 "2007-07-12T14:37:22Z")
Dunno. Mine are different shapes, but I still manage to mix them up every so often. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/15 "2007-07-12T15:33:57Z")
I use clear bottles of easily distinguished products (translucent shampoo and creamy, opaque conditioner) so I’ve never had to distinguish between the two based on cap color alone. If I had to guess, I would say that white should be shampoo and black should be conditioner but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/16 "2007-07-13T00:27:58Z")
I dunno. I always have to check, except the one time i was using the upside down conditioner. Oh, and when I run out and use my sister’s in the see-through bottles. The shampoo is liquid-y and the the conditioner is more lotion-y/creamy, so they’re hard to confuse, no matter what color the caps are. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/17 "2007-07-13T00:50:30Z")
> [@](#): > > the conditioner is designed to sit with the lid on the bottom, and the shampoo with the lid on the top. ditto I’d have guessed black/shampoo and white/conditioner, too. Do you feel vindicated? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/18 "2007-07-13T00:56:34Z")
Now I feel really stupid because I never even notice the color of the tops of the bottles. I try to place the bottles where I can find them without my glasses, because I can’t read squat without my glasses on anymore. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/19 "2007-07-13T00:58:52Z")
I’d have guessed white = shampoo. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-regarding-shampoo/411391/20 "2007-07-13T10:56:25Z")
I’d have guessed black=shampoo and white=condish. Fortunately in my shower I don’t have to deal with it; I use solid shampoo bars, and the mini-Marli washes with conditioner only (I do too, when my hair’s not really grungy). I think I have some shampoo, but I use it to clean the tub.