If you’re like most women, you want healthy hair that is easy to manage. But sometimes your hair and scalp can get a little bit too oily or you can feel/see build up from dirt, oil, and hair product. This can be frustrating, but don’t worry – there are ways to clarify your hair and scalp for healthier hair! If you want more about healthy scalp and hair growth, check out this blog post.
Clarifying Shampoos to Clarify Hair
One of the best ways to get your hair and scalp clean is by using clarifying shampoos. These types of products are formulated with surfactants, which work to remove buildup (including chlorine), and environmental pollutants like dirt from swimming pools; they also do a great job at removing excess oil that can lead to acne breakouts around the hairline. Let’s not forget they help achieve shiny hair by removing the gunk to produce healthy hair follicles.
What sets clarifying shampoos apart is their active ingredient. Each shampoo’s active ingredient can be different but they all contain a high amount of surfactants aka cleaning agents.
Some typical surfactants are:
- Ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate. This ingredient provides the DEEP clean. These may be best for extreme hair product build up or excess oil.
- Chlorides or bromides. These are milder cleansers but can help make your hair feels soft.
- Cetyl-fatty alcohols. These have milder cleansing effects.
How To Use Clarifying Shampoo
Clarifying shampoo is not designed to be used every day. If used too often, it can leave a dry, irritated scalp and limp hair.
The average person can use it once or twice a month. If you use a lot of hair products, you could get away with using them once a week. It also depends on the different hair types.
Does everyone need a clarifying shampoo? No. Do not replace your everyday shampoo with a clarifying shampoo. Most shampoos will be enough for the usual dirt, oil, and hair products usage (if you double wash with shampoo). Especially if you use a lot of dry shampoo, you are going to want to get all that product build up off your hair follicles and scalp.
On hair wash days, only use the shampoo on your scalp to get rid of that oil and hair styling products buildup. The remaining shampoo will rinse through the rest of your hair when you rinse off the product.
**Make sure you rinse it thoroughly! If you think you got it all, rinse again.
After you use a clarify your hair, follow up with a deep conditioning treatment or conditioner to restore moisture and hydration back into your strands.
**Check out this post about how to use conditioner effectively to help with hair growth.
If you clarify your hair too much, you can:
- Damage your color if your hair is color-treated
- Experience excess frizz and flyaways
- Dry and dull hair
- Flaky scalp
*Make sure the clarifying shampoo is suitable for color-treated hair
Best Clarifying Shampoo
The best clarifying shampoos depend on different hair types. Below you will find recommend products to remove build up, remove chlorine, and help revive shiny hair.
Clarifying Shampoo for Fine Hair – Matrix Amplify Root Up
Clarifying Shampoo for All Hair Types – Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo
**This is a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo
Clarifying Shampoo that Super Affordable – Neutragena Healthy Scalp Shampoo
Clarifying Shampoo for Swimmers – Malibu C Shampoo
Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair – Ouidad Water Works Shampoo
Clarifying Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair – Living Proof Triple Detox Shampoo
