Traditional shampoo is great for keeping your hair and scalp clean on a daily basis, but what about when you feel like you need a deeper clean? That’s where clarifying shampoo comes in. Hair care experts recommend using a clarifying shampoo to get rid of buildup in your hair. Clarifying shampoo is designed for occasional use only and shouldn’t replace your daily cleanser. If you think your locks could use some help from dullness and excess buildup, read on to see if clarifying shampoo is a good option for your hair.
Like other types of hair cleansers, clarifying shampoo is made up of between 80 and 90 percent water. The difference is in the active ingredients. What sets clarifying shampoo apart from other cleansers is its level of heavy surfactants. Surfactants are soap-like ingredients that get rid of residue, grease, and impurities in your hair. These are much stronger than traditional cleansers. Examples of surfactants and their specific benefits include: Ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate, which provides the deepest cleanse and may be best for extreme hair care product buildup or very oily hair. Chlorides or bromides, which are milder cleansers but can help make your hair soft. Cetyl-fatty alcohols, which have milder cleansing effects.
While clarifying shampoo can help get rid of excess buildup, using it too much can have adverse effects. Using this shampoo more than a couple of times per week can leave your hair feeling dry and dull, with flyaways and a lot of frizz. You’ll also want to be careful if you have color-treated hair, because heavy surfactants may damage your hair color. As a rule of thumb, if a clarifying shampoo doesn’t say it’s color-safe on the label, then it’s likely not suitable for color-treated hair. Dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis are other considerations you might have before choosing a clarifying shampoo. Unless the clarifying shampoo also has ingredients like salicylic acid that can control these types of skin and scalp conditions, then the product may not be suitable. Surfactants could also inadvertently worsen these conditions by drying out your scalp and making the underlying cells produce more oils.
A clarifying shampoo has virtually the same goals as a hair detox. They both remove residue, minerals, and oils. The key difference lies in the active ingredients. Hair detox relies primarily on “natural” ingredients, while clarifying shampoos have more synthetic ingredients that can dry out your hair if you overuse them. Additionally, a hair detox may utilize deep conditioning ingredients, such as olive oil, shea, or bentonite clay. Clarifying treatments generally don’t add moisture to the hair. A hair detox also aims to get rid of environmental toxins. Clarifying shampoo is designed for use once or twice per week. You can apply it as you would any other shampoo. Work a small amount in your hands and then apply to your damp scalp, massaging the product until you have a good lather. Leave in your hair for up to 30 seconds. Rinse the shampoo out completely before applying conditioner.
It’s important to use conditioner after every shampoo session. Not only does conditioner help keep your hair soft, but it also seals in moisture in the hair cuticle to keep it from drying out. You don’t have to use any special conditioner after your clarifying shampoo. Simply apply your regular conditioner to your middle and lower locks in an even layer, wait a few seconds, and then rinse. The type of clarifying shampoo you choose is largely based on your hair type and whether it’s professionally treated at all. You can look at different bottles to see if they’re suitable for dandruff, color-treated hair, or chemically straightened or permed hair. Shampoos containing larger amounts of surfactants are best if you don’t have any special hair care considerations, including color treatments. For the deepest clean possible, look for anionic surfactants on the ingredient labels. These include ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium stearate, and alpha-olefin sulfonate.
The cost of your clarifying shampoo varies based on whether you pick a drugstore version or a brand-name. It might also be more expensive if you choose versions for color-treated hair. Clarifying shampoos can range between $5 and $45 on Amazon. Clarifying shampoo can be a good addition to your hair care routine, but it’s not designed for everyday use. To gain the most benefits, you’ll want to use it in between your regular shampoo days. For special hair care concerns, such as chemical- or color-treated hair, see your stylist for specific product recommendations.
Does the idea of using a clarifying or detox shampoo feel like another unnecessary product to add to your already packed beauty routine? If so, trust us when we tell you that, actually, incorporating one could turn out to be one of the best decisions you make when it comes to the look and feel of your hair. This is especially true if your hair is feeling greasier than normal, or if your scalp is suddenly itchy or irritated. Or maybe your once bouncy, voluminous hair is now flat and limp. In every one of these cases, a clarifying shampoo could make a big difference. Detox or clarifying shampoos are also especially great if you spend a lot of time in a pool, as that exposes hair to a whole host of chemicals. They’re also great for those who live in hard water areas.
But what exactly is a clarifying shampoo, and what improvements will you notice in your hair once you start to use one? We’ve answered all your detox and clarifying shampoo questions here...
What is clarifying shampoo?
First, let's clarify what a clarifying shampoo is. Designed to be used in place of your regular shampoo, but only used every now and again, they are formulated to deeply cleanse and purify, cutting through and dissolving grease, oil, dirt and product build-up, to leave both the hair and scalp feeling refreshed.
How often should clarifying shampoo be used?
The key to using - and loving - clarifying shampoo lies in how frequently you use it. Bear in mind, it shouldn’t completely replace your usual shampoo - you’ll use it instead once or twice a week, depending on your hair type. Overuse can lead to dry strands and ends, which is exactly what you’re trying to counteract with a clarifying product. The result of overusing styling products is build-up, which can cause hair to look dull and lifeless. This happens because there are layers of product residue stuck on your locks, which physically block any moisture from entering the strands. But by using a clarifying shampoo - like Nexxus’s Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Shampoo - this residue will be cleared, so your natural shine and movement can be restored.
Often, a build-up of natural oils and products at the root of hair will weigh it down, which can lead to hair that’s lacking in volume. But a clarifying product can help inject life back into those limp locks by ridding hair of heavy oil to restore lost volume. Itchy, flaky, easily-irritated scalps are so common, but they’re fairly easy to treat. A build-up of product can cause inflammation and dandruff, so by using a scalp scrub you will not only dislodge dirt and oil, but also rebalance moisture levels. Nexxus’s Clean & Pure Invigorating Detox Scalp Scrub will do all of that, and more, and believe us when we tell you how satisfying that first application is. Best used up to a couple of times a week and massaged into the scalp until the exfoliating beads fully dissolve, follow with Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Conditioner to smooth and protect the hair fiber after you’ve cleared that pesky build-up.
Those with naturally oily hair know how irritating it is to wash your locks, only for them to be greasy again in a matter of hours. While some experts suggest it’s best to skip conditioner to combat oil - or just apply it sparingly to the ends - clarifying shampoos can also help reduce the natural oils on your scalp so you can go longer between washes. That’s because they work to reset and rebalance the area: by reducing pollution and product build-up, your oil-producing pores don’t have to work overdrive, so it will naturally start to take longer for grease to build up.
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