Clarifying shampoo

When to use a clarifying shampoo If your hair starts to feel and/or look heavy or weighed down, it could be time to use a clarifying shampoo. This can be the result of using a number of hairstyle products on a regular basis. "If the buildup is more serious, you can actually feel the products on your hair strand," says Shelly Aguirre, a stylist at Excessive scalp buildup can be a seasonal issue, too. Those who swim a lot may experience slimy strands from chlorine. " Another reason to clarify would be if you’ve spent time in a pool and your hair may pick up a greenish hue," Aguirre explains. "This tends to happen more visibly with blonder hair. Not to say it doesn’t happen with darker color, it just might not be as noticeable." What are the side effects of using a clarifying shampoo? Since clarifying shampoos do some serious deep cleaning, they can strip the hair, and certain hair types may be affected more than others. "Some clarifying shampoos are made with harsh ingredients, such as sulfates, that can strip the natural oil (sebum) from the scalp and strands," says Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris, a trichologist, Ph.D. Scientist, and founder of The drying nature of these formulas may make them too harsh for those with inflammatory scalp conditions. "It [clarifying shampoo] can also worsen certain scalp conditions such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and eczema," says Dr. Garlapati. If you have any of these conditions, consult with a board-certified dermatologist before in...

Product buildup or a greasy scalp can sabotage an otherwise happy hair day, but adding a clarifying shampoo to your hair care routine can help. The best clarifying shampoos will thoroughly cleanse your hair and scalp, remove excess oil and residue, and leave your hair looking (and feeling) shinier and much, much cleaner. How do clarifying shampoos work? Your average clarifying shampoo will contain two key ingredients: a chelating agent and a surfactant, or cleaning agent. Chelating agents help cleanse the hair of minerals and built-up residue, as they “latch onto metal ions and draw them out of the hair,” This combination of ingredients is extremely effective when it comes to deep cleaning hair, but it can strip natural Who might benefit from using a clarifying shampoo? You might think that clarifying shampoos are mainly useful for people with oily or are), but Dr. Guo tells SELF that people who regularly use styling products like On the other hand, if you have How often should you use a clarifying shampoo? “Clarifying shampoos are occasional use, rather than daily, shampoos,” Dr. Guo says. Dr. Manning echoes this point, stating that you should use a clarifying shampoo sparingly (as little as once every seven to 14 days) and your hair type and texture (straight, wavy, or So, while clarifying shampoos as a whole will provide your hair with that kind of healthy reset, the best clarifying shampoo for you will do so without drying out your hair, irritating your scalp, or messi...

We updated this article in December 2022 to add more information about each featured product, based on expert advice and top reviews, and added five new products, recommended by expert. If your freshly washed hair still looks dull and limp, a clarifying shampoo may be in order. Clarifying shampoos, often called purifying or deep cleaning, "are formulated to remove excess buildup, residue, dirt, oils and product on your hair and scalp," says But how exactly do they work? "The surfactants produce micelles that surround oily substances like sebum, and pull it off the hair follicle or scalp, making it easier to be rinsed out in water," explains Over the years, our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have evaluated hundreds of shampoos for different hair types and concerns including Our top picks: Show more Scroll to the bottom of this article for more information on how we test shampoos at the GH Institute Beauty Lab, tips on what to keep in mind while you're shopping for the best clarifying shampoos and answers to FAQs around clarifying shampoo usage and efficacy. In the meantime, here are the best clarifying shampoos. Our chemists call this the "gold standard" for clarifying shampoos because they use this to thoroughly cleanse hair swatches that will be used for testing all types of hair products. It does an effective job of removing dirt and oil, not to mention it’s one of the lowest-priced clarifying shampoos on this list. Shoppers also praised this on Amazon. How...

Show more If you don’t want to wash your hair every day, but you suffer from scalp problems or excess oil, a clarifying shampoo is your best solution. Most of these shampoos are intended to be used a couple of times a week (or even just once) and cleanse deeper than your typical daily shampoo to help remove buildup from dirt, oil and styling products from your scalp and hair. Think of them as taking your car to the carwash versus doing it yourself. Clarifying shampoos help to reset your hair to help it look shinier and healthier. We prefer to use them on Sundays to get our scalp and hair ready for a busy week of styling and stress ahead. The thing is, though, not all clarifying shampoos are created equal. Choose one that’s designed for your hair type and lifestyle to avoid over cleansing your hair which can lead to dryness, frizziness and The enemy of curly hair is dryness, which can cause curls to become crispy, frizzy and unmanageable. The problem is, the ingredients in many clarifying shampoos can leave your hair dry because they are so focused on removing oil. This version, which is packed with hydrating ingredients including black soap, aloe and shea butter, cleanses the scalp and hair effectively without sucking the moisture out of your curly hair. Many scalp scrubs need to be followed up with a shampoo because they’re designed to exfoliate but not cleanse. This scrub and shampoo combo changes that. Not only does it use sugar crystals to gently exfoliate buildup on t...

We updated this article in July 2022 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team (and that of our sister team at the If you use anything on your hair regularly— Removing leftover deposits from styling products, shampoos, and conditioners, or hard water (depending on where you live) is one main reason for using a clarifying shampoo. The best clarifying shampoos deep clean in a way typical shampoos can’t, because they contain ingredients that buff away the gunk. “A healthy scalp means healthier hair, and removing these deposits restores your hair’s luster and manageability,” says But if you’re simply looking for a bit more bounce, choose a Ready to buff away the build-up? Below, the best clarifying shampoos for every hair type: How we chose the best clarifying shampoos We consulted Dr. Jaliman, Dr. Bolden, Our top picks Happy testers say this is the shampoo that’s transformed their formerly greasy locks since it easily allows you to space out washes. It also delivers that freshly-cleaned scalp feeling with lemongrass, smells fantastic, and the paraben-free formula is safe for color-treated hair. Bonus: Strands will feel insanely bouncy and light. “Many will naturally assume that you need something that's sulfate-based in order to receive a thorough cleanse, but that's not the case here,” Brown explains. “ It's not stripping, you still get a great lather, and it’s also super moisturizing which is rare for a clarifying sham...