How and When To Use Clarifying Shampoos

Many popular hairstyles, from beach waves to the top knot, rely on hair that isn’t freshly washed. Dirty, grungy, gritty texture is cool, so why would you want to use clarifying shampoo? A little grit can add texture and bounce to your mane, but too much and you’ll end up with greasy roots, limp strands, and no volume. If you like to go a few days in between washings you need to make your shampoos count. Even if you wash your hair every day or two you should do an occasional deep cleanse to remove product buildup, mineral deposits, and other deep level dirt. Learn more about clarifying your strands in the notes. ––  Laura Martin

Step: Select a clarifying shampoo that’s designed to address your specific needs. Some deep cleansers are designed for product buildup and dirt, others are designed to remove environmental pollutants and mineral deposits.

Step: Normally, when shampooing, you focus application at roots, but clarifying shampoos need to be distributed along the entire length of the strand. Work into scalp first, then massage down hair, all the way to tips, rubbing strands gently between strands to break up deposits.

Step: Rinse thoroughly, for at least two full minutes, and condition. A clarifying shampoo will strip away some of your natural hair oils, so follow a rich treatment conditioner like this hair repair masque.

Special thanks to Laura Martin for this post. Laura is a professional hair stylist, former senior educator at ARROJO cosmetology school, and a creative non-fiction MFA student at Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA. Follow her inspirations on twitter @LarMarStyle