Do you ever find that, however thoroughly you shampoo your hair, it still doesn’t feel clean? Even the best shampoos have their limits, no matter how often you wash your hair. The average shampoo is formulated to cut through a cocktail of pollution particles, daily grime and grease. But it’s not necessarily tough enough to also remove product buildup and hard water particles that accumulate on your hair over time.
This is where clarifying shampoo comes in. “A clarifying shampoo is designed to give the hair and scalp a deep clean,” explains Cos Sakkas, Global Creative Director at Toni & Guy. “Unlike everyday shampoos, which focus on gentle maintenance, a clarifying shampoo removes stubborn build-up that can cling to the hair over time, such as styling products, dry shampoo residue, excess oil, pollution, and hard-water minerals.”
It’s when these build up that “hair starts to feel heavy, dull or harder to style,” adds salon owner and pro hairdresser Samantha Cusick. “It’s often not damaged, it’s just coated. Clarifying shampoo clears the slate so hair feels lighter, cleaner and more responsive to masks and colour again.”
How often should you use a clarifying shampoo?
Clarifying shampoo can work wonders for lank, dull hair, but you can have too much of a good thing. Exactly how often you should use a clarifying shampoo will depend on your hair type and your lifestyle. “For most people, once every one or two weeks is plenty,” says Cusick. “If you rely on dry shampoo, styling products or live in a hard water area, weekly use can really help. If your hair is dry, curly or colour-treated, less is more. Think of clarifying as a maintenance step, not your everyday wash.”
RRP: £32
Like a hard reset for your hair, this shampoo restores life and vibrancy with just one wash. Suddenly, strands are swishier and shinier, with no more stickiness around the scalp. It’s on the more expensive side, but a little goes a long way.
RRP: £7.99
Our digital beauty writer swears by this formula, crediting it as the only shampoo that keeps greasy roots at bay. Apple cider vinegar is the hero ingredient, lifting oil without irritating your scalp or stripping the skin. You can read our full Aveeno Clarify & Shine Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo review.
RRP: £8.95
A great option for anyone worried that a clarifying shampoo might be too harsh for them. This shampoo is powered by salicylic acid, the same clearing ingredient you find in decongesting skincare, and supported by calming oatmeal and soothing prebiotics.
Can you overdo clarifying shampoo?
The reason you don’t want to overdo it with the clarifying shampoo is that it can be quite drying. “If you use a clarifying shampoo all the time you can strip the hair’s natural oils which leaves hair feeling dry or brittle,” advises Sakkas. It can also make your colour fade faster, which is absolutely not what you want after a pricey salon appointment. Similarly, clarifying shampoos have a high concentration of sulphates, which are a no-go for hair which has had a Brazilian blow-dry.
Ultimately, it’s all about balance when it comes to how often you should use a clarifying shampoo. “Skipping it completely can lead to flat roots and colour looking dull faster,” says Cusick. “The sweet spot is using it when your hair tells you it needs it, not sticking to rigid rules.”
