What you Need to Know -How to Use Clarifying Shampoo -From a Hairstylist

In this article we will cover the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of How to Use Clarifying Shampoo based on experience of 10 years in the salon and experimenting with many different brands of clarifying shampoo.

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How to Use Clarifying Shampoo
What is Clarifying Shampoo – How to Choose the Right one for You and What are the Benefits
The Difference between Clarifying vs Detoxing Shampoo
How Often to Use it? When and When NOT to Use it…
How to Clarify Hair with Color
How Much Does Clarifying Shampoo Cost $
Top 4 Best Clarifying Shampoos – Tips from a Pro
What to Use AFTER Clarifying

How to Use Clarifying Shampoo

Clarifying shampoo is designed to remove buildup from the hair and scalp once or twice a month.

It’s not supposed to be used as a daily wash.

Applying it like any other kind of hair cleanser HOWEVER there are a few things you should know first…

Using only a quarter’s worth of shampoo, lather and scrub the shampoo into the roots and let the bubbles lather the length of the hair
Let the shampoo sit on the hair for at least one minute, no longer than 5 minutes, to give it time to break down the buildup
Rinse the hair thoroughly
Deep condition the hair with a mask or deep conditioner afterwards and apply a leave-in conditioner or light hair oil while the hair is still damp

What is Clarifying Shampoo?

Clarifying shampoo is a strong cleansing shampoo designed to break down and remove product buildup on the hair. It can help break down product on the scalp as well but is more for hair than for the scalp.

How to Choose the Right Clarifying Shampoo for Your Hair

The three main buildup eliminating ingredients are –

Chlorides or bromides
Ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate
Cetyl alcohols

Chloride and bromides are for heavy product buildup or extremely greasy hair that hasn’t been washed in several days.

Ammonium sulfates give the hair a deep clean while the chlorides are breaking down the product buildup.

Cetyl alcohols are mild cleansing ingredients added as a bonus in clarifying shampoo.

For deeper cleanses (usually you don’t need a deeper cleanse than the ingredients above can give your hair) look for labels that include these ingredients.

*Warning- For deep cleanses that the ingredients below can give it’s only advised for those that haven’t received a wash for months, such as unkept dreads, or matted hair that cannot be combed through.

The ingredients below can be too harsh and damaging to the hormones in other cases.

alpha-olefin sulfonate
ammonium laureth sulphate
ammonium lauryl sulfate
sodium stearate
sodium lauryl sulfate

Can Shampoo Cause Hair Loss? Toxic Ingredient List

How is clarifying shampoo different than regular shampoo?

Regular shampoo is designed to cling to product, dirt, and oil and be washed away with water.

But regular shampoo oftentimes leaves buildup on the hair from other silicones and sulfates on it’s own ingredient list.

This kind of deep cleansing shampoo is designed to remove buildup from cleansing hair products as well as styling products.

Is Silicone Free Shampoo Bad?

Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types and Chemically Treated Hair 10oz for $14.39

What are the Benefits of Using Clarifying Shampoo?

The benefits of using a deep cleanser are –

Less buildup on the scalp that seep downwards clogging the follicles and pores
Removing buildup allows the cuticle to be able to open and close without blockage
Buildup dries out split ends and causes the split ends to climb up the hair strands
The hair will absorb moisture better
Color will last longer and be more vibrant
Using a deep cleanser means no more chlorine green stains

The Difference Between a Hair Detox and Clarifying Shampoo

Hair detox and using a deep cleansing clarifier are very similar.

A hair detox usually leans towards natural ingredients, while clarifiers rely on strong sulfates and chlorides.

So is clarifying shampoo good for your hair?

Yes. It is good for your hair as long as it’s not overused.

Using the product too often will strip the hair of its good oils and begin training the hair to become more greasy to restore pH and hydration to the scalp and hair. Which is what you don’t want.

It is very important to apply a deep conditioner after clarifying the hair to prevent the scalp from developing a habit of making too much oil and causing the hair to look greasy all the time.

How Often do you Use Clarifying Shampoo?

How to make clarifying cleanser part of your regular routine

Deep cleansing the hair should be a regular part of your hair care monthly or weekly regimen. If you apply masks once a week, use a clarifier every other time.

You should clarify your hair at least once a month. More often if you are an avid swimmer or apply styling product to your hair every day.

When Should You Use Clarifying Shampoo?

If your hair looks –

Waxy
Plastic-y
Has a green tint to it from spending time in the pool
Feels sticky when it’s wet, even after being washed with regular shampoo
Is more tangly than usual

This means that there is a lot of buildup on the hair and it’s time for a deep cleanse.

Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types and Chemically Treated Hair 10oz for $14.39

9 Tips How to Remove Chlorine from Hair Naturally

When NOT to Use Clarifying Shampoo

Do not use a clarifier if you have color treated hair.

Clarifier is designed to remove anything artificial from the hair, which includes artificial color. Though it wouldn’t remove the color entirely, it would fade the color significantly faster than regular shampoo would.

And you should not use a clarifier more often than once a week, especially if you have a different regular cleansing product.

Who Should Use Clarifying Shampoo?

If you wash your hair with cheap generic shampoo and conditioner daily
Swim once a week or more
Use pomade, hairspray, gel, mousse, or any other styling product more than once a week

Clarifiers are designed to remove buildup, if you have buildup on your hair then you should use a clarifier cleanser.

Does Clarifying Shampoo Remove Color?

How to Clarify Color-Treated Hair

It is not recommended to use clarifiers on color treated hair. Or dyed hair either.

Typically a clarifying deep cleanser fades color faster, probably less for dye just because color deposits artificial color molecules into the hair and dye stains the hair itself.

But can you clarify colored hair? Yes you can.

If the color you have is darker than you like or expected, you can clarify to lighten it up a shade or two.

When you have buildup on color treated hair you can add a pinch of baking soda to color safe shampoo to exfoliate and lightly remove buildup on the hair.

How Much do Clarifying Shampoos Cost $

Most deep cleansing clarifying cleansers cost between $10 – $50 depending on the size of the bottle and brand.

Because you shouldn’t use clarifier every wash a smaller bottle should be enough and it will still last a long time before needing replaced.

Top 4 Best Clarifying Shampoos – Tips from a Pro

How to choose deep clarifying cleanser- use the right clarifier for your type of hair. Straight hair, blonde hair, curly hair, or color treated hair. See your options for the best clarifying cleansers below.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for All Hair Types

Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types 10oz for $14.39

☑️ Kenra is well known for its high quality products and the excellent fragrances their products have

☑️ These clarifying cleansers are safe for all hair types

☑️ Kenra is a professional brand and used by stylists in salons worldwide

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair

Carol’s Daughter Clarifying Aloe Formula Shampoo & Conditioner Set for Curly Hair $20.00

☑️ Carol’s Daughter is Silicone Free, Sulfate Free, Paraben Free!

☑️ Aloe formula designed for curl patterns 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C

☑️ Unique water to foam clarifying shampoo and gel to cream conditioner design

☑️ Vegan product

Is Silicone Free Shampoo Good?

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Hair

Maple Holistics Degrease Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Hair 10oz for $13.25

☑️ Maple Holistics is a Small Business in New Jersey USA that uses only raw natural ingredients

☑️ Sulfate-free

☑️ Citrus scent

Hair is considered ‘oily’ when there is so much greasy oil in the hair that it looks heavy and dark, and looks that way hours after washing your hair.

If that is the case, you should consider switching your regular shampoo and start training your hair to be less greasy, and to balance itself without the help of a clarifier.

How to Train your Hair to Not get Oily or Greasy

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Color – Safe All Hair Types 10oz for $14.39

☑️ Kenra brand is known and used by hairstylists worldwide

☑️ Designed to be color safe

Remember, clarifying color treated hair is not recommended, but to remove buildup on color treated hair, you can add a pinch of baking soda to this color safe shampoo and lightly massage it into the hair to deeply cleanse and remove the buildup.

What Do you Put on your Hair After Clarifying Shampoo?

4 Best Conditioners for AFTER Clarifying Cleansing Shampoo

Like discussed before, it is super important to use conditioner and deep conditioner after a clarifying treatment so that you can rehydrate the scalp and hair and restore the pH.

Original Sprout Deep Conditioner 4oz 2 Pack for $19.94

Original Sprout Deep Conditioner 33oz for $40.44

☑️ Organic and Vegan brand

☑️ Made in the USA

☑️ Designed by a curly-haired hairstylist

☑️ Gluten free, Soy free, Dairy free, Paraben free, Sulfate Free

☑️ Safe for babies and colored hair

It’s a 10 Miracle Deep Conditioner with Keratin 5oz for $17.11

It’s a 10 Miracle Daily Conditioner 33.8oz for $50.50

☑️ Professional brand used in salons in the USA

☑️ Deeply hydrating

☑️ A little bit goes a long ways so if you purchase this conditioner use it sparingly because you don’t want to put too much keratin protein in your hair

When I’m Not Using Clarifying Cleanser…

Original Sprout Classic Shampoo and Deep Conditioner Combo 12 oz

A personal and professional favorite of mine! Original Sprout is a vegan product line made in the USA by a hairstylist with gorgeous curly hair. It was designed for her daughter who has severe allergies.

Original Sprout is sulfate and paraben-free, as well as gluten, soy, and dairy free!

Not only that but it is also truly pH balanced with the skin and hair. Human skin and hair are a 4.5-5.5 on the pH scale. Original Sprout is a 5.5! Which means that when used, your skin doesn’t have to work hard to rebalance the pH and it helps train the scalp to make just the right amount of oil instead of too much that makes the scalp look greasy. It doesn’t buildup on the hair either!

I love Original Sprout products as regular cleansing and conditioning products.

FAQs How to Use Clarifying Shampoo

Will Clarifying Shampoo Dry Out My Hair?

Sometimes clarifying cleanser will dry hair out if it’s been over used or if a deep conditioner isn’t used after the clarifier.

What is Chelating?

Chelating is the process of drawing out impurities, such as dirt, oil, and product, into the cleansing product and washing it away with water.

Clarifying cleanser is one way to chelate your hair.

What will Clarifying Shampoo do to Bleached Hair?

Bleached hair has a cracked cuticle because of the strong chemical treatment, a clarifier will be too strong for bleached hair and end up drying out bleached hair.

Can you Clarify Hair Extensions?

Yes! As long as the extensions are not attached to you at the time. You can clarify extensions by gently massaging the lather into the hair and gently rinse in a bucket or tub with cold water.

Are you Supposed to Shampoo After Clarifying Shampoo?

There is no need to use a regular shampoo after a deeply cleansing treatment. But it is very important to use a deep conditioner to rehydrate the skin and hair because clarifying does remove good oils as well as the buildup.

Is clarifying shampoo bad for your hair?

No. Deep cleansing clarifiers are not bad for your hair as long as it is not used too frequently, drying out the hair and stripping the hair too frequently of its natural oil.