Your Questions Answered: What Is a Clarifying Shampoo and How Do I Use It?

Many aspects of life can transform into a mess, and your hair is no exception. We’ve all been there when a gunky head will need a more powerful clean than usual. When regular shampoo isn’t enough to cut through the grease, a clarifying shampoo is what you’ll need to get down to the nitty-gritty to feel a satisfying clean once again.

But what is a clarifying shampoo? How does it stand out from all the other shampoos you’ve used before? These are the questions we’re answering so you can see how to fit this type of cleanser into your routine and why it’ll be a valuable part of your overall haircare regimen.

What Is a Clarifying Shampoo?

Clarifying shampoos are basically turbo-charged shampoos. They’re made with highly cleansing surfactants that bubble up when lathered into the hair and scalp to remove dirt, oily substances, styling product buildup, and pollutants. Because these shampoos are so powerful, it’s important to understand when and how to use them to maintain ideal hair health.

What is a clarifying shampoo good for? Think more situational use versus regular or daily use. Here are some of those times:

• Having lots of product and natural oil buildup
• Having dullness that isn’t related to damage (a sign of product buildup)
• If you wash your hair once or twice per month
• If you have clogged follicles
• After traveling
• High exposure to chlorine
• Preparing for chemical treatments like perms and relaxers

What about sulfates? Many clarifying shampoos are formulated with sulfates for a good reason. These especially sudsy formulas are incredibly effective at cutting through the toughest buildup and delivering a thorough clean. That’s what they’re meant to do. Typical sulfates found in hair care products are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). The primary concern is that they may irritate sensitive skin. Not to worry, though, if you have particularly reactive skin, sulfate-free clarifying shampoos exist. More on that in a bit.

How often to use clarifying shampoo? Once or twice a month is sufficient to keep hair well-balanced, and wait at least two weeks after a color treatment before using one. Any more than that, you risk drying out your strands or ruining a fresh dye job. What is a clarifying shampoo supposed to do in between sessions? Last a really long time.

How to use clarifying shampoo? Use it just like a regular shampoo and work the desired amount of product through your scalp, but take a few minutes to treat yourself to a massage and allow the suds to really penetrate the impurities. Don’t focus too much on the strands unless you feel it’s necessary, as the lather will flow outward and provide sufficient cleansing. Rinse thoroughly and follow with a conditioning treatment.

Which Clarifying Shampoo Should I Use?

One for All – The shampoo you decide to use is up to your needs, but Davines’ SOLU Clarifying Shampoo is a great place to start. It has an invigorating foaming action that’s suitable for all hair types. And Davines always has a key super ingredient that supplies intense nourishment.

In this case, it’s the sustainably sourced Valtellina buckwheat extract that’s packed with proteins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep hair strong and protected against damage. It also has the multitasking panthenol, which helps hair draw in and retain moisture, making it a well-rounded formula for most of your hair’s needs.

For Color-Treated Hair – If you dye, foil, or bleach your hair, only use a color-safe clarifying formula like Joico’s K-PAK Clarifying Shampoo. This premium shampoo is formulated with peptides to preserve your color’s vibrancy and may also support healthy hair growth.

Joico also uses a patented SmartRelease Technology to supply lasting benefits from fortifying keratin and vitamin-rich evening primrose oil. And what is a clarifying shampoo if not the best solution to removing that familiar green pool tinge? If your blonde or lightened hair is affected, this is your go-to.

Sulfate-Free for Sensitive Skin – Sensitive skin types, eczema, and psoriasis sufferers have deep cleansing options to remove the buildup that worsens or causes flare-ups. We like the UNITE Hair Weekender Clarifying Shampoo for its sulfate-free, paraben-free formula and refreshing citrus scent. All hair types are welcome to this vegan shampoo, and it’s safe for chemically treated locks. As a bonus, leave it in your hair for five minutes to add protein-rich strength before conditioning.

For the Recovery Process – Even the long road of saving damaged hair needs a thorough wash every once in a while. Olaplex’s No.4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo will give your hair the refreshing reset it needs and help repair damaged strands with its patented bond-building technology.

This award-winning, sulfate-free shampoo should be included in the hair repair rotation to remove the accumulation of styling products, hard water, and pollutants. Leave it in for up to five minutes for a clean that maintains shine, softness, and, best of all, keeps your hair on the road to recovery.

A Daily Use Alternative – What is a clarifying shampoo that’s not a clarifying shampoo? Something that cleans supremely well but is safe to use regularly without the risk of drying out your hair. Aveda’s Shampure™ Nurturing Shampoo is a great alternative if you need to regularly remove lots of buildup. For example, a performer who has to goop on gels and sprays to get into character or a competitive swimmer who’s in training (those swim caps only protect so much).

Aveda’s Shampure™ line is formulated with their clean, vegan beauty standards and is free of nasty ingredients like formaldehyde and parabens. This shampoo is designed to nurture your hair with hydrating ingredients like glycerin and Abyssinian seed oil while providing a bubbly lather that removes impurities from every nook and cranny. You can still alternate this shampoo with a clarifying one when the need calls, and there’s a good chance it will.

Complete the Process

What is a clarifying shampoo without following it with a great conditioner? We’ve already discussed how they offer such an intense clean, so always apply a rich conditioner or a deep conditioning hair mask afterward. To complete your collection, head to our Beauty Resource Center for more information on the best premium products that will leave your squeaky-clean hair perfectly moisturized.