Shampoo is often considered the enemy of curly, frizzy hair. However, it is necessary to wash your scalp and hair with a clarifying shampoo, at least occasionally, in order to rid them of accumulated residues. Indeed, a hair “suffocated” under layers of oils and products will no longer react to the moisturizing and nourishing care you give it. In the long term, drought sets in, accompanied by its friend, the breakage! To perform a capillary reset, your best ally is the clarifying shampoo! With or without sulphates? Liquid or solid? Are there natural solutions as effective as a classic clarifying shampoo? Colorful Black guides you to choose the clarifying shampoo that really suits your needs.
What is a clarifying shampoo?
Unlike a mild shampoo, intended for regular use, a clarifying shampoo eliminates impurities in depth . This type of shampoo has a purifying power superior to a classic shampoo.
With a generally high pH, a clarifying shampoo opens the hair scales more. It therefore removes the residue of oil or products accumulated on your frizzy or curly hair.
There are different types of clarifying shampoos. Two groups can be distinguished:
- With sulphates
- Sulfate free
Sulfates are chemical agents that remove impurities from the surface of the hair. Often decried, sulphates can prove to be aggressive for the hair if they are used too frequently. So-called sulphate-free clarifying shampoos usually contain a component of natural origin , such as Cocamidopropyl betaine, which functions as a synthetic sulphate. Natural or not, the clarifying shampoo is therefore reserved for occasional use, once a month for example, to avoid the accumulation of product and its undesirable consequences.
Indispensable in your usual routine, the mask is even more so after using a clarifying shampoo! Even if we only offer clarifying shampoos for curly and frizzy hair, whose compositions are adapted to the specific needs of these textures, a mask remains essential for your hair to maintain a good level of hydration .
When to use a clarifying shampoo?
Watch your hair! If they no longer react to the moisturizing, nourishing care you give them, it's time to make a clarifying shampoo. This phenomenon is the result of what is called an accumulation of products. Product buildup occurs when repeatedly applying leave-in conditioners to your hair. It can be a daily moisturizer, an oil or any other product that stays on the hair and does not wash out. To the touch, the hair becomes oily and seems hermetic to any addition of water or care. Your scalp can also suffer from product buildup and let you know by increased itching, irritation or dandruff.
In this situation, you need to breathe new life into your hair and get rid of all those residues. The clarifying shampoo then comes into play! It removes all those oils and leaves your hair bare.
In terms of frequency of use, it's best to pay attention to how your hair reacts to the clarifying shampoo. Some hair types only need a clarifying shampoo once a month, while others prefer a fortnightly purifying treatment.
You may want to use a clarifying shampoo if you want to transition into a 100% natural routine. Traditional treatments generally contain components such as silicone, which are difficult to neutralize with “natural” shampoos. To remove chemical residues from your hair, it is best to use a detoxifying or clarifying treatment to leave on a clean base, before proceeding with your deep mask.
How to choose your clarifying shampoo?
You must take into account different criteria before choosing your clarifying shampoo:
- Texture
- Drought
- Scalp condition
- Way of life
- Water hardness
- Climate
The texture of your hair plays an important role in your care routine. Wavy to curly hair generally requires more frequent clarifying shampoo because the buildup of products or oils causes it to quickly lose volume.
Dry hair should not be subjected to too frequent a clarifying shampoo. The use of sulfates, even of natural origin, causes or aggravates the dryness of your hair. We therefore recommend that you limit the use of a clarifying shampoo if your hair is dry, especially following excessive use of heated tools or on colored or relaxed hair.
Is your scalp oily, irritated or has dandruff? The last thing to do is attack it with a weekly clarifying shampoo! There are mild shampoos that will treat these problems while keeping your scalp healthy. On a fragile scalp, we therefore also limit the clarifying shampoo, without completely removing it from our routine! We offer clarifying shampoos suitable for sensitive scalps such as Kalia Nature Oil and Hibiscus Flower Bar Shampoo .
Finally, environmental criteria are fundamental. If you regularly expose your hair to chlorine in the pool, to the sun or if the water in your area is rich in limestone, again, your use of a clarifying shampoo must be adapted.
Accumulated on the hair, chlorine and limestone gradually weaken your frizzy and curly hair. Conventional gentle shampoos or co-washes only eliminate some of these residues. In this case, opt for a natural clarifying shampoo, whose purifying agents will be milder than synthetic sulfates.
If you live in a very sunny area, choose a clarifying shampoo like Mielle Organics Exfoliating Shampoo which contains a UV filter and replenishing ingredients to treat your dry or heat damaged hair.
The clarifying shampoo is a step to integrate into your hair routine , but occasionally! Each hair type and texture has specific needs. We encourage you to browse our product sheets to find valuable information that will help you choose the best clarifying shampoo for your curly to frizzy hair. Consult our classic shampoo offer, to be used immediately after your monthly or fortnightly clarifying shampoo to rebalance the pH of your hair.
