Hit refresh on your hair with these 9 clarifying shampoos
The product you need to bring dull, lacklustre hair back to life
Ever get the feeling like some days your shampoo just stops working? While your first instinct is to blame the shampoo itself, the culprit is likely your hairstyling products (among other factors). You see, your regular shampoo does a great job of cleaning away everyday products, dirt and oils, but sometimes it needs to call upon a friend that has a little more oomph. That’s where a clarifying shampoo comes in.
What is a clarifying shampoo?
Also known as a deep cleansing shampoo, think of them as an exfoliant to your cleanser, or a mask to your moisturiser. They work harder and deeper than your shampoo, but...they can be too much for everyday use. Overuse one and you might strip your hair of its natural oils, leaving your tresses dry and unbalanced. Use it on occasion and you will get that just-stepped-out-of-a-salon, refreshed hair feeling on the regular.
We’ll take the latter, thanks.
So what does clarifying shampoo do? It removes an excess build-up of all those styling product and even hair treatments you apply every week, as well as other hair-dulling elements like pollution and daily grime; in addition to excess sebum that can leave your roots oily and limp. And if you have coloured hair, it may be just the ticket to refresh and brighten your colour in between salon visits, too.
Good to know: While you may think your dry shampoo has your oily roots issue covered, it might actually be contributing to the problem. Regular use of dry shampoo causes build-up on the scalp, which - you guessed it - requires a clarifying shampoo to clear.
Who should use a clarifying shampoo?
Clarifying shampoo is best for oily hair (because it rebalances excess oil) and fine hair (because your hair is more prone to being weighed down by product build-up). Dry hair can use one, too, but just remember that since clarifying shampoos have one job - giving your hair and scalp a super clean - most don’t contain conditioning agents like normal shampoos do. So, you should either look for one that does (we’ve found some for you below!) or follow up with a hair mask to replenish natural oils.
How to use a clarifying shampoo
The way to use a clarifying shampoo is the same as a regular shampoo, although the more care you take to really massage it into your scalp, the move effectively it will remove everything that’s not supposed to be there. Clarifying shampoos aren’t meant to be used daily, or even weekly. Except maybe in summer when your influx of water-based activities cause an additional build-up of chlorine and saltwater. Rather than stick to a timetable, let your hair tell you. When it’s dull, unmanageable, limp or extra greasy, it’s time to use a clarifying shampoo.
Ok, so now that you’re well-versed in all the good deeds a clarifying shampoo can do, it’s time to equip yourself with one that actually works. We asked our Beauty Crew team and SUPERcrew members to share their picks for the best clarifying shampoo in Australia - these are the ones they love.
Chelsea is BEAUTYcrew’s Contributing Editor. She has a sweet spot for anything that claims to make skin glow and won’t leave the house without a slick of mascara. Chelsea has 10 years of experience as a beauty editor and her words can be found on BEAUTYcrew, Women’s Health, Daily Addict, The Joye and Primped.
