How Often Should You Use Clarifying Shampoo On Natural Hair?
Are you considering using clarifying shampoo? Scared to take the leap because you don’t know how it will affect your natural hair?
This article provides a detailed guide on the dos and don’ts of using a clarifying shampoo.
It will also answer the pressing and essential question of how often you should use clarifying shampoo on your natural hair.
It is important to get this right so you can ensure that the shampoo helps make your hair clean and fresh instead of stripping important nutrients and leaving it dry and lifeless.
What you need to know about Clarifying Shampoo
Different from Regular Shampoo
What sets clarifying shampoo apart from regular shampoo is the intensity of the ingredients.
While it is around 80-90 percent water, the other ingredients it includes are heavy and grueling on your hair.
Some of the surfactants it contains include ammonium-sodium lauryl sulfate and chlorides.
The former provides a deep cleanse, helping to clean extremely oily hair. The latter is milder and helps make your hair smooth and soft.
Tip: If you want to remove all the oils and minerals in your hair but still retain the moisture, you can choose the a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo.
Is Clarifying Shampoo Safe?
The thing with clarifying shampoo is that it is not meant for daily use. It’s perfect for oily scalp and supposed to be used only when you need a deep clean to get rid of any excess build-up.
Remember that it is not a substitute for your everyday shampoo, neither is it something you should include in your daily hair care routine.
Identifying Your Hair Type Before Using
The first step before you start using any shampoo is to identify your hair type.
There are 4 broad categories under which your hair type can fall into. These include:
- Straight Hair
- Wavy Hair
- Curly Hair
- Kinky Hair
Natural hair tends to be wavy or kinky. It can even be a mix of the two.
Natural hair also tends to be drier and more fragile compared to other hair types. It is also harder to condition than other types of hair.
This means you have to put in extra effort and be smart about it so your hair can look beautiful and shiny.
What If You Have Color-treated Hair?
While clarifying shampoo works for most hair types, it may not always be safe for color-treated hair. It contains heavy surfactants that have the potential to ruin colored hair.
Therefore, if you have recently gotten your hair colored, make sure you check that the clarifying shampoo you plan on using is color-safe and suitable.
Or you can choose one of the best shampoos & conditioners for color-treated I reviewed before.
When Should You Use Clarifying Shampoo?
It is best to know your hair type and any existing scalp condition before using a clarifying shampoo.
They can be a good option for natural hair, helping get rid of gunk and give a perfect deep clean that prepares your hair for moisturizing.
Clarifying shampoo is also a great option for hard water that contains minerals and metals that may stick on your hair and make them rough and dry.
Clarifying shampoo can help remove these minerals and help your hair regain life and moisture.
You can also rely on clarifying shampoo if you are a regular swimmer. Anyone who swims knows how the mix of chlorine and saltwater can be a disaster for your hair.
Clarifying shampoo is a great way to rid your hair of these harsh chemicals and give it new life. It can also be great for your hair if you use heavy products regularly and want to cleanse your hair.
When NOT to Use Clarifying Shampoo?
While clarifying shampoos are generally safe to use, there are some things you may want to consider before using them.
If you have heavy dandruff or other conditions like seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis, clarifying shampoo may irritate your scalp and worsen these conditions.
Therefore, consider any preexisting scalp conditions you have before using a clarifying shampoo.
Another reason you should not use clarifying shampoo too often is that it has synthetic ingredients.
While it is a convenient way to deep clean and detox your hair at home, the synthetic ingredients have the potential to make your hair dry and lifeless if you overuse the shampoo.
Instead, you can use shampoos and conditioners for dry scalp, psoriasis or folliculitis. They’re all the best for your scalp conditions.
How Often Should You Use Clarifying Shampoo On Natural Hair?
Based on advice from experts and users, the ideal usage of clarifying shampoo is once per week or every two weeks.
While you are the best judge regarding what’s best for your hair and its needs, you need to be careful when using a clarifying shampoo.
You can even restrict it to once every three or four weeks if you think your product usage is minimal.
With natural hair, it’s important to realize that even though it may look strong and tough from afar, it tends to be sensitive and fragile.
So when using a clarifying shampoo, make sure you give your hair the deep clean it needs without drying out, so it still feels and looks soft and smooth.
Clarifying shampoo strips your natural hair of any buildup and dirt, leaving it clean and detangled. This is a blessing for natural hair that is kinky and prone to build up.
Related:
What Type Of Clarifying Shampoo Is Best For Natural Hair?
You can also decide how often your natural hair needs clarifying shampoo by identifying its porosity.
Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. If you have low porosity hair, shampoo, and products with protein are not good for you.
This makes clarifying shampoo the ideal solution as it does not have protein and has cleansing qualities.
Shea Butter Shampoo
You can consider using shea butter clarifying shampoo, which has the additional benefit of making your hair soft and fragrant.
Made Specifically for Natural Hair
There are also clarifying shampoos available that are tailor-made for natural hair. These are made with natural ingredients like willow bark extract and tea tree oil.
They help clean your scalp and remove all traces of dandruff, product, and even eczema. While this makes them effective, it also shows their strength and intensity.
Therefore, you should restrict your usage of clarifying shampoo and avoid relying on it too often.
Natural Ingredients
Some clarifying shampoos contain natural ingredients that help balance their drying effects.
Jojoba oil is an ingredient that helps balance the level of natural oil on your scalp, so it is still soft.
This is a great way of ensuring your hair gets the deep cleanse it needs without being completely stripped of natural oils.
Therefore, if you manage to find a clarifying shampoo that still maintains some of your natural oil while still giving the perfect deep clean, you have won the lottery!
You may even consider using this once or twice a week if your product usage is on the higher side.
If you are someone whose natural hair gets greasy easily even though you do not use much product, clarifying shampoo can be a great option for weekly use.
You can cut down on shampooing by relying on it once or twice a week. It will get rid of the grease and make your hair feel refreshed.
How To Use Clarifying Shampoo Effectively?
It is important that you use clarifying shampoo correctly. The key is to use it in small amounts.
You should apply it to your damp scalp and massage it thoroughly until you have a thick lather. Then leave it on your hair for at least half a minute.
After this, wash and rinse.
It’s important to follow up by applying a conditioner. It keeps your hair soft and seals in the moisture.
This can help counter the dryness left by the clarifying shampoo. The best part is that you can use your regular conditioner and not have to buy anything special.
Conclusion
While using a clarifying shampoo on natural hair can be tricky, understanding the properties of this type of shampoo can help you make an informed decision.
You should also be careful and only use clarifying shampoo a maximum of once or twice a week on your natural hair.
The intense cleanse you get from clarifying shampoo is not sustainable on a daily basis. Therefore, remember that clarifying shampoo is not meant for everyday use, and it is not a substitute for regular shampoo.
You should also look for a clarifying shampoo that fits your specific needs and works for your hair. Following up each shampoo with a conditioner is also essential.
All of these tips will help you make the most out of using a clarifying shampoo on your natural hair. Even though you will be using it once or twice a week, using it smartly will ensure it works well for you!
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