A trip to your local beauty supply store or hair salon reveals a bewildering array of shampoos of all types and price ranges. Navigating through the many choices and selecting one that’s right for your hair can take time and lots of experimentation. It seems the manufacturers of hair care products are always coming up with a new “must have” hair care product to add to your hair care regimen. The costs of these products can quickly add up. One product that’s often promoted by hair care companies is clarifying shampoo. Is a clarifying shampoo really necessary for beautiful hair
With all the talk of detoxifying the body to remove toxins and impurities, it’s not surprising that this concept would be extended to the hair. Clarifying shampoos are designed to remove the residue that remains on hair from the use of hair care products such as conditioners, mousses, hairsprays, thickening gels, and even environmental chemicals such as chlorine from swimming pools. These products and chemicals gradually build up over time leaving a thin, invisible film that can weigh hair down and make it look limp and lifeless.
A clarifying shampoo can be helpful in several situations. If you regularly use hairsprays, gels, mousses, or other products to style your hair, using a clarifying shampoo on a weekly basis is almost a necessity. These products build up over time and weigh down the hair giving it a dull, flat appearance. If you regularly swim in chlorinated pools, a good clarifying shampoo helps to remove chlorine buildup which can alter the texture and color of your hair. There are special clarifying shampoos made specifically for swimmers. The third situation where clarifying shampoos are useful is if you have oily hair. A clarifying shampoo has the additional cleansing power to remove oil build-up that can make hair look oily and limp even when you’ve just washed it.
If you’re not keen on adding another bottle of shampoo to your closet, consider modifying a shampoo you already have to give it added clarifying power. This can be done by adding a teaspoon of baking soda and several drops of lemon juice to your regular shampoo. Shampoo with your homemade clarifying shampoo once a week if you have oily hair or once every two weeks if you have normal hair.
If you have colored treated hair, buy a clarifying shampoo specifically made for chemically treated hair since these shampoos can cause hair color to fade. Always use a conditioner after shampooing with a clarifying shampoo as they tend to be very drying. The bottom line? It’s a good idea to use a clarifying shampoo at least once every two weeks, but there’s no need to go buy an expensive one. Simply adding lemon juice and baking soda to your regular shampoo will work just as well.
The bottom line? It’s a good idea to use a clarifying shampoo at least once every two weeks, but there’s no need to go buy an expensive one. Simply adding lemon juice and baking soda to your regular shampoo will work just as well.
Dr. Kristie