Between humidity, pollution, sweat and dead skin cells, all of the scalp buildup can unsurprisingly hold you back from enjoying your healthiest hair yet. Much like a consistent exfoliation routine can rid your skin of any debris, clarifying shampoos can extend the same courtesy to your scalp, leaving it squeaky clean and paving the way for optimal growth. Ahead, we take a closer look at why you need to add a clarifying shampoo to your haircare regimen:
What is clarifying shampoo?
Regardless of how meticulous you are with your hair wash routine, it is natural for some residual product to cling on to your hair shaft—this is further compounded by the presence of humidity and environmental aggressors. This is where a clarifying shampoo comes in to give your scalp a quick detox and slice through any remnants of hair products, such as sprays and styling creams as well as chemicals and chlorine from swimming pools. The result is a fresh, clean scalp that isn’t weighed down by debris with restored shine and bounce.
While a clarifying shampoo follows the usual shampoo-and-conditioner drill, you will want to let it sit in for a few minutes and get to the task before rinsing it out. Once it has been adequately washed out of your hair, follow up with your usual conditioner to restore any lost moisture to the hair shaft.
Should you try a clarifying shampoo in your haircare routine?
If your hair has been feeling frayed with frequent usage of hair styling products and the spike in humidity during the monsoon, a clarifying shampoo can help reset the clock on hair damage. However, those who have opted for a fresh colour job might want to keep this shampoo on the backburner for a while as it can strip away pigments and accelerate the fading of your hair colour. Likewise, if your hair is prone to dryness, you will want to limit your usage to when absolutely necessary. For all other hair types, the gap between subsequent uses can stretch anywhere from a fortnight to a month.
