What are the characteristics of a clarifying shampoo?

[*ReiKa*]

Hello people,
I was wondering: what does a shampoo exactly need to be classified as a clarifying shampoo?
Other than relying on the label (believe it or not, I can't see many of them around anyway!), does any of you know what are the necessary characteristics in terms of ingredients?
I'd like to look for one but as I said, I still haven't found one and was planning to have a look at the ingredients label myself and find the one with the right features.
Thanks!:o

[Panth]

It should say on the label. ;)

Otherwise, it should have strong cleansers (SLS usually, though I would presume that SLES, ALS, ALES and even cocoamidopropyl betaine should theoretically work - all of those are surfactants that can remove non-water-soluble "regular" 'cones). It also should contain fairly little else - certainly, no ingredients that coat/build up. So, no 'cones but also no 'quats, no oils, etc. Preferably also no/minimal plant extracts as many of those can be coating.

If it's a chelating shampoo, it should have a high concentration of a chelating ingredient such as EDTA.

However, you can't just read the label as you don't know the concentration of any ingredients in toiletries, only the order of concentration. Clarifying shampoos have a higher-than-usual concentration of surfactants (in addition to lacking all the coating ingredients). Chelating shampoos have a higher-than-usual concentration of chelating ingredients. EDTA is also used (at much lower concentrations) as a pH-balancer, so you can't just use its presence to indicate whether something will chelate.

Hence, looking for the label is best. I like this Pantene one (http://media.pantene.co.uk/en-GB/NewPublishingImages/03%20Product%20Detail%20Classic/SHAMP-500ml_CLASS_CLARIFY_CLEAR.png) as although it's only advertised as clarifying, it also chelates (both my hair... aaaand it takes all the limescale off the sink when I use it, too).

[Anje]

Which one is that, Panth? I just got the Pantene website, but I sure wouldn't mind a good chelating, clarifying, limescale removing shampoo!

[Nique1202]

Most shampoos intended for clarifying should have either "clarifying", "once a week", "deep cleansing", or something like that on the front label. For chelating, EDTA being higher up in the ingredients list is what you'll want to look for as not all shampoos are labeled for chelating, but many big-name shampoos have some EDTA in the ingredients anyway to help prevent buildup with regular use, so using those for regular washes will mean less need to chelate unless you have extremely hard water.

Mind, you can get a clarifying effect from a shampoo that's not labeled for clarifying, too. High levels of sulfates and surfactants (most of the Herbal Essences line, as an example, has the first three ingredients listed as Water, SLS, SLES in that order) will strip the hair whether it's intended to clarify or not. The distinguishing factor of a clarifying shampoo in that case is that generally it doesn't have any moisturizers or oils or proteins to leave behind on the hair after it's stripped everything else off.

[*ReiKa*]

Thanks girls, your explanations were all very useful and complete! :blossom:

[Nadine <3]

Which one is that, Panth? I just got the Pantene website, but I sure wouldn't mind a good chelating, clarifying, limescale removing shampoo!

Yes, I'm curious as well and I got the same thing as Anje! :)

[Rosetta]

^ I get Pantene Classic Clarifying shampoo when clicking on the link! I'll try to post it here, since it seems many of you can't see it:


http://media.pantene.co.uk/en-GB/NewPublishingImages/03%20Product%20Detail%20Classic/SHAMP-500ml_CLASS_CLARIFY_CLEAR.png

[Anje]

Wow, that STILL doesn't show. I'm officially blaming their site for being picky about what country you view it from!

Pantene Classic Clarify? I'll have to look for it.
Is this it? (http://www.boots.com/en/Pantene-Clarifying-Shampoo-500ml_1244616/)

[Rosetta]

^ Well, it doesn't show since you changed the pic back to link, I'm not sure why, are pics not allowed...?

Anyway, maybe this link will show the actual product to everyone, it's amazon after all: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pantene-81430851-Clarifying-Shampoo-400ml/dp/B00D46GWYA

[Anje]

It was just giving me a broken image, so I tried to alter it to a link. (Technically, we don't like people hotlinking images anyway, but that's got more to do with copyrights and such, now that bandwidth isn't at the premium it was when the rule was conceived.)

[Rosetta]

^ Ok; yeah, I recall that about hotlinking, but thought it'd be ok in this case, as people had problems viewing the pic in the link :) And yes, it's the one you added in your post #8.

[Panth]

Ah, sorry. Didn't realise the image wouldn't work for everyone.

It's "Pantene ProV Classic Clarifying Shampoo" and it comes in a clear bottle with a blue label. There are other Pantene clarifying shampoos (though you don't see them in the UK) - e.g. "Pantene Truly Natural Hair Clarifying Shampoo" (browny bottle, red label) but that contains dimethicone (!?!?), so don't buy that one!

The Classic Clarifying one is my go-to for clarifying, chelating and also for handwashing clothes and knitwear!

[Lavendersugar]

Wow, that STILL doesn't show. I'm officially blaming their site for being picky about what country you view it from!

Pantene Classic Clarify? I'll have to look for it.
Is this it? (http://www.boots.com/en/Pantene-Clarifying-Shampoo-500ml_1244616/)

No the classic will not work. Ice shine, the detox one and they have another will work for your needs.


It should say on the label. ;)

Otherwise, it should have strong cleansers (SLS usually, though I would presume that SLES, ALS, ALES and even cocoamidopropyl betaine should theoretically work - all of those are surfactants that can remove non-water-soluble "regular" 'cones). It also should contain fairly little else - certainly, no ingredients that coat/build up. So, no 'cones but also no 'quats, no oils, etc. Preferably also no/minimal plant extracts as many of those can be coating.

If it's a chelating shampoo, it should have a high concentration of a chelating ingredient such as EDTA.

However, you can't just read the label as you don't know the concentration of any ingredients in toiletries, only the order of concentration. Clarifying shampoos have a higher-than-usual concentration of surfactants (in addition to lacking all the coating ingredients). Chelating shampoos have a higher-than-usual concentration of chelating ingredients. EDTA is also used (at much lower concentrations) as a pH-balancer, so you can't just use its presence to indicate whether something will chelate.

Hence, looking for the label is best. I like this Pantene one (http://media.pantene.co.uk/en-GB/NewPublishingImages/03%20Product%20Detail%20Classic/SHAMP-500ml_CLASS_CLARIFY_CLEAR.png) as although it's only advertised as clarifying, it also chelates (both my hair... aaaand it takes all the limescale off the sink when I use it, too).

Well said!

I'd like to add that I do not trust more natural companies that claim their products will remove build up. I am sure there is science behind some of their ingredients but I like to know what I am using will in fact get the job done. Especially with stuff from the water.

[lapushka]

Wow, that STILL doesn't show. I'm officially blaming their site for being picky about what country you view it from!

Pantene Classic Clarify? I'll have to look for it.
Is this it? (http://www.boots.com/en/Pantene-Clarifying-Shampoo-500ml_1244616/)

I'm not sure. I've got this one (http://images.totalbeauty.com/content/photos/oily-hair-products-pantene-purity-clarifying-shampoo-08.jpg), but this one's been recently discontinued, I believe.

[Anje]

Clearly, it's too much to ask that a company unify their product lines internationally! :lol:

[Panth]

No the classic will not work. Ice shine, the detox one and they have another will work for your needs.

Pantene ProV Classic Clarifying Shampoo and Pantene Classic Care Shampoo are not the same thing. (Yeah, confusing. I know...)

The Clarifying one is in a clear bottle with a blue label (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pantene-81430851-Clarifying-Shampoo-400ml/dp/B00D46GWYA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427149745&sr=8-1&keywords=clarifying+shampoo+pantene) and is clear shampoo and says 'Classic clarifying shampoo' on it. The other one is in a white bottle (but still, a blue label) (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pantene-Classic-Clean-Shampoo-400/dp/B00D46GWOK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427149773&sr=8-2&keywords=classic+shampoo+pantene) and says 'Classic care shampoo' on and (I think) is a pearlescent shampoo.

Ice Shine, etc. may work... I'm not sure. They are good in that they are low-ingredient and lack conditioning/coating ingredients and 'cones. However, as I said above, that's not the only component of a clarifying shampoo - you also need a high concentration of surfactants that can remove 'cones. I'm not sure that Ice Shine, etc. has as high of a concentration as the actual Classic Clarifying one. (Also, I think Ice Shine is dicontinued in the USA, so many people here won't be able to get it anyway.)

[Lavendersugar]

Pantene ProV Classic Clarifying Shampoo and Pantene Classic Care Shampoo are not the same thing. (Yeah, confusing. I know...)

The Clarifying one is in a clear bottle with a blue label (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pantene-81430851-Clarifying-Shampoo-400ml/dp/B00D46GWYA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427149745&sr=8-1&keywords=clarifying+shampoo+pantene) and is clear shampoo and says 'Classic clarifying shampoo' on it. The other one is in a white bottle (but still, a blue label) (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pantene-Classic-Clean-Shampoo-400/dp/B00D46GWOK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427149773&sr=8-2&keywords=classic+shampoo+pantene) and says 'Classic care shampoo' on and (I think) is a pearlescent shampoo.

Ice Shine, etc. may work... I'm not sure. They are good in that they are low-ingredient and lack conditioning/coating ingredients and 'cones. However, as I said above, that's not the only component of a clarifying shampoo - you also need a high concentration of surfactants that can remove 'cones. I'm not sure that Ice Shine, etc. has as high of a concentration as the actual Classic Clarifying one. (Also, I think Ice Shine is dicontinued in the USA, so many people here won't be able to get it anyway.)


I was not aware of a classic clarifying shampoo. I live in a small town and what we get is very limited.

I have used the Ice Shine successfully to remove cone and mineral build up. This is why I suggested it. ;) we have horrible hard water. Just terrible stuff here.
I still see ice shine at Target and it is always restocked. But again small town and we are very slow at getting newer products. It is even hard to find Suave strawberry shampoo here.

My main one I use is kenra chelating shampoo. Suave clarifying also works but not so much for minerals.
If I run out of Kenra then I run to Sally's for Ions clarifying shampoo or their packs. Those packs are amazing!!! Especially for pre-henna.

[Panth]

I was not aware of a classic clarifying shampoo. I live in a small town and what we get is very limited.

I have used the Ice Shine successfully to remove cone and mineral build up. This is why I suggested it. ;) we have horrible hard water. Just terrible stuff here.
I still see ice shine at Target and it is always restocked. But again small town and we are very slow at getting newer products. It is even hard to find Suave strawberry shampoo here.

My main one I use is kenra chelating shampoo. Suave clarifying also works but not so much for minerals.
If I run out of Kenra then I run to Sally's for Ions clarifying shampoo or their packs. Those packs are amazing!!! Especially for pre-henna.

Cool to know that Ice Shine can work to both clarify and chelate.

And yeah, the availability thing is really irritating, especially in a small town. Never mind the country-by-country variation in products (and product labelling, and ingredients lists...).

[Lavendersugar]

Cool to know that Ice Shine can work to both clarify and chelate.

And yeah, the availability thing is really irritating, especially in a small town. Never mind the country-by-country variation in products (and product labelling, and ingredients lists...).

Wonder if the products varying by country have to do with regulations?