Clarifying Shampoo

[ToilingSunbeam]

Hope this isn't badly explained/ worded. But..

I've got shoulder length hair and it's been giving me a world of trouble for the last few months and I can't really figure out why. I used to wash and condition it most days (this may have been a factor in my downfall), and it was always nice condition, not dry or frizzy. Fairly oily but nothing too troubling. It's quite fine hair but there's a lot of it. Anyhow since last summer it's gone sort of lifeless and frizzy. Like a bit dead on top and with a permanent haze of really fine jaggedy frizz as the top layer. So I went sort of mental buying loads of different weird deep conditioners. I don't really know what I'm doing by the way. I'll put on some strange l'oreal masque and it won't work or I'll spend a load of money I don't have on some super-expensive lavender shampoo that doesn't foam and basically the entire process is a big complicated nightmare. Like an over-written crime show on netflix that has too many storylines and you can't imagine ever resolving so you stop investing emotionally in the programme. For example I spent a whole month convinced I was iron deficient. Or spent a fortnight washing it in bottled water (I live in a hard water area). ANYHOW so the only thing that works is a lemon clarifying shampoo by Avalon Organics. It leaves it quite alive and soft and somehow cuts down on the frizz. Only problem is I know you're not supposed to use those every wash. Right? I mean I'm trying to leave it two days between washes, but quite quickly it seems to go dry/greasy on top and tangly. Is it alright to use a clarifying shampoo (bearing in mind it's organic ((whatever that means)) ) fairly regularly? I suppose that's my question. Anyhow sorry I feel like this is the worst worded post. And is quite possibly in the wrong forum. So, sorry if so!

[Nique1202]

I've used clarifying shampoos and nearly-clarifying shampoos at every wash for years. They're the only things that cut through my sebum.

The main "danger" of a clarifying shampoo is that it can strip the moisture out of the length and leave it dry and unruly. As long as you're happy with the feel and appearance of your hair, there's absolutely no harm in using whatever shampoo or conditioner you need to use.

[khryz]

As long as you're happy with it, and your hair is happy, why not?

[Ve]

You have to use what your hair wants and not be concerned about what you read, it will tell you the truth, I am finding this out on my own. You could dilute it maybe 1 to 5 parts water to make it milder and see if it is just as effective but block any concerns out and just go with how your hair feels.

[Daydreamer.]

It could be drying over time.

[arr]

I use a shampoo that, according to the ingredients list, would be considered clarifying every time I wash my hair, which is 3 or 4 times a week. Sometimes I dilute it, depending on my needs that day. I follow that with very hydrating conditioners. I have found through trial and error that this is the best routine for my hair. Your hair may be different, but yes, there are people who clarify every wash and don't destroy their hair.

[lapushka]

I use the Pantene Aqua Light, which meteor once explained had nice clarifying properties as well. I use that mostly every week. Sometimes I throw in Pantene's "real" clarifying shampoo (transparent bottle, navy cap). It's been a long while since I used the volumizing shampoo, but that's in there too. I mostly have my ends washed weekly as well, esp. when I do or did the rinse-out oil method.

I have well-behaved hair, I think. In the sense that my scalp is happy and my hair too (not talking about how it looks because that's a whole other story - it is a wild bunch of hair :lol:).

[renia22]

If you like the way your hair looks and feels, I would go ahead and just use it. I'm not sure why they still call that one a clarifying shampoo anyways, they've reformulated it, and it now contains gentle cleansers, plus things like Shea butter and polyquats, which hardly make it a truly "clarifying" shampoo anymore. It sounds like it's fine for you, and you're not having issues with it, so I'd keep using it..

[MsPharaohMoan]

First of all I love how you explained this, I was actually laughing. I am also in the camp of 'do what your hair likes'. Have you used the clarifying shampoo on your ends? Sounds like you might also have some buildup there causing tangles.

When you have some time to yourself I'd recommend piling your stash together and going through each ingredients list. Labels are notoriously deceptive because there are few rules for what cosmetic companies can advertise regarding their product. Hell, even the ingredients list won't tell you specific amounts. Start at the beginning (where the ingredients take up the most of the product) and do a quick google search or check out http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ for info on the particular ingredient and why it's used in the product. Educating yourself about what you're using on your hair is a step towards learning what and why your hair likes what it likes.

<3

[bunneh.]

You can use any shampoo every wash if you want to. It's generally not recommended to wash hair more than twice a week because of how drying it can be to hair or whatever, but if you feel the need to wash more often and use a strong shampoo every single time and it works for you, you should keep doing it. Nobody can tell you how your hair will behave after trying a certain shampoo, the only way to know this is by trying it yourself. If it works, there's no need to change your routine, if it doesn't, change one thing at a time and see how your hair behaves. Don't be afraid to experiment, hair is not THAT weak, just monitor how it feels and looks and after a while you will get to a routine that works perfectly for you.