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colormehappy
April 16th, 2019, 08:39 AM
I bought a clarifying shampoo and clarified my hair last week. My hair had been seeming a little bit weighted at the roots, and I had been using a lot more oil recently since I began ROO. I figured maybe clarifying was the solution since it seemed to help so many other people with their hair problems. I’d never clarified my hair before that I can remember and thought perhaps I was missing out.

Well, I was wrong. Sure, my roots aren’t as weighted anymore, but my length is dry, brittle feeling, and very tangly. Before I clarified, my length was moisturized and soft (thanks ROO!) and it basically didn’t tangle.

Since clarifying, I’ve tried oiling before washing. I’ve tried putting oil on the entire length after shampooing, not rinsing it out, then applying conditioner. I’ve tried oiling it after getting out of the shower while it’s still wet. And STILL it’s so dry and frizzy and tangly. It’s sad. I’m sad. Is there anything else I can do? Will my hair ever recover from this, or is it going to be perpetually dry going forward until there’s new, un-clarified growth?

I’ve thought about stretching washes and trying to move the natural oil down my length, but my hair doesn’t get really oily very quickly, and my scalp doesn’t tolerate going more than four or five days between washes, and my hair is too short to do scalp washes.

Maybe I just need to give it some time to adjust back to its normal state? I just don’t know.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

MoonRabbit
April 16th, 2019, 08:49 AM
I always follow up a clarifying with a deep conditioner. Let it sit on your hair for a good 30 to 50 minutes.

spitfire511
April 16th, 2019, 09:13 AM
I always follow up a clarifying with a deep conditioner. Let it sit on your hair for a good 30 to 50 minutes.

This - sounds like it may be over dry and in need of a really good DCT!

blackgothicdoll
April 16th, 2019, 09:17 AM
Yep! After clarifying I DC with a heat cap (you can use plastic cap, warm towel, whatever's clever) for half an hour or more. I may even condition again after the deep condition. Clarifying can be rough, and it may have been more than your hair needed, possibly, but you do need to get some moisture back in there.

Begemot
April 16th, 2019, 09:19 AM
^ Bingo. What brand is your clarifying shampoo OP? Have you used it before successfully?

colormehappy
April 16th, 2019, 09:22 AM
Ah! Sounds like I missed an important step in the clarifying process. Is there any way I can DIY a DCT with stuff around the kitchen? I’m not really loving the idea of going out and buying something and doing the whole trial and error thing. My hair is pretty finicky on what it likes.

Begemot
April 16th, 2019, 09:25 AM
Try honey, aloe vera gel or juice, some oil maybe :)

neko_kawaii
April 16th, 2019, 09:26 AM
Your standard conditioner will probably work just fine. If you have aloe and honey (heated) you can add that, but they aren't necessary. You really just need a moisturizing conditioner.

colormehappy
April 16th, 2019, 11:57 AM
Try honey, aloe vera gel or juice, some oil maybe :)


Your standard conditioner will probably work just fine. If you have aloe and honey (heated) you can add that, but they aren't necessary. You really just need a moisturizing conditioner.

Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve got aloe and honey so I’ll add them to my conditioner next time I wash. Fingers crossed it helps! No more full-strength clarifying for me haha.

colormehappy
April 16th, 2019, 12:25 PM
^ Bingo. What brand is your clarifying shampoo OP? Have you used it before successfully?

Oh whoops! I missed this. I used Acure lemongrass and argan. My hair doesn’t like sulfates or cones, and it’s the same brand as the shampoo and conditioner that I use and like a lot. I’d never clarified before, so this was a first for both the shampoo and clarifying. Next time — well, if I feel like it’s ever necessary again — I’ll definitely dilute it and see if that makes a difference.

Begemot
April 16th, 2019, 12:30 PM
Sounds like a good plan :thumbsup:

lapushka
April 16th, 2019, 01:22 PM
I typically condition twice after clarifying, and I weekly wash / weekly clarify, because I use styling products in the hair and an oil rinse and I like to start off from a clean slate. It is typical that your hair is dry after clarifying. But that is what conditioner's for. :)

SurprisingWoman
April 16th, 2019, 03:21 PM
My hair hates to be clarified. I don't use a lot of products on my hair so I really don't have a reason to anyway. You might not need it. Not everyone does.

My hair also hates aloe so we are all different.

MusicalSpoons
April 16th, 2019, 04:47 PM
My hair hates to be clarified. I don't use a lot of products on my hair so I really don't have a reason to anyway. You might not need it. Not everyone does.

My hair also hates aloe so we are all different.

Indeed. 'Clarifying' for me means shampooing the length with my usual, very mild shampoo; it's also very rarely needed. I think I might have done it twice last year, while I was still using slightly more oil for ROO than my hair really needed. 'Clarifying' for the roots means using a clear shampoo (sulphate-free or sulphate-mild) because my usual shampoo has plant oils in. My hair seems very happy without anything more stripping :)

lithostoic
April 16th, 2019, 05:01 PM
I don't clarify ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You might want to try an SMT. Here is a link. (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)

milosmomma
April 16th, 2019, 11:20 PM
Diluting is a good idea too. Did you clarify all your lengths or just shampoo the scalp and letting the suds run down? I can usual;y get away with the latter unless I've really coated my hair in something and need a good scrub down on the whole thing. In which case I agree a deep condish should straighten you out :)

colormehappy
April 19th, 2019, 09:49 PM
My hair hates to be clarified. I don't use a lot of products on my hair so I really don't have a reason to anyway. You might not need it. Not everyone does.

My hair also hates aloe so we are all different.


Indeed. 'Clarifying' for me means shampooing the length with my usual, very mild shampoo; it's also very rarely needed. I think I might have done it twice last year, while I was still using slightly more oil for ROO than my hair really needed. 'Clarifying' for the roots means using a clear shampoo (sulphate-free or sulphate-mild) because my usual shampoo has plant oils in. My hair seems very happy without anything more stripping :)

It's good to hear from others that don't clarify regularly or at all. I was worried stuff was building up in my hair, but perhaps I'm also one of those that doesn't need to clarify much or ever.



Diluting is a good idea too. Did you clarify all your lengths or just shampoo the scalp and letting the suds run down? I can usual;y get away with the latter unless I've really coated my hair in something and need a good scrub down on the whole thing. In which case I agree a deep condish should straighten you out :)

I just used shampoo on my scalp, but since my hair is still at SL, the whole length probably gets the full-blown shampoo experience unfortunately. I just bought a deep conditioner since my regular conditioner apparently didn't cut it during the whole clarifying trial. Fingers crossed it helps my hair recover!

littlestarface
April 19th, 2019, 09:54 PM
Sometimes hair just doesn't need it, the only time you need to clarify/chelate is when your hair feels like crap,tangly and like product is on it when there is none.

Joules
April 20th, 2019, 04:54 AM
Your standard conditioner will probably work just fine. If you have aloe and honey (heated) you can add that, but they aren't necessary. You really just need a moisturizing conditioner.

I second this. After I clarify I just apply a regular thick conditioner, roots to tips (not actual roots, I don't apply conditioner on my scalp obv), I may even brush my hair to spread the conditioner more evenly. My current go-to is Botanique Detox from Tresemme (might be called Botanique Nourish and Replenish or something along those lines; the cone-free one with aloe vera and coconut). However much we may love oils, they aren't conditioning. Hair needs cationic surfactants to close its cuticles and make it softer and more manageable.

I clarify about once every 3 weeks. I have my own schedule that depends on multiple things; long story short, I clarify when my scalp feels like it could use a harsher shampoo. Hair comes second. After learning a bit about scalp and hair, I decided to prioritize the first.

Simsy
April 20th, 2019, 05:37 AM
I’m another one who rarely clarifies. A decent scrub with a relatively good shampoo once a week is more than enough; and I have to follow up with 5-10 mins soaking in conditioner. Clarifying is stripping your hair of everything; makes sense that you would need to put some juice back in before calling the job finished.