Is it always necessary to clarify?

[Kat Girl]

I keep reading about the need to clarify, but I'm not sure when or even if I need to. I don't usually feel build up in my hair. Although my hair is naturally fine and oily, but it's also still very damaged from a bad color job that I'm growing out. I wash with a cleansing conditioner every day that adds a lot of moisture (which is what I need for my damaged length/ends) but before the day is over, my roots are so oily and greasy they look wet and gross. But then as soon as I wash again it looks and feels fine. Anyway all of that to say that while my roots do get oily, I wash them and I'm not sure about build up. How do I know if (or how much) build up I have and when to clarify?

[perizade]

I can only speak for myself, but I've found that I build up residue very easily which makes for messy awful hair. I just use Suave clarifying once a week and that usually fixes it.

[Messyhair]

I'll add my experience: I never seem to develop build-up, and clarifying only makes my hair dry and tangle-prone. So I just don't do it any more. I've been growing out from a pixie for over 2 years now, having never clarified at all in that time. I gave it up last time I grew my hair out from a pixie, which was many moons ago.

[-Cookiez-]

it really depends on your hair. I do it every 1 or 2 weeks to keep my hair in workable shape. Just see what is best for you. :)

[Kristin]

I usually clarify once every 2-4 weeks if I need it. Usually what happens is that my hair feels sticky, dry, or just "wrong." I'll deep condition it once or twice before realizing it needs to be clarified. It probably isn't necessary, but if your hair is feeling gross, I would definitely try it before trimming.

[SurprisingWoman]

I never clarify. I tried it once.

Ick.

Listen to your hair.

:)

[jojo]

Id never even heard of clarifying before joining hair forums. I tried it and loved it, it makes my hair have that " just washed and blown at a salon" feel, so I now do this once a month without fail.

[lapushka]

If I used silicone-free conditioner, and styling products last wash, then a scalp wash is usually fine, with the suds falling to the length. If I used a silicone conditioner, and styling products before, then the next wash both scalp & length get thoroughly washed. For me, that's the best method.

[ravenreed]

I only clarify when my ends start acting and feeling like velcro. If I cannot run a comb all the way to the ends because there are so many snarls, even when it has been up all day, I know it is time. I used to need to do it once a month when I started at LHC. Now I can go three months or more.

[ericthegreat]

It really depends on your own particular hair. If your hair ever feels heavy, sticky, or really rough feeling then most likely you do indeed have buildup and you will need to clarify. A good clarifying shampoo or a good AVC rinse should work to clarify your hair.

[Anje]

I can go months with CO washing and not clarifying. I really think buildup depends on the products you use, your water, and how your hair reacts to both.

[co.co]

I really think buildup depends on the products you use, your water, and how your hair reacts to both.

I was going to ask - what exactly causes the buildup which needs to be clarified out? I CO and oil and do deep treatments so would I be a candidate? :p

[Anje]

Silicones and proteins are the first culprits for buildup for me. Soap scum (from soap-based shampoos and hard water), hard water, and some plant extracts are other ingredients that build up pretty easily for a lot of people. Then there are the weirder ones -- some people find that the waxy alcohols in conditioner build up for them, others get buildup from panthenol. Some unsaturated oils can crosslink and form a film on hair in the same way that linseed oil coats wood.

If your hair starts getting unmanageable or feels dry and doesn't respond well to moisture treatments, it's a good sign that you have buildup. If ends begin to feel grabby or velcro-like, buildup is worth eliminating before assuming the problem is damage. For the mainstream haircare folks, buildup tends to be why products "stop working" and switching brands fixes the problem.

[aisling]

If I used silicone-free conditioner, and styling products last wash, then a scalp wash is usually fine, with the suds falling to the length. If I used a silicone conditioner, and styling products before, then the next wash both scalp & length get thoroughly washed. For me, that's the best method.

Other ingredients than silicones in conditioners for example can also build up, like proteins and different moisturising agents. It depends a lot on your hair, water, routine if you get buildup, I can get buildup from cone free and protein free conditioners. Don't be tricked into believing just silicones are the "bad" guys.


It really depends on your own particular hair. If your hair ever feels heavy, sticky, or really rough feeling then most likely you do indeed have buildup and you will need to clarify. A good clarifying shampoo or a good AVC rinse should work to clarify your hair.

ACV does NOT clairfy, it just helps products rinse out better and cleaner, without living a residue. Yes, you can clean soap scum and such with ACV, but you have to soak it away and I doubt anybody will soak their hair for 20 minutes in full strength vinegar. So ACV is not really clarifying, a good shampoo with harsher sulphates will generally work well when you want to clarify, as do baking soda, which I personally find terribly harsh. Many others like using baking soda, usually followed by a weak acv rinse for the pH balance.

[ericthegreat]

I just re-checked the Articles section for myself and now I see what you are saying aisling. AVC is often involved in a clarifying routine to help re-acidify the hair after first using a poo bar or a shampoo with a rather high pH, but it itself is really not a clarifyer. The only thing that AVC by itself can remove is as you said soap scum and some hard water minerals.

[lapushka]

Other ingredients than silicones in conditioners for example can also build up, like proteins and different moisturising agents. It depends a lot on your hair, water, routine if you get buildup, I can get buildup from cone free and protein free conditioners. Don't be tricked into believing just silicones are the "bad" guys.

Thanks; never thought about that. Good to know!:)