How often do you clarify?

[Long_hair_bear]

Hey all!

Today was my monthly clarifying, protein treatment, and measuring day! :D Anywho, when I picked up my bottle of clarifying shampoo and read it, I laughed out loud. It says to use it once a week. Now I HATE the way clarifying makes my hair feel in the shower: kinda like wet straw. However, I have to do it to make the protein treatment work. But I could not imagine doing that to my hair once a week and I'm a cone user even! :thud:

How often do you clarify?how does it make your hair feel while wet? Are you a cone user? :D:D

[Laylah]

I never clarify, just shampoo/condition with regular stuff once a week. Even when I use cones I don't clarify, and it's perfectly fine.

[evieisocoolike]

I don't clarify with a clarifying shampoo. I just dilute my brothers' Axe shampoo and use it once every two months. I'm an avid cone user (CO on the scalp, cone laden condish on the length, and deep condition twice a week), and I really don't need to clarify every month. I don't know why, maybe because I'm a dry curly girl? Hmm. Anyway, it makes my hair feel really voluminous and heavy in the shower.

[MonicaJean]

As needed. However, "clarify" for me, simply means using a bit of watered down sulfate shampoo. Oh and I should also add that I am a cone user (except at the moment I'm trying water only). I never shampoo my hair to the point it feels rough though.

[earthnut]

And regular shampoos say to use them every day, which we know doesn't work for everyone. Ignore it.

I've never used a clarifying shampoo, but I've used baking soda and regular shampoo to clarify. When I was using a coney conditioner, I clarified once every 1-2 years. I would decide to clarify if my hair started not behaving as nicely, not according to any schedule.

[jacqueline101]

I clarify monthly.

[Kaelee]

Once or twice a week. I follow with Aussie 3MM...every other day I just shampoo followed by leave in coconut oil.

I use V05 clarifying shampoo, the green one. It's 85 cents :lol:

[holothuroidea]

I clarify with baking soda and ACV/lemon juice on the first of the month. That's also when I measure/take length pictures. I like to take length pictures with my hair with it's "natural wave" because even though it's not very wavy the flippy ends do eat up some length and I'm tracking progress with body markers.

I just like to eliminate as many variables as possible because I'm a nerd like that.

[dwell_in_safety]

I clarify as-needed. I don't use -cones, so that translates to once every 3-4 months, on the average. It makes my hair feel very heavy in the shower, and poofs it out once it's dry.

[turtlelover]

Maybe once a month if my head feels itchy or my hair a bit crunchy.

[Vanilla]

About once every two weeks. If I'm doing a DT, I clarify my hair prior to that. I've done this technique since high school, and it's worked well for my hair (it was waist length then).

[Kittykins]

I don't use cones, do I need to clarify?

[lw8666]

I clarify when my hair feels like it needs it. Sometimes once month, sometimes more often.

[elbow chic]

Maybe once a week. I like that feeling of super-clean, light hair... plus it makes my blonde look REALLY blonde. I use Suave's "Daily Clarifying."

[Bedhead]

I didn't know about clarifying until a few months ago, so I have only clarified once in my life and that was a few weeks ago. Although I'm not washing my hair with water, am putting olive oil on the very ends about once a week, so I'm not sure if I would need to clarify as long as I stay on NW/SO? If I do, I doubt it would have to be clarified very often. (maybe this isn't relevant to what you're looking for though?)

[jessa]

I CO with no cones but sulfates and I used to clarify monthly (I used to use cones so i wanted to rid of all that.)
I actually clarified a week ago and my hair took the entire week to recover. the ends were soo dry and my hair felt gross and generally dry regardless of covering with coconut oil. I have decided to give up clarifying unless I feel I really need it.

How can you tell if your hair NEEDS clarifying?

[Teazel]

I CO with no cones but sulfates and I used to clarify monthly (I used to use cones so i wanted to rid of all that.)
I actually clarified a week ago and my hair took the entire week to recover. the ends were soo dry and my hair felt gross and generally dry regardless of covering with coconut oil. I have decided to give up clarifying unless I feel I really need it.

How can you tell if your hair NEEDS clarifying?

Jessa, there's an article on clarifying here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=224). Clarifying strips away product and so exposes any problems, so if your hair was dry after clarifying maybe you need to see about increasing its moisture content. Coconut oil may not be doing the job. Did you use conditioner after clarifying?

To answer the OP, I love what clarifying shampoo does for my hair, so I've probably used it too often. Once a week would not be unusual for me.... :whistle: ... but I'm trying to do it less often.

[jessa]

Jessa, there's an article on clarifying here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=224). Clarifying strips away product and so exposes any problems, so if your hair was dry after clarifying maybe you need to see about increasing its moisture content. Coconut oil may not be doing the job. Did you use conditioner after clarifying?

To answer the OP, I love what clarifying shampoo does for my hair, so I've probably used it too often. Once a week would not be unusual for me.... :whistle: ... but I'm trying to do it less often.

Thank you for the article link, it answered my question perfectly. Yes, whenever I have clarified, I always followed with CO wash, White Vinegar rinse and then coconut oil when the hair is damp. Im thinking a SMT is in order. Ive been meaning to try it since I joined but thought coconut oil would be enough moisture.

Thank you again for your reply :)

[luxepiggy]

NEVERRRRRR! \(^(oo)^)/

Amodimethicone doesn't build up (^(oo)^)v

[afu]

I just do it whenever my hair starts feeling 'odd'! However my hair really hates clarifying shampoo so now i just add a little baking soda to conditioner every so often. My hair always feels like straw when wet after using a clarifying shampoo, its not so bad when it dries but CO works for me so sticking with a conditioner base works best

[kidari]

Back when I used tons of styling products I used to clarify every week or every two weeks. Now that I pretty much only use leave-in conditioners and oils on my hair I don't even really need to clarify once a month. I clarify every 5-6 weeks before a deep treatment so that all the ingredients can really benefit my hair and put moisture back in after stripping everything off of it.

[hellucy]

I clarify generally once a month, At the moment I'm started using Dove Oil Care shampoo & conditioner which seems quite cone heavy & makes my hair super slippy so it may build up quite quickly, if I try something new that doesn't work I clarify to remove that before trying something else. I always follow up with a DT to avoid any dryness. I also clarify before henna.

[Mina17]

I think those directions to clarify weekly are for those who use lots of styling products.

I don't keep track of how often I clarify. I do it when my hair starts to feel funny and misbehave. If I had to guess I would say around every 3 weeks.

I use baking soda followed by a vinegar rinse to clarify. Clarifying shampoos make my hair really frizzy and brittle feeling. For some reason baking soda makes my hair soft, light, and silky.

[millyaulait]

Usually once every two weeks, maybe once a week depending on what I'm doing, but that's rare.

I don't use a clarifying shampoo though, just a regular one, but all over instead of just on the scalp.

I think it works well for me, I probably BS+ACV once a month or two. :)

[Neneka]

Never. :) Poo bar removes everything that "builds up" on my hair (that means coconut oil and leave-in conditioner, everything I put on my hair between washes).

[Iolanthe13]

Maybe once every two weeks or so? I'm trying a shampoo+catnip routine right now, but have had to interrupt it a few times - when I start over, I clarify first to get rid of anything that would cause build-up and get in the way of the catnip.

[lapushka]

Meh... Once every few weeks or so? Yeah, I think so.

[lolot]

i did it once a week and my hair started to get dry so now i do it when i feel my hair is dull

[Sillage]

About once a month

[Zindell]

I never clarify, just shampoo/condition with regular stuff once a week. Even when I use cones I don't clarify, and it's perfectly fine.

I second this :)

[arcane]

I like to clarify every week, however since I had dyed my hair with veggie dyes for a few months I've been skipping clarifying as it strips the colour out. I get a lot of scalp build up no matter if I use cones or not (and depending on how I'm feeling at the time I use cones or I don't, my hair doesn't care) so I like to clarify, and it doesn't dry my hair out, my hair typically is at it's best after I clarify.

[Kiwiwi]

I clarify when needed. Which is about once a month most of the time.
When my ends start feeling very crunchy and a bit velcro-y and I start to think "Oh no! I need to trim!" then I clarify. It always helps. Soft ends again.
I clarify with a strong sulfate shampoo.
After clarifying I will use a lot of protein conditioner to give my hair some protein because I don't use it otherwise and after clarifying is the best time. And after the protein I saturate my hair in a moisturizing conditioner.

My hair feels like wet straw indeed afterthe clarifying shampoo. I hate it. I'm afraid I break my hair very easly then. And I used to use heavy sulfates every single day! =\
It usually still feels a bit like straw after my shower even though I finished with a moisturizing conditioner. But I'm careful and I always use oil as a leave in and that feels great after clarifying :)

[jeanniet]

I hardly ever clarify. I don't get much build-up over time--generally my issue is more with products that don't work with my water, and that's apparent right off the bat. If the products work, then I don't have a problem.

[Mairéad]

I used a chelating shampoo, which is also clarifying, every few weeks or so. It makes my hair feel really nice and it smells like grapefruit so I have been known to use it for the heck of it all. I am not a cone user, except for the very tiny, tiny portion of amodimethicome in my leave in.

[racrane]

As needed - usually once a month :) But it depends. I use VO5 - it's cheap and it works

[constructamane]

I think it really has to do with the fineness of your hair. My hair is fine, and I like to use hairproducts that protect and volumize because it is fine. I clarify weekly to get rid of build up with.....VO5 Lime squeeze condish

[pepperminttea]

How often do you clarify?how does it make your hair feel while wet? Are you a cone user? :D:D

About 3-4 times a year, that seems to be how often my hair needs it generally. Your description on the feeling was apt; wet straw!

I am a 'cone user, but only selectively; most of my routine is 'cone-free, but I sometimes use a bit of 'cone conditioner or leave-in to help with tangles. Do love me some of that 'coney slip! :D

[Tisiloves]

I don't clarify per-se, but I do use a swimming 2in1 after swimming, so up to twice a week. It feels fine.

[Faux]

I never clarify. If you take care of your hair, you shouldn't ever need to. I don't think its good for your hair - it strips the oils right off!

[Henrietta]

I'm a cone user and I clarify when I somehow feel the need for it- when I have signs of buildup or I assume it's there since, say, I used a heavy serum a few times. I use SLS (and coney, but it works) shampoo. My regular one, actually, but I use more to clarify and do a full wash, scalp and length.
It makes my hair squeaky clean :)

[Ticky]

There isn't a strict schedule, whenever my hair starts looking like it needs it, every few months or so. And yes, I am a cone user for now :)

[amylou]

I try to clarify once a month. I do use cones and if I clarify too often, my hair feels so dried out.