What makes a shampoo clarifying?

[louzen]

Hi there,

Apologies if there's been a post about this already, but I couldn't find it when I searched for the topic.

I was wondering what ingredients make a shampoo clarifying? I have eczema on my scalp and am trying to find ways of clarifying it without making the dryness worse (harsh sulfates are a no-no for me). I am currently using a shampoo for dry scalp (Allergenics shampoo) which contains citric acid. I read somewhere that this ingredient is clarifying, but since it's at the bottom of the ingredients list, it might not be enough. The ingredients of the shampoo are:

Aloe barbadensis, Aqua, decyl Glucoside (from glucose), Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate (from coconut), rapeseed sterol (GMO free soyabean source), Capryloyl Glycine (from palm & sunflower seeds), Coco Glucoside (coconut oil & glucose), Glyceryl Oleate (natural glycerin & Oleic acid), Arome (natural essential oils and flowers), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Allantoin (from sugar beet), Cysteine HCI (natural amino acid), Xanthan Gum (natural), Borago Officinalis (borage seed oil), Sodium Hydroxide (natural), Citric Acid.

Also, is white vinegar clarifying? I have started to use it as a rinse but I have read conflicting opinions about whether it clarifies.

Thanks!

[Siiri]

Have you seen these articles in the article section about clarifying? I find these are quite helpful:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=224

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=194

And no that shampoo is not clarifying, acidic rinses don't clarify but they can remove soap scum if you use soap to wash your hair, and some of them can help remove minerals.

If you want to avoid sulfates, you can use baking soda to clarify. After baking soda, you should use an acidic rinse because baking soda is alkaline.

[heidi w.]

Hi there,

Apologies if there's been a post about this already, but I couldn't find it when I searched for the topic.

I was wondering what ingredients make a shampoo clarifying? I have eczema on my scalp and am trying to find ways of clarifying it without making the dryness worse (harsh sulfates are a no-no for me). I am currently using a shampoo for dry scalp (Allergenics shampoo) which contains citric acid. I read somewhere that this ingredient is clarifying, but since it's at the bottom of the ingredients list, it might not be enough. The ingredients of the shampoo are:

Aloe barbadensis, Aqua, decyl Glucoside (from glucose), Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate (from coconut), rapeseed sterol (GMO free soyabean source), Capryloyl Glycine (from palm & sunflower seeds), Coco Glucoside (coconut oil & glucose), Glyceryl Oleate (natural glycerin & Oleic acid), Arome (natural essential oils and flowers), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Allantoin (from sugar beet), Cysteine HCI (natural amino acid), Xanthan Gum (natural), Borago Officinalis (borage seed oil), Sodium Hydroxide (natural), Citric Acid.

Also, is white vinegar clarifying? I have started to use it as a rinse but I have read conflicting opinions about whether it clarifies.

Thanks!

No vinegar is actually clarifying in that it does not remove what has dried on top of the cuticle layer; however, if the hair is still wet and has some residual product on it, it can remove that but ONLY in that specific hair wash only. Once it's dried on the hair, vinegar cannot "clarify". The primary benefit of such a rinse is that it resets the pH balance of the acid mantle. (If you don't know what this is, it's easy to look on the internet and find out about it.) If you use Apple Cider Vinegar, which is not "white" (or clear vinegar, then you have the "mother" in it, that is malic acid from the pulp of apple in it which is said to be further beneficial to skin. I am not enumerating other benefits, since it was not asked about, but there are other benefits in lower hierarchy.

heidi w.

[louzen]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, apple cider vinegar is great - I have some in my cupboard with the 'mother' since we use it for medicinal purposes. I was a bit reluctant to use it on my hair since I'm blonde and I didn't want it to change the colour or bring out any red highlights.

Since I have a dry scalp, I might go down the baking soda route to clarify, or buy the 'Green Tea' clarifying shampoo from Aubrey organics and give it a try.

Does anyone know of any other shampoos that are clarifying and don't contain any sulfates? (and also suitable for dry scalps)

[jeanniet]

Citric acid is a chelator that will remove minerals, but it's also used as a preservative, and if it's that far down on the ingredients list that's probably why it's there.

First of all, don't clarify unless you need to. It doesn't have to be on a fixed schedule. Although I can have problems with products due to my well water, I don't need to clarify often, and I can't remember the last time I did it. Maybe a few times a year. So avoid it if you don't need it!

Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying shampoo is really nice. I think they still make it--I haven't bought it for a while. It's fairly gentle, but does a very good job at clarifying. I think you could also use Trader Joe's Refresh shampoo for clarifying, and that's not harsh either.

[louzen]

I've never clarified in my life (I thought I was with vinegar, but found out that's not the case), so I think I might be due one! :p

I think I have product build up on my scalp (it's hard and a bit shiny in some places), thus the reason for wanting to clarify.

Thanks for the info - I'll take a look at those clarifying shampoos you mentioned

[sibiryachka]

I've never clarified in my life (I thought I was with vinegar, but found out that's not the case), so I think I might be due one! :p

I think I have product build up on my scalp (it's hard and a bit shiny in some places), thus the reason for wanting to clarify.

Thanks for the info - I'll take a look at those clarifying shampoos you mentioned

I've always understood clarifying as being more directed at the hair than at the scalp. I may be way wrong about that, though...??

Anyway, if it's your scalp you're most concerned with, you might want to try an aspirin scrub. Just dissolve a few aspirin in a couple of drops of water, and add that to your shampoo. It's just salicylic acid, just like they use in acne treatments for the face. And since it's already acidic, you don't have to do anything further to rebalance the Ph.

[louzen]

I've always understood clarifying as being more directed at the hair than at the scalp. I may be way wrong about that, though...??

Anyway, if it's your scalp you're most concerned with, you might want to try an aspirin scrub. Just dissolve a few aspirin in a couple of drops of water, and add that to your shampoo. It's just salicylic acid, just like they use in acne treatments for the face. And since it's already acidic, you don't have to do anything further to rebalance the Ph.

Wow, thanks for the info - didn't know you could do that! I recently bought Scalpicin (non-steroid one) since it has 3% salicyclic acid and I did some research that said the acid would peel off the hardened product build up/sebum. I haven't noticed much change yet, although I've only used it a couple of times. I have a feeling I might need a stronger solution...