Hit Reset on Your Hair & Scalp with the Best Clarifying Shampoos
Isobel is a skincare obsessed Piscean hailing from Byron Bay. She studied law and journalism in Brisbane before moving to Sydney where she’s now living by the beach in Bondi. She’s worked as a Beauty Writer for BEAUTYcrew, a Digital Content Editor for Marie Claire and InStyle, and her words have appeared in Vogue, Gritty Pretty, ELLE, Women’s Health - and of course here - at Adore Beauty.
From styling product build-up to natural oils and dead skin (ick!), a lot can accumulate on the scalp and hair.
Sometimes you just need to hit reset. Enter: clarifying shampoos.
Like a spring clean designed for your noggin, these purifying products loosen grime, whisk away debris, and leave your locks (and scalp) feeling squeaky clean.
What Is Clarifying Shampoo?
In a nutshell, clarifying shampoo is a supercharged version of your regular hair wash, and it’s used in much the same way.
Such shampoos detox deeply and leave you with a clean slate. And those aren’t the only benefits of clarifying shampoo.
Besides leaving you feeling delightfully fresh, clarifying shampoos can also help prevent brassy tones, balance your hair’s pH levels, boost volume, and deliver loads of extra shine.
Here Are the 4 Best Clarifying Shampoos in Australia
A Botanical-Infused Wash To Clarify Oily Scalps
This wouldn’t be a complete guide to the best clarifying shampoo without mentioning this oily-hair saviour from iconic French beauty brand Kérastase. Formulated with balancing botanicals, Glycerine, and Vitamin B6, Kérastase Specifique Balancing Shampoo gently cleanses excess sebum from the scalp, leaving hair looking and feeling healthy. This clarifying shampoo for oily scalps contains no parabens or phthalates.
A vegan-friendly pick that’s suitable for all hair types, ELEVEN Deep Clean Shampoo goes the extra mile when cleansing, removing even the most stubborn of product build-up. Yet it’s surprisingly gentle and safe even for use on coloured hair. Deep Clean Shampoo is also made in a cruelty-free manner and contains no gluten.
An Aromatic Hair Wash To Stimulate Your Senses
With certified organic Rosemary, Peppermint, and Spearmint, this shampoo smells so incredible, you’ll never want to leave the shower. Plus, with clarifying Micelles and White Vinegar, your hair and scalp will love it too. The 98% naturally derived formula is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, and contains no silicones, phthalates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, or mineral oil.
How Often Should I Use a Clarifying Shampoo?
As a rule, clarifying shampoos are best used once or twice per week.
But every mane is different, so it’s important to use clarifying formulas at a frequency that works for you.
If your hair is prone to dryness, you might want to limit your clarifying shampoo usage to once per week.
On the other hand, if you routinely swim in chlorinated water or wash your hair in hard water, you may need to up your clarifying shampoo sessions.
On top of everything else they do, clarifying formulas can counter unwanted mineral accumulation in your strands.
Does Clarifying Shampoo Help With Dandruff?
Yes and no—the answer to this question isn’t clear-cut. Clarifying shampoos are hugely beneficial in removing oil, dead skin, product build-up, and other impurities that can irritate the scalp and cause dandruff.
However, you want to exercise caution when choosing your product and ensure that it’s suitable for dry, flaky scalps.
This is because some clarifying shampoos can worsen dandruff-prone scalps by stripping too much oil from an already dry head.
What Else Can I Do To Take Care of My Scalp?
Keeping your scalp healthy is crucial for healthy hair growth, but it’s a topic that’s never discussed enough.
Although we spend loads of time (and money) on products to style our strands, a lot of us tend to neglect our scalps.
Take this as your friendly reminder to pay your scalp some extra TLC. Your tresses will thank you.
Besides a deep-cleansing shampoo, you can turn to heaps of other clarifying scalp treatments—from scrubs to toners—that will also really help.
We strongly recommend making scalp care a regular part of your hair care regimen if you’d like to get your hair looking its best.
Find more of the best hair and scalp product recommendations in these guides...
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