Every once in a while, your usual shampoo just stops cutting it. You get out of the shower and your strands still feel greasy and weighed down with residue. It's not that you washed wrong — you just need a clarifying shampoo that will get rid of buildup.
From daily spritzes of dry shampoos and hair serums, to long weekend nights that require an ecosystem of hairspray and gels, hair gets bogged down by styling products left, right, and center. And that's when a strong clarifying shampoo comes in handy: It strips it all away in just one, quick wash.
There is one caveat: Since clarifying shampoo is so strong, a lot of people complain that it leaves their hair dry and their scalp itchy. But that's a problem easily avoided with a little bit of research. To start us off, below are 11 different kinds of clarifying shampoos meant to target all sorts of different needs. From color treated hair and dandruff ailments, to daily cleansers and 100 percent natural ingredients, there's something for everyone. Get your scalp cleaner than it ever has been by test-driving one of these amazing formulas — you won't regret it.
1Rapunzel Organic Clarifying Shampoo
Rapunzel Organic Clarifying Shampoo, $19, Amazon
Not only does this shampoo clarify, but it's also supposed to make your hair grow like crazy. It uses zero chemicals and instead has follicle stimulating ingredients like rosemary, jojoba, chamomile, asparagus, and olive oil.
2Peppermint Clarifying Shampoo With Tea Tree Oil
Peppermint Clarifying Shampoo With Tea Tree Oil, $17, Amazon
This particular shampoo is meant to help with a dry scalp, dandruff, psoriasis, and eczema. It's supposed to be perfectly safe for color treated hair, and also offers your strands lasting UV protection.
3Oribe Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo
Oribe Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo, $45, Amazon
This shampoo comes in the form of a mousse that transforms into a lather once you add water. One of its main ingredients is volcanic ash, which is meant to attract dirt and polish away all your grime and buildup.
4Natures Essential Organics Clarifying Shampoo
Natures Essential Organics Clarifying Shampoo, $24, Amazon
An organic shampoo, its natural ingredients are meant to be game changers for your locks. The main ingredient in this particular concoction is aloe vera, which will smooth out your hair shafts to make them shinier, glossier, and more manageable. It also uses Manuka Honey, which has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties and will take care of ailments like dandruff. Australian Cehami is also on the ingredients list, and it reduces inflammation, which will get rid of any itchiness.
5Kenra Clarifying Shampoo
Kenra Clarifying Shampoo, $13, Amazon
This shampoo is color safe and even promises to brighten any color treated or grey hair. It uses grapefruit and witch hazel extracts along with amino acid chelators to take away buildup and hair-dulling deposits.
6R+Co Oblivion Clarifying Shampoo
R+Co Oblivion Clarifying Shampoo, $24, Amazon
This particular shampoo nixes buildup from chlorine, hard water, and styling products, giving a fresh, clean slate to work with after your shower. Its key ingredients are rosemary leaf extract and witch hazel (which strip away the buildup) and coconut oil, which helps to strengthen and moisturize the strands.
7African Black Soap Cleansing Shampoo
African Black Soap Cleansing Shampoo, $13, Amazon
Using shea moisturizer to soften and African black soap to strip, this is a powerful shampoo that will cleanse any buildup or residue. This particular mixture isn't okay for color treated hair, and is meant to be used once a week or so rather than every day in order to avoid creating dry strands.
8Davines Solu Clarifying Solution Shampoo
Davines Solu Clarifying Solution Shampoo, $15, Amazon
It might be a small bottle but it packs a punch. A deep clarifying shampoo, it's recommended you only use it about once a week or after a day of using heavy hair products. It'll take all the impurities out of your strands, but if you use it too much it will leave your strands dry.
9N.4 High Performance Hair Care
N.4 High Performance Hair Care, $17, Amazon
This is an all-purpose, gentle cleanser — it's so gentle, in fact, that you can use it with color treated hair and as a face and body wash. It also smells fantastic with a blend of White Freesia, golden amber, and warm musk.
10Citrus and Mint Daily Shampoo
Puracy Natural Daily Shampoo, $24, Amazon
This mixture was created by PhD chemists and is meant to be used as a gentle, daily cleanser for your hair. Coconut-based and sulfate-free, it creates a luxurious, gentle lather. It also uses Vitamin E and olive oil to nix static (excellent for winter!) and citrus and mint to invigorate the scalp.
11Mother Dirt Sulfate Free Shampoo
Mother Dirt Sulfate Free Shampoo, $15, Amazon
Mother Dirt uses all plant-based materials and promises to clean your hair so thoroughly, you'll end up shampooing less often a week. It also has no fragrance or scent, and uses zero chemicals, making an all-natural product.
As you can see, there's a product for everything. Try one of these out and see how your hair game completely transforms.
Images: Amazon (12)
