Clarifying shampoos are specially designed to lift product buildup. If you have one, do not, I repeat, do not, use it regularly.
If you use a lot of heavy products, such as gels, greases and anything that coats your hair then you would benefit from a monthly wash with a clarifying shampoo, even once every 6 weeks would be ample. Signs that your hair has too much product buildup: 1. Your shampoo doesn't lather well (note that some natural shampoos don't lather so if you've never used that shampoo before this could be the issue). 2. You shampoo doesn't seem to clean your hair well. It still feels oily or greasy after you've supposedly washed it. 3. Your hair is lacking in bounce, body and pliability. 4. Your hair's breaking and you don't know why. This would happen because the hair is actually dry but because it's coated, moisture (i.e. water) is failing to penetrate. Why can't a sulfate-free shampoo deal with this situation? They are too gentle. They are designed not to strip hair so they cannot deal with build up. What do you do if you don't want to use a clarifying shampoo? If like me you don't want to use a clarifying shampoo because you think it's a) too strong for your hair or b) you don't usually use heavy products or even c) you don't want to buy a product that will only be used monthly, then for a more intensive wash just use a regular sulfate-containing shampoo. My husband has one of those so I can just use his. In fact, right now he's using Mixed Chicks shampoo which I bought by accident and later learnt contains sulfate. That mistake cost me $18 - not good! Anything else? Just one thing: a clarifying shampoo will strip your hair so make sure you follow up with a deep condition, a good moisturiser and an oil to seal.
If there's one thing that's frequently discussed in natural hair forums it's the fact that sulfates in shampoo dry out hair. Sulfates can also dry out and irritate the scalp. If you look at a shampoo bottle as a natural haired girl you don't want to see:
I knew what I didn't want as the detergent in my shampoo but I didn't know what I DID want? I would pick up a bottle and if the above-mentioned ingredients weren't there I'd take it. The problem with this strategy is that, at times, manufacturers combine several 'gentle' hair detergents and in combination the shampoo dries hair out more than a regular sulfate shampoo. So, which detergents are gentler? A much gentler and less irritating cleansing agent is Cocamidopropyl Betaine. This is an organically derived ingredients which is partly derived from coconut oil. Personally, I use Kinky Curly Come Clean. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is its only detergent.
What's the disadvantage of Cocamidopropyl Betaine?
The advantage is also the disadvantage. It's not a stong detergent so if you have very greasy hair it won't clean efficiently. If you've been using heavy products you'll need something stronger like a regular sulfate shampoo to get the build-up out. Is there something even gentler than Cocamidopropyl Betaine? Yes. Decyl Glucoside. This is very, very mild. One range that uses this gentle cleanser is Aubrey Organics. I used an Aubrey Organics shampoo first when I went natural but I couldn't get past the fact that it doesn't lather. Are there any other detergents you probably would rather not have in your shampoo? Yes:
There you have it, your shampoo bottle reading should now hopefully be much easier! References: Good Guide, Herbal Luxuries, There Must Be A Better Way, Science of Black Hair
Shampoos are generally formulated as mildly acidic with a pH ranging from 4 to 6.
The corresponding conditioner is then formulated to be more acidic with a pH ranging from 3.5 to 5.0. Why does this matter for your hair? As pH falls hair constricts and becomes less porous, i.e. your hair retains moisture much better and is shinier. This means that as you clean your hair, the lower the pH of the final product used in the process, the better your hair cuticle is sealed off. What if you don't want to use a shampoo and conditioner in the same line? There are a couple of simple solutions:
For the most part, the shampoos you find in your local store are too harsh for natural hair. They will more than likely dry your hair out too much - due to strong detergents called sulphates/sulfates. This has led some to follow "no poo" hair regimens.
How to clean your hair without shampoo: 1. The water-only method You wash your hair with warm water only. Warm water helps to dislodge oils and and dirt. As you wash your hair, you massage the scalp and squeeze the hair gently to rinse out the dirt. Who might the water only method suit?
Is water-only a good idea? I don't know, I have never tried it but here is one lady that had a negative experience with the water-only method. 2. The baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate) method Under this method, a couple of tablespoons of baking soda are mixed with two or three litres of water and used to wash the hair. The result/benefit of washing with baking soda:
The disadvantage of washing with baking soda:
3. An apple cider vinegar (ACV) wash I probably wouldn't use this weekly but if you wash your hair with water only you can use apple cider vinegar for a stronger wash when you have build up from hair products. Mix half a cup of ACV with 3 or so litres of water then wash your hair with it. I usually use an old milk bottle for ease of pouring it onto my head. Advantage of use ACV
There is no golden rule but I'd say at least once a week. Less than this is probably too infrequent.
Washing your hair is important because:
If wet hair is so great why NOT wash or co-wash daily?
That said, two or three times is plenty even if you go to the gym daily. Some people co-wash daily, however, on my 4B/4C hair which takes me about 2.5 hours to detangle, condition and moisturise, daily simply wouldn't work. You are the master of your hair so start of with a weekly wash and adjust that if you think it's not enough. Reference: The Science of Black Hair, pages 26, 43-4, 99 How often do you really need to shampoo? (webmd) |
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By Heather Katsonga-Woodward
I was a natural hair blogger and mixtress living between London & Chicago from 2012 to 2017. I always thought I was 4C but some say 4B; images below - you decide! Heather xx Categories
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