Importance of Clarifying Curls

Hi, I’m Grace, a Hairstylist in Sarasota, Florida, where I specialize in curly hair and gray blending.

This is my take on why clarifying your hair is so important. And why it might be the missing step in your routine.

Clarifying can help with all kinds of hair and scalp issues, e.g., flat, frizzy, weighed down, itchy scalp, products not working like they used to, water not absorbing as much as it used to and dull appearance or lack of shine.

“Clarifying” means shampooing your hair with a stronger cleanser than just your daily hydrating shampoo.

It should be labeled either “clarifying” or “detox” Shampoo

Why Curls Need Clarifying

Your hair is like a sponge, it is made up of a scale/overlapping pattern of keratin, which creates lots of tiny spaces and grooves that can hold on to product, minerals from hard water and even naturally occurring scalp oil (sebum).

Curls don’t necessarily trap more buildup than straight hair. It’s more that with curls, we want them to be light, airy and voluminous. And with straight hair, people tend to accept that it is going to be a little more flat/weighed down. And that might even be the intention when styling.

How Often Should You Clarify?

What I recommend for almost everyone (who isn’t coloring their hair) would be 1-3x a month.

Factors that affect frequency:

Product type, whether or not you are using silicones, heavy cream products or if you are only using a lightweight gel.

Lifestyle also plays a role-like swimming in pools or the ocean, or even just showering regularly with Sarasota’s hard water!

My Personal Go-To Clarifying Routine

Lately I’ve been going back and forth between Malibu C Undo Goo and Olaplex Clarifying.

Malibu is definitely a little more affordable, and that’s what I recommend to almost everyone, it works so well and the scent is very light and does not linger after rinsing.

I clarify about 2-4 times a month depending on whether I’m wearing it curly or blowing it out. Lately I’ve been really enjoying the blown out look on myself, and I have not been clarifying as often because every time I blow dry I will usually use styling products with silicones and it feels pretty redundant to remove all the buildup just to put more film formers back on after my shower.

When I do clarify, this is what it looks like:

I get in the shower and start by rinsing my hair under the water for a minute or so, then apply about a silver dollar size amount of undo goo directly to my scalp. I will massage it in for at least a minute. And usually with that first shampoo there is not a lot of foam, so I know I need to rinse and repeat.

It usually takes about three applications before I feel clean enough.

While I have the shampoo in my hair, I will take a detangling brush like the UnBrush and start from my ends and go up, brushing the product through my hair just to work it in even more.

And here’s a fun fact: I always work the clarifying shampoo into my ends because that’s where most of the buildup is.

I will then rinse completely and follow up with a good conditioner, I have been using the Redken Acidic bonding concentrate Curls Conditioner, and I have been loving it. I will leave that in a for minutes then rinse and follow with the rest of my routine.

Tips for a Healthy Clarifying Routine

Always follow with a good conditioner.

Don’t overdo it, you should never have to clarify more than once a week.

Clarifying shampoo is not an alternative to your regular shampoo. I still recommend having a hydrating shampoo in your routine and alternating between the two. I really love the Redken Acidic bonding concentrate shampoo.

Conclusion

Clarifying is an important part of maintaining happy and healthy curls.

I encourage everyone reading this to look at their routine and see if you think you could work clarifying into it.

If you’re not sure what your curls need, reach out to me for a consultation- I’d love to walk you through a personalized routine!