Is your hair dull, lacking in volume and difficult to style? What if you offered them a clarification so that they regain their shine and softness? Here is everything you need to know about this detox treatment that will bring your hair back to life!
Still little known, hair clarification is gradually starting to make a place for itself in the world of beauty. This must-have treatment for glowing healthy hair is about to become a staple of our hair routine. But what does this detox consist of? Why and how to clarify your hair without damaging it? Here are all our tips!
What is hair clarification?
Clarification is a detoxification of the hair and scalp that is carried out with the help of a clarifying shampoo (Detox shampoo, € 30, Yeah Haircare available at Sephora) or a natural alternative like clay. She allows to clean the hair more deeply than a classic shampoo.
Every day, our hair is put to the test between limestone, hairspray, foams, styling products but also chlorine and other chemicals. All of this gradually leaves a build-up of residue on the hair, which can make it dull, greasy, flat, difficult to comb or even brittle with a straw effect on the ends. The clarifying shampoo removes all these deposits to restore shine and softness to the hair, which will also be much easier to comb. As for the scalp, it will be much healthier.
Is Hair Clarification For Everyone?
Before embarking on a clarification, be aware that it can damage colored hair. Clarifying shampoo removes all residue from the hair, so it can reduce your coloring. You then wait at least a week after applying a new color before clarifying your hair. During the treatment, we opt for a clarifying shampoo specially designed for colored hair.
This technique can also be too intense for the scalp of people who suffer from certain skin diseases such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or eczema but also of those who present dandruff. Likewise, if your hair is oily, it is important to know why. Overproduction of sebum can result from a dry scalp. The sebaceous glands will then tend to produce more sebum in order to hydrate it, which will give the fatty effect. Aggressing the scalp may make it drier and increase the problem of excess sebum. If your hair needs a detox, we advise you to turn to milder clarifying shampoos designed for sensitive scalps.
How often to do a hair clarification?
The frequency of this detox routine depends on your habits. If you use a lot of styling products or go to the pool a lot, a clarifying shampoo may be needed about every two weeks. If you use mild products, clarification every two months is more than enough. Listen to your hair, they are the ones that will tell you the most when it needs clarification.
When should you clarify your hair?
Hair clarification is more or less useful depending on your habits and care routine. When the hair needs a detox, it lets you know by changing its appearance. Some hair problems can be mistaken for a lack of hydration or nutrition. In reality, the hair is simply overloaded with products and pollution. Thus, they suffocate, no longer respond to care and are as if covered by a film.
It is therefore interesting to clarify your hair if:
- You change your hair routine, especially to adopt organic and / or natural care without chemicals
- You want to make a vegetable or henna coloring
- You are used to going to the swimming pool like this, the chlorine pollutes your hair. The same goes for sea and salt water!
- Your products seem to no longer work, your hair no longer absorbs them
- Your scalp becomes dry, itchy, or has dandruff
- Your hair greases much faster, it is heavy and sticky as if it had been poorly rinsed
- Frizz is more and more present
- Strong hair loss is felt
- Hair becomes more brittle
- Your curls lack bounce and definition
- Your hair becomes drier and drier despite moisturizing treatments
- Your hair is dull
- You frequently use oils, butters or dry shampoos
- You live in an area of very hard water
How to clarify your hair?
Clarifying the hair is very simple, just use a clarifying shampoo. We wash our hair as usual, but instead of using a single shampoo, we do several with an exposure time until the hair is free of all the residue that suffocates it.
During the first application, it is very possible that the product does not foam. If this is a bit confusing, it is totally normal! It doesn't mean the shampoo isn't working. On the contrary, there is just a lot of deposits on your hair. Massage the entire hair and scalp well for a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
We shampoo his hair again. This time, the product should lather! After massaging the hair and scalp, we leave on the clarifying shampoo for two minutes then it is rinsed with clean water until it is completely removed. It is possible to repeat the operation a third time only if you do not have a dry scalp or hair.
After clarification, the hair is dry. It is therefore essential tohydrate deeply using a conditioner (Conditioner Basis Sensitiv Moisturizer, € 7.20, Lavera available on mondebio.com) and / or a hydrating mask (Vegan hydration hair mask, € 34, Cut by Fred available at Nuoobox.com).
What natural recipes to clarify my hair?
Clarification with montmorillonite clay
Montmorillonite clay is a clay rich in mineral salts and trace elements which has many virtues. It is absorbent, absorbent, purifying and cleansing at the same time. It restores the shine of the hair, softens it and even promotes its growth by detoxifying the scalp in depth. Antimicrobial, it is possible to use it in the case of seborrheic dermatitis.
Montmorillonite clay (Surfine green montmorillonite clay, € 4.20, Aroma-Zone) can be replaced by rhassoul or ghassoul clay (Moroccan Rhassoul, € 8.90, Waam Cosmetics), which means "washing powder". Originally from Morocco, this natural treatment is astringent, purifying and cleansing. This clay removes all impurities and gently degreases the hair while adding volume.
To create a clarifying treatment based on montmorillonite clay, we use approximately two to three spoons of this clay which is placed in a bowl, preferably ceramic, stoneware, glass or even wood. Oxidizable metals and plastic do not mix well with clay because they cause it to lose a large part of its nutrients and therefore, of its benefits. We mix it with a spoon of cider vinegar and a little lukewarm water until you get a smooth and creamy texture. Apple cider vinegar is less acidic than a clarifying shampoo but more acidic than a basic shampoo, it removes all grease and pollution residues from the hair, rebalances the pH of the scalp and prevents the appearance dandruff. You can even use it on its own as long as it is diluted in at least 5 volumes of water, i.e. 100 ml of apple cider vinegar for 500 ml of lukewarm water.
You can add to the mix a few drops of lavender essential oil (Organic fine lavender essential oil, € 6.90, Ladrôme available on Onatera) known for its soothing and stress relieving properties or rosemary verbenone essential oil (Organic Rosemary Essential Oil with Verbénone, € 5.20, voshuiles.com) with purifying, repairing and balancing virtues. The mixture is then ready to be applied to the hair! Note that the proportions depend on the length of your hair.
Apply the mask to clay on damp hair, from root to tip. We massage the scalp well and we take care to completely cover his hair. We then leave pose between 5 to 20 minutes, montmorillonite clay quickly eliminates all toxins contained in the hair. Remember to spray a little water on your hair during the exposure time so that the clay does not dry out. You can also use a heated cap (Heating cap for coloring at home, 35 €, Biocoiff) which will keep them moist. It only remains to rinse thoroughly with clear water. No need to shampoo since montmorillonite clay cleanses the hair. On the other hand, it is important to hydrate deeply. Thus, we make a homemade hydrating mask based on aloe vera (Aloe vera gel, € 7, April) and vegetable oil, especially coconut oil (pure coconut oil, € 10.90, Mira) or avocado (organic avocado oil, € 11, Melvita).
Baking soda clarification
Baking soda is a multitasking product with multiple benefits for skin and hair. It is not uncommon to find it in the care of natural beauty routines. Purifying, it binds to impurities in order to detoxify the scalp and hair.
To clarify the hair, just mix a tablespoon of baking soda with about two tablespoons of your regular shampoo adding a little hot water until you get a paste. Apply the mixture to the hair from root to tip, then gently massage the scalp and lengths to completely cover them. Leave it on for three to five minutes only! It is then rinsed with plenty of clean water.
We recommend that you do an apple cider vinegar rinse diluted in 5 volumes of water or a lemon juice rinse diluted in about 4 volumes of water in order to rebalance the pH of the scalp. You can then use a mild shampoo or go directly to the moisturizing mask step.
If your scalp is sensitive, very dry or irritated or if your hair is fine, we advise you to space out the clarifications with baking soda as much as possible or to prefer clay. Baking soda can be too dry on the scalp and hair, which can lead to irritation, dehydration, and even hair loss.
If after clarification your hair looks coarse and dull, don't panic! After this real detox, all the products like silicones that make them shiny and silky have been eliminated. It will take a little longer for the hair to absorb natural products, especially vegetable oils, to regain their shine.
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