9 Expert-Approved Clarifying Shampoos To Get Your Hair and Scalp Squeaky Clean

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Have you noticed extra product buildup on your scalp, and regular shampoo just won't help no matter how many times you lather, rinse and repeat? Maybe your hair is a bit more dull than usual, and you can't get rid of the excess oil even after you've sprayed on layers of dry shampoo. These may be your signs to grab a clarifying shampoo. While some cleansers focus on hydrating and combating brassiness from hair dyeing, the best clarifying shampoos "remove excess dead skin buildup and dirt," Dr. Kseniya Kobets, a New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist, tells Seventeen. Along with combating build-up from grime, clarifying shampoos remove leftover minerals from exposure to hard water and "restores the hair's natural pH," she says.

How are clarifying shampoos different than standard ones?

There's no denying it, all shampoos are not created equally, but clarifying shampoos are supercharged with "stronger detergents," Dr. Sanjay Batra, PhD, and founder WeThrivv explains. "They are intended to give a deep clean, almost like a glass or surface cleaner, but for hair." Along with different formulas, clarifying shampoos do more than just cleanse. "Clarifying shampoos exfoliate the scalp," which helps clear clogged hair follicles Dr. Kobets, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care adds. Similar to the way clogged pores on the skin cause acne on the skin and body, blocked follicles contribute to the formation of breakouts and blemishes on the scalp. Exfoliating the scalp keeps your follicles clear of grime that could lead to dull strands and painful breakouts.

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When should you use clarifying shampoos?

According to Dr. Kobets, clarifying shampoos should be your go-to when you notice more scalp build-up, increased scalp oiliness, or when your hair begins to "look very flat and without volume." Dry shampoos often clog up the scalp and increase buildup, so Dr. Kobets recommends using those when your hair feels oily between standard washes. On the other hand, she suggests rinsing with a clarifying shampoo every two to four weeks depending on a number of things, like the condition of your hair and the type of water your hair has been exposed to.

Product buildup, dandruff, and oils from the scalp aren't the only cause for clarifying cleansers. If you live in a neighborhood with hard or well water, that may impact how well your shampoo works on your hair, too. According to Dr. Kobets, hard water deposits minerals like calcium and magnesium onto the scalp that may be difficult to remove. When your hair has been exposed to hard water, Dr. Batra, former Regenerative Medicine professor at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine advises alternating between an apple cider vinegar rinse or a diluted baking soda and water mix applied to the hair and scalp for five to 10 minutes and rinsing to dissolve the leftover minerals.

What are the side effects of using clarifying shampoos?

Clarifying shampoos work so hard to eliminate dirt and grime that frequent use can be too much for your hair. "Due to the strong detergent-like properties of clarifying shampoos, they may remove color," Dr. Batra says. Be sure to wait a few weeks after getting a new dye job to prevent color stripping.

Frequent use of clarifying shampoo also impacts your hair's state. Dr. Kobets warns that residue-busting cleansers with hydroxy acids, oil-absorbing clay, or yeast-fighting ingredient ketoconazole can dry out the scalp and strip your hair cuticle of hydration leaving it brittle. So, it's important to follow up with nourishing treatments to bring revive your strands after using a clarifying shampoo.

Now that we're clear on what clarifying shampoos are and what they do, it's time to find out which ones work best. Read ahead for the best-clarifying shampoos to leave your hair and scalp squeaky clean.

T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo

Salicylic acid may sound a little familiar if you struggle with acne because it's a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that exfoliates and unclog pores to prevent breakouts. Dr. Kobets recommends salicylic acid-formulated clarifying shampoos, like T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo, because the BHA "loosens up dead skin and buildup" on the scalp — similar to the way it does on the face — and cuts down oil on the scalp. It's safe for use if you have psoriasis and the scalp condition known as seborrheic dermatitis.

Peppermint Avocado Shampoo

Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Having a dry, flaky scalp is one thing, but when it's super itchy? That's even more frustrating. Nizoral's Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is one of Dr. Kobet's go-to recommendations because an ingredient called "ketoconazole" fights the production of yeast in the scalp. Along with getting rid of buildup, this clarifying shampoo soothes itching and combats dandruff without stripping the hair and making it feel dry or brittle.

Redken Detox Hair Cleansing Cream

Left over minerals from hard water can make it difficult to wash away grime and oil in your hair. Dr. Kobets suggests Redken's Hair Cleansing Cream because it's enriched with alpha hydroxy (AHA) fruit acid, which exfoliates and removes product build-up.

50:50 Balanced Hydrating Clarifying Shampoo

When your scalp is super oily, Dr. Batra suggests adding cleansers with low oil content to your regimen because they help "reduce oil production from the sebaceous gland."

Hard Water Wellness Shampoo

Hard water is known for helping dirt and gunk stay on the hair and scalp even after you shampoo. If you live in a neighborhood with hard water, Dr. Batra recommends clarifying shampoos enriched with "chelating" ingredients that bind together to remove minerals from the hair. Malibu's Hard Water Shampoo targets the buildup from leftover minerals and washes them away from strands.

Hair Loss Clinic Shampoo

Saponins are herbs that have cleansing, hydrating, and strengthening properties. Dr. Batra swears by this shampoo because it gives the hair and scalp a deep clean, courtesy of saponin-rich Korean red ginseng that helps prevent breakage and thinning.

Hard Water Shampoo

If you spend your spring break lounging in the ocean or head diving first into the nearest pool, you'll need a cleanser to eliminate leftover salt and chlorine. Ion's Hard Water Shampoo comes equipped with "chelating" ingredients that remove mineral build-up while reducing dryness and dullness.

Detox Shampoo

Dr. Batra recommends cleansers with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) because it's a gentle acid that dissolves minerals and metals and removes them from hair strands and the scalp. Ouai's Detox Shampoo not only gives hair a deep clean but it's enriched with keratin that helps strengthen the hair, too.

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