What better time than now to sort out that barnet? You might be pretty fed up with what the winter weather did to your hair, like an increase in grease and split ends, but don't worry, there's a simple answer to your hair woes.
Clarifying shampoo is designed to give your hair a much-needed reset, stripping out product build-up, grease and dirt while also nourishing your scalp so that it can stay clean, fresh and healthy as it grows. Using a clarifying shampoo once a week can really help combat the nasty effects of air pollution or products like dry shampoo (yes, it's a lifesaver, but it hangs around in your hair longer than you'd like).
Unlike a shampoo bar or conditioning formula, these shampoo heroes are usually clear and are designed for occasional use to deep-clean your roots and add health and shine. However, it's important not to over-use clarifying shampoo, as it can strip away natural oils and damage fine, chemically treated or coloured hair. A once-weekly dose should be enough and always check the label if you've just had your highlights done or taken the plunge to dye your hair red, purple or pink (other colours are available...).
So, without further ado, here's our top pick of the UK's best clarifying shampoos, all for under £20. Absolute bargain.
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Where to buy the best clarifying shampoos 2022
1 of 11Aveda Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo 250ml
The deeply nourishing formula in this Aveda shampoo contains distilled white vinegar to wash away dirt and product build-up without stripping your hair of moisture.
Pros: The zingy scent of rosemary and peppermint is lovely in your morning shower and you don't need too much product so you won't feel so guilty spending that moola...
Cons: The aforementioned moola and some reviews claim it's too drying for coloured hair.
Customer review: "Have put up with oily hair for years! Have tried lots of products to no avail until now! This shampoo is amazing for greasy hair sufferers. Can finally get a second day out of my hair."
2 of 11Beauty Works Clarifying Shampoo
If you're stressed about stripping your hair of its natural oils but still want to banish build-up and residue of hairspray from nights out past, this is the shampoo for you. It's from the brand that Molly-Mae Hague famously loves and collabs with and for good reason.
Pros: It's SLS-free but still manages to say goodbye to chemicals and product that have stuck to your hair.
Cons: It costs over a tenner and the packaging isn't exactly fancy.
Customer review: "Cleanses really well, removes all build-up, doesn't dry out hair. Hair is very supple, manageable and soft."
3 of 11KLORANE Aquatic Mint Shampoo 200ml
KLORANE's minty-fresh shampoo is the perfect antidote to hair damaged by air pollution and city living. It deeply cleanses hair while soothing your scalp. Sounds dreamy to us.
Pros: Vegan and great for a hot summer as the formula has a cooling effect on your scalp.
Cons: Some reviews claim it smells a bit TOO earthy.
Customer review: "I have coloured hair and quite damaged and my scalp is always itchy. This shampoo really calmed my scalp and it smells Devine. So fresh and tingly. I needed the conditioner as it made my hair so squeaky clean I needed to soften it up which it did beautifully."
4 of 11Maui Moisture Dextoxifying + Volcanic Ash Shampoo
The glowing reviews of this shampoo speak for themselves, but we can personally vouch for the high quality of Maui's haircare products.
Pros: Sulphate and paraben-free, meaning any nasties are always washed out of your hair and lead to long-lasting clarifying effects, not just a 'clean feel'.
Cons: Rigid bottle makes it slightly hard to decant.
Customer review: "Got this product and so happy it was sent to me. My hair feels so soft and manageable. I have thick hair so always feel like conditioners stick into my hair for longer and leaves residue but this didn't do that at all. Smells great but quite tough to get the product out of the bottle."
£17.89
5 of 11Mane 'n Tail Gentle Clarifying Shampoo 355ml
Mane 'n Tail's clarifying shampoo promises to relieve itchy, dry scalps while also deeply cleansing hair from root to tip with its blend of essential oils, amino acids and proteins.
Pros: Safe for colour-treated hair.
Cons: Not really a con but you might want to pair it with a nourishing conditioner.
Customer review: "After bleaching, dying and using a lot of products in my hair, it was feeling dry and limp and after washing my hair it felt waxy and heavy. I researched online that a clarifying shampoo would help remove the build-up of products in hair and help it feel healthy again, after reading the reviews on this product I decided to give it a go. After one wash my hair felt lovely! It's soft, shiny, feels weightless and looks so much healthier! I used it alongside a coconut oil leave-in conditioner and Schwarzkopf Gloss Liquid Silk."
6 of 11Noughty Get Set, Grow Thickening Shampoo
If you're after a sensational cleanse to the scalp, Noughty's new shampoo will provide your locks with a stimulating boost by optimising the environment you give your hair to regrow.
Pros: It contains Noughty's own Pea Complex; with a botanical blend of garden pea sprouts, green robusta coffee beans and piroctone olamine. It is the scalp care you never knew you needed.
Cons: You need to use it consistently to see results.
Customer review: "This shampoo smells soooo good! More importantly, my hair felt thicker after the first use. It was light and I had never thought about scalp cleansing before this. I personally love using this with the scalp massager that I purchased alongside the full Get Set, Grow routine. It's a new Noughty fav for me!"
7 of 11La Roche-Posay Kerium Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 125ml
This one might be labelled as an anti-dandruff shampoo, but it has amazing clarifying qualities. It relieves an itchy scalp, clears away dead skin and impurities and contains vitamin PP for promoting tip-top scalp condition.
Pros: Results after just one wash.
Cons: Fragrance can affect those with sensitive skin/scalps.
Customer review: "I purchased the product for my daughter who has been facing issues for a while. After the first treatment, there were obvious results. I would highly recommend this product to anyone with dandruff problems."
8 of 11Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo
If you suffer from scalp sensitivity, you'll love this gentle shampoo from Kiehl's. It has clarifying properties but doesn't strip away natural oils, leaving your hair soft, shiny and full of body.
Pros: Some reviews claimed it helped to reduce hair loss.
Cons: Not a good pick for dandruff sufferers.
Customer review: "I am happy with this shampoo that makes my hair smooth, shiny and less hair fall/hair break. Absolutely like it."
9 of 11MELU Shampoo for Fine, Delicate Hair
This shampoo from MELU isn't technically a clarifying shampoo, but it's great if you're transitioning into sulphate-free haircare.
Pros: Great for tangles/easily knotted hair.
Cons: Some reviews say it leaves a waxy feel after the first use, but after the second wash it leaves your hair lightweight and bouncy.
Customer review: "I have fine straight hair, this shampoo is great it cleans and hydrates my hair and gives me three days of clean hair (I used to wash my hair every day because of how greasy it quickly becomes)."
10 of 11VICHY Dercos Oil Control Corrector Shampoo 200ml
If you suffer from overly greasy day two hair, this is the shampoo for you. It cleanses oily scalps and helps to balance oil production, resulting in clean hair for longer.
Pro: Boosts volume after the first wash.
Con: Doesn't lather easily.
Customer review: "Bought it for my partner, he has a very oily scalp and needs to wash daily. He's happy with it, on his second bottle already, as it cleans well without causing itching or flaky scalp unlike other shampoos for oily hair."
11 of 11Paul Mitchell Shampoo Two (300ml)
Another daily-use clarifying shampoo, this time from Paul Mitchell. It's also safe to use on chemically treated hair and contains chamomile, henna, rosemary, aloe vera and jojoba for super clean, moisturised locks.
Pro: Vegan and great for swimmers.
Con: Not suitable for daily use on colour-treated hair.
Customer review: "The best shampoo for swimmers, no residue left after being in the pool or salt from the sea & hair feels moisturised & squeaky clean."
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Should you be using a sulphate-free shampoo?
What's with all the fuss with sulphate-free shampoos, eh? Well. You might want to ditch sulphates if you have chemically treated, coloured, frizzy or curly hair.
This is because although sulphates cleanse away dirt and grime, they also strip your hair of natural oils and can irritate your scalp.
One thing that's important to note about switching to a sulphate-free shampoo is that you'll need to work a little harder to get your hair clean. Instead of gently lathering, you'll need to do a more vigorous scalp massage to clean your hair.
If your hair is oiler or you suffer from dandruff, you might struggle to swap to a sulphate-free shampoo, as sulphates absorb oil, so think twice before making the switch.