HOW TO TELL WHEN IT’S TIME TO CLARIFY YOUR HAIR

Hey guys!!!

How are ya? How was your weekend? Mine was pretty chilled – I went to the Hans & Rene pop up at their new store in Lennox Mall, Lekki (you HAVE to check it out if you’re in Lagos), spent some time with family and then had a super relaxing beach day. Is it me or has April taken foreverrrrr?? Almost as long as January and that’s no small feat!

I wanted to write about something super important: clarifying your hair and scalp! Think about it, you obviously (well hopefully) wash your face every day. But maybe like once a week, you do a cleansing mask (HOPEFULLY!!!) to really deep clean and get all the deep stuff out. You should be doing the same with your hair – you just don’t need to do it once a week. For most people, once a month will suffice. Obviously, everyone’s hair is different but clarifying once a month is typically the rule of thumb and should keep you in the safe zone. Of course, you don’t want to over-clarify (as that can lead to dry hair and breakage) but keep it clean!

Not clarifying your hair is a problem because it means you’re not getting rid of build up on your scalp and hair. Us naturals often use thick oils and butters and creams on our hair and, if you don’t do a deep clean once in a while, it will build up. The build up on your scalp can actually physically block your follicles and slow down growth, not to speak of causing an itchy, oily and/or uncomfortable scalp. And in terms of build up on your hair, it can stop your hair absorbing moisture and nutrients. If there are layers of build up on the strands, this blocks moisture from getting into your hair – this actually leaves your hair dry. Aside from that, your hair just may not look right because there are all sorts of layers of stuff on your hair.

So how do you know when it’s time to clarify??

• When your hair styles just don’t look right – if you’ve been using your usual products and doing your usual styles and it just doesn’t look right, it may be as a result of build up
• If your scalp is itchier or oilier than usual – if you’re experiencing an abnormal feeling on your scalp, clarify and see if that helps (whenever I need to clarify, my scalp gets really itchy and oily and just generally feels icky)
• Limp, undefined and weighed down hair – if this has been your hair lately, you need to clarify
• If your hair is greasier than usual – it may be as a result of too much product left on your hair

So how do you clarify??

Well, if you’ve watched lots of natural hair videos or read loads of blogs, you’ll see that people use apple cider vinegar or bentonite clay to “clarify” their hair. While these things can clean your hair, I wouldn’t quite say they do the job when used alone. I strongly recommend using a SULPHATE-FREE CLARIFYING SHAMPOO. I know some people like to use sulphate shampoos for their clarifying wash but I personally still like to stick to sulphate-free shampoos (this is also because I use a cleansing conditioner or rinse every week so I don’t experience much build up). My favourite clarifying shampoo is, without a doubt, Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo. This shampoo contains apple cider vinegar, which adds shine, and Jamaican Black castor oil, which helps to stimulate growth.

Definitely looking forward to trying this for clarifying my hair! Credit: devacurl.com

I’ve also been eager to try the DevaCurl Buildup Buster. This “cleansing serum” contains micellar water to help cleanse the hair without stripping the hair. The micellar water basically attracts the dirt and build up and gently cleanses the strands. So if and when I try it, I’ll update ya!

There we have it, guys! I hope this post was helpful. Remember to clarify that hair and get one step closer to your hair goals!

Love,

Tara xXx