(Photo: Nick Demou / Pexels)There are many haircare techniques you must least to the professionals. Clarifying hair with sharp scissors is one of them.
A trending TikTok video is raising alarm among hairstylists with its risky technique of clarifying hair. As Covid-19 rages on and many salons are still closed, people are getting creative with their hair. While some DIY projects are safe enough — trimming your own hair and touching up roots with boxed hair dye, clarifying hair using a pair of sharp scissors to "clean" hair stands is not as simple as it looks.
The viral TikTok video shows scraping scissor blades against the hair to get rid of grime. While it looks like it's working, salon director Ricky Walters of Salon64 highly discourages it. Doing it yourself may cause you to lose a significant amount of hair and you may even end up with holes. Walters suggest leaving that technique to professionals and even admits that not all hairstylists are comfortable with that clarifying method.
Clarifying means deep cleaning
It doesn't have to be complicated and potentially harmful to hair, like using a pair of sharp scissors is. Clarifying hair simply means to deeply cleanse your scalp to get rid of product buildup. If you use a lot of hair products like hairspray, hair gel, dry shampoo, and curl-enhancing mousse, you need a good clarifying shampoo in your haircare arsenal. There are several in the market that can do the job well before you can finally get back to the salon.
These are some suggestions from Cosmopolitan:
Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo - best in the all-natural category
R+Co Oblivion Clarifying Shampoo - best for fine hair
Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo - best for dry hair
Head & Shoulders Supreme Detox & Hydrate Shampoo - best for sensitive and dandruff-prone scalps
Acure Curiously Clarifying Shampoo - best for oil hair
Pattern Clarifying Shampoo - best for curly and coily hair
Verb Reset Clarifying Shampoo - best for color-treated hair
Dove Clarify Charcoal & Hydrate Shampoo - best drugstore find
Also read: How Often Should I Wash My Hair? Read on to Find Out
How and how often?
Start at your roots when buildup is usually at the worst. Work the shampoo in by massaging firmly to dislodge dirt, grime, and oil. Keep shampooing until you reach the tips of your hair then rinse well. Follow up with a conditioner to restore lost moisture as clarifying shampoos can be very drying. They strip off everything, including your hair's natural oils.
A deep conditioning hair mask is also a great idea. Here are some of Harper Bazaar's top picks:
Bumble and Bumble Mending Masque - best for chemically-treated hair
DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask - best for curly and coily hair
Ouai Treatment Masque - best for color-treated hair
Phyto Phytokératine Extreme Exceptional Mask - best for dry and brittle hair
R+Co. Palm Springs Pre-Shampoo Treatment Mask - best for fine and damaged hair
Verb Hydrating Mask - a vegan and gluten-free option
Strivectin Hair Ultimate Restore Deep Repair Mask - free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates and best for thinning hair
Clarify your hair at least once a month. Twice if you're heavy handed on hair products.
Related article: 3 Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Hair
