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Everyone knows that a good shampoo is hard to find. A good clarifying shampoo is even harder to find. What’s the difference between regular shampoo and a clarifying one? A clarifying shampoo is formulated to cleanse the hair shaft and remove product buildup. You’ll know when your hair needs to be clarified when it looks dull and is unable to receive any kind of product, not even water. Properly clarifying your hair is essential for your hair’s health. This not only ensures that your hair strands are receiving the products you put on them, but it also ensures your hair is healthy.

Healthy hair = Happy hair :)

There are a lot of shampoos catered to naturally curly hair on the market. I have yet to try tons of brands, but I have heard good things about CurlMix. As someone who tries products to review them, even I get overwhelmed. There are some brands that I always venture back to, though. In terms of clarifying shampoos, I have a list of the best ones for naturally curly hair.

Texture ID Curl Clarifying Shampoo

This is one of my all-time favorite clarifying shampoos. This product has protein that strengthens and protects the hair from breakage. You can also lightly detangle your hair with this shampoo. For $8.99, you get a good amount of product that will last you a while. You don’t even need to use it a lot. This product provides a light lather that doesn't strip your hair but offers you that squeaky clean feeling. In my opinion, this is the best clarifying shampoo for those curl friends on a budget. Read more on my Texture ID product review.

Miche Beauty Moisturizing & Cleansing Shampoo

It’s no secret that I fangirl over Miche Beauty. I have gotten some great results from using their products. This shampoo offers a light removal of product buildup, but you can rinse and repeat to remove any excess buildup. This product retails for a steep $18 for 8oz. It offers excellent lather and correlates well with other products that aren’t in the Miche Beauty line. I think the benefits outweigh the cons of the price. And it’s #blackowned. Check out the full review of the Miche Beauty Moisture Collection.

Briogeo Scalp Revival Micro-exfoliating Shampoo

With this product, you can turn your wash day into a relaxing detox for your scalp. The peppermint smell gives your scalp a tingling feeling. Exfoliating your scalp should be a priority, especially if you don’t use clarifying shampoos often. This particular one retails for $42 in an 8oz jar. Briogeo is a Black-owned luxury haircare brand dedicated to providing its customers with quality ingredients. I use this sparingly when I want to pamper myself. Read the Briogeo Wash Day review.

Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Moisturizing Shampoo

This shampoo is moisturizing, but it is also one that can gently remove product buildup. Sulfate-free shampoos are notorious for cleansing our hair without stripping it, and this one is no different. You get 12 oz for $11.99, which is definitely worth the money. If you find that your hair is heavy with product buildup, then I recommend shampooing twice. But then again, you should probably be rinsing and repeating with all clarifying shampoos. Check out my first impressions of the Almond & Avocado line.

My Hair Profile:

Density: medium to low

Porosity: a mixture of high and low

Texture: fine, tight coils throughout the majority of my hair. The front is looser than the rest. My favorite description to use for my curls is that it’s like a tight curly fry

What about Co-washing?

Co-washing is essentially using conditioner to wash your hair. Co-washing is cute in theory, but I am not a fan of this method. A moisturizing shampoo will work way better than co-washing to cleanse your hair. Save your money and get regular shampoo instead. The Almond & Avocado Shampoo works better than a co-wash. Another alternative is Carol’s Daughter Rhassoul Clay Sulfate-Free Shampoo.

Having a good shampoo in your hair stash is essential. You don’t want to walk around with a flaky scalp because you aren’t using a clarifying shampoo. This list contains outstanding products I have used myself from various price points. There are tons more I have yet to try that should be added to this list. Do you have a favorite clarifying shampoo I should try?

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