The 10 Best Clarifying Shampoos Out There Right Now

Anybody else get super overwhelmed when you walk the shampoo aisle? There are so many choices, and a lot of the time, it’s hard to tell what all of the shampoos even do. Like, what is clarifying shampoo? Do we really need it? Are we truly dirty enough to necessitate thorough clarification, something that goes beyond your average wash-and-go session? As far as our hair is concerned, it’s looking like a yes.

Clarifying shampoo is, for all intents and purposes, like your regular shampoo but way more intense. Ian Michael Black, Aveda‘s global artistic director for hair color, explains that clarifying is just a marketing-approved way to say “deep-cleansing.” All shampoos will cleanse your hair of the usual oil and residue, but a targeted clarifying formula will cut through more stubborn gunk, like the kind you get when you use styling products all the time—as in, if you’re the breed of irregular hair-washer who has been known to go five days on the wings of dry shampoo alone.

MORE: The 15 Best Products for Maintaining Your Hair Color

But just because you don’t load up on styling products doesn’t mean you’re immune to dulling buildup and the occasional need for a total reboot. Even your standard shampoo and conditioner can build up their own residue over time, which is why Black recommends a regular clarifying treatment for all hair types. If you’re a product fiend, use a ton of dry shampoo, or spend time in chlorinated pools, once a week will do the trick. But if you have hair that’s on the drier side or are a slave to your color, limit it to once a month, because clarifying formulas can strip the hair. Hair restoration physician Dr. Alan Bauman warns, “They can be very drying, since they remove natural sebum and oils, too,” which your scalp needs to maintain its moisture balance.

Regardless of how frequently you use a clarifying shampoo, your best bet is to always follow it up with an intensive conditioning treatment. In fact, Black says that clarifying pre-hair mask will actually help to optimize the conditioning factor. “[A clarifying shampoo] will remove any unwanted residue and styling products that can ‘coat’ the outside of your hair and reduce the effectiveness of your treatment,” he says.

Below, five shampoos that will take dull hair and restore it to soft, shiny pseudo-perfection—just be sure not to get so hooked on the ridiculously glossy finish a clarifier leaves behind that you use it more often than recommended. You can have too much of a good thing.

MORE: Sunscreen for Hair: 10 Products That’ll Protect Against UV Rays

Photo: Moroccanoil

Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo

This deep-cleansing formula from Moroccanoil is rich in argan and avocado oils, as well as keratin, lavender, chamomile and more extracts.

$26 at Moroccanoil

Photo: dpHUE

dpHUE Clarifying Shampoo

You can’t go wrong with a clarifying shampoo that has natural plant extracts and vitamins A and E

$24 at dpHUE

Photo: FORM

FORM Clarity Detoxing Shampoo

This FORM shampoo will gently remove 100 percent of buildup in one, single wash.

$13 at FORM

Photo: Drybar

Drybar On The Rocks Clarifying Charcoal Shampoo

What’s great about this clarifying shampoo is it has activated charcoal, which will remove impurities and product buildup without stripping your hair.

$26 at Drybar

Photo: Christophe Robin

Christophe Robin Clarifying Shampoo with Camomile and Cornflower

Not only does this have the same benefits as other clarifying shampoos, but it’ll also brighten your hair color without artificial tones.

$34 at Christophe Robin

MORE: The Most Effective Product Pairs for Every Hair Texture

Photo: R+Co

R+Co Oblivion Clarifying Shampoo

This R+Co shampoo cleanses beyond belief, but is gentle enough to use every day.

$24 at R+Co

Photo: Bumble and bumble

Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo

Give this Bumble and bumble shampoo a try right before your weekly mask treatment.

$26 at Bumble and bumble

Photo: Pureology

Can’t go wrong with this Pureology shampoo. I mean, “pure” is in the name, so you know this is going to get you clean, right?

$28.50 at Pureology

Photo: Redken

Redken’s Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo contains a high concentration of chelating agents that make mineral build-up more soluble so it easily washes away. It’s also formulated with fruit acids to make your hair super shiny.

$38.50 at Redken

Photo: Fekkai

Hop aboard the ACV train with Fekkai Apple Cider Shampoo.

$16.82 at Target

A version of this article was originally published in May 2015.