My Beautiful #RedCarpetCurlsRoyalty,
Today’s in-depth, science-based article is about why the Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo is not and will never be approved when starting or following the Curly Girl Method.
I have seen this question and actually, the misinformation going around the Facebook Groups. By the way, if you are interested in joining the Red Carpet Curls Facebook Group Community, click the hyperlink. Here, you will be able to post your photos, questions, etc and be able to interact with many other like-minded Queens and Kings who can help you along your journey.
Now, let’s get into the science behind why this shampoo is not okay to use when following the method.
Let’s start with why this product is used.
What is the Purpose of Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo?
The misinformation that spreads around social media can have harmful effects on your hair. So, let’s break down the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Every single person on this Earth who has hair needs to CLARIFY their hair at LEAST once a month.
Why do you need to clarify? When we first learn about the Curly Girl Method, one of the first things we hear is that curly hair is dry and therefore washing with a conditioner only is better for the hair. Co-washes are conditioners with mild surfactants that gently clean the hair and moisturize it at the same time. Co-washing should not be done exclusively. Conditioners are cuticle sealers as well as moisturizers. A conditioner will deposit moisture into the hair and encase it in a flexible film to keep moisture in the hair for longer periods of time.
As time goes on, the hair gets more and more weighed down from build-up because conditioners will always “deposit” moisture into the hair, but it will never be strong enough to thoroughly clean and remove all build-up from the hair and scalp. This can lead to excess dandruff, scalp irritations or inflammation, or even dry and tight scalp. This is why clarifying shampoo is necessary.
Clarifying shampoos contain anionic surfactants, which are detergents strong enough to remove all forms of build-up from hair, this includes silicone buildup.
So What’s the Problem with Using this Shampoo to Clarify?
Most on the market shampoos like the Not Your Mothers Natural Shampoos, the Shea Moisture Shampoos, and other shampoos easily found in big box stores like Walmart and Target are usually considered Low Poo shampoos.
Low-poo shampoos are gentle cleansing shampoos that can be used weekly. These shampoos contain surfactants that are so mild, they are not able to remove build-up from products. The gentle cleansing shampoo ends up shallowly cleaning the surface of the hair while leaving behind build-up that will cause frizz. By itself, gentle cleansing shampoos like Low-poo or No-poo are not strong enough to clarify the hair from all the build-up it accumulates. That is why clarifying is a must.
The problem with Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo is the misdirection in advertising. Most curly girls see the word clarifying and assume, “Finally! This is what I need.” But this shampoo uses SULFATES to “clarify” build-up, which goes against the Curly Girl Method.
Most people believe Sulfates are the only detergents strong enough to remove silicone build-up to start the Curly Girl Method, and it’s just NOT TRUE!
As mentioned in our previous in-depth, science-based article on the Differences Between Curly Girl Method Shampoos, sulfates are not the only thing to remove silicones and other forms of build-up. Sulfates are simply the most popular choice in a group of surfactants called Anionic Surfactants. The reason sulfates are so popular with shampoo manufacturers is because sulfates are incredibly cheap to manufacture which increases the company’s profit margins. As well as, sulfates are HARSH surfactants that remove everything in the scalp from build-up right down to the sebum (special oil your scalp produces to moisturize the scalp and hair). When using sulfates, there is no question build-up has been removed. The problem is the unwanted side effects.
Sulfates are incredibly drying, just far too drying for the delicate balance our hair and scalp needs to keep. Consistently using shampoos with sulfates will make the hair very dry and brittle. This overtime can escalate into split ends, dull-looking hair, and ultimately, breakage. That is why this shampoo should NEVER be used.
If you want more information on the complete science of shampoos, and which ones you should use for specific circumstances, please click the hyperlink above. The bottom of the article even includes a Youtube Video.
So If We Can’t Clarify With Sulfates, What Can We Use?
When it comes to clarifying with a shampoo, you must look for sulfate-free anionic surfactants such as:
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Sulfates are never needed. Simply look for one or more stronger sulfate-free cleansers in your shampoo.
What Are a Few Clarifying Shampoo Options?
- Kinky Curly Come Clean
- Inashi Naturals Soothing Mint Clarifying Shampoo
- Carmella Marie Clarifying Shampoo
- Texture ID Curl Clarifying Shampoo
So, that’s about it. The Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo is NOT okay to use if you are following or even beginning the Curly Girl Method. A final wash is never necessary or encouraged. The key to clarifying shampoos is finding one or more sulfate-free anionic surfactants to thoroughly remove build-up. Or even natural clarifying ingredients such as tea tree, rosemary, and lemongrass essential oils.
