Using the right products is an important step in your curly hair journey and one of the first products you buy is a shampoo. Now a great shampoo for curly hair should be cleansing without drying out your curls which is why most CG friendly products stay away from sulphates. You would have heard of an ingredient called SLS which refers to both sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate being terrible for your curls and for hair in general. SLS is what gives your shampoos that satisfying lathering effect and while it may seem like its cleaning your curls effectively, what it’s actually doing is stripping away the oils needed to keep your curls nourished. Curls are naturally dry because of the structure of our hair - our curl spiral, while gorgeous, makes it hard for sebum (an oil secreted by our scalp) to coat our strands fully. So, what kind of shampoos should you use for your curls? CG friendly shampoos can be broken into three categories – moisturising, cleansing, and clarifying shampoos and using the right one depends on what your hair needs on each wash day. Let’s break down the main differences between these three types.
Moisturising Shampoos
The main characteristic of a moisturising shampoo is its creamy texture and colour. Moisturising shampoos work great as a daily use shampoo especially if you workout everyday and can’t stand the sweat that accumulates on your scalp after an especially heavy session. These kinds of shampoos gently cleanse your curls, so your hair remains nourished. But the flip side is that a moisturising shampoo does not effectively remove build-up, especially if you use stylers every washday or refresh with curl stylers frequently. Build-up is what causes your curls to look limp and lifeless despite doing everything right. Your curls are saturated with product which weighs it down, making your curls look loose and dull.
Cleansing Shampoos
If you wash your hair twice or thrice a week, a cleansing shampoo will work best for your curls. These kinds of shampoos, like our SugarBoo Curls Cleansing Shampoo, remove build-up without stripping your curls of its natural oils. It walks a fine line in keeping your curls clean and nourished. You might be wondering what’s the difference between a Cleansing Shampoo and a Clarifying Shampoo and the biggest difference is that Cleansing Shampoos have more moisturising ingredients in it to counteract the drying agents. Take for example, our Cleansing Shampoo, we have ingredients like Macademia Ternifolia (Queensland Nut) Seed Oil and Shea Butter that restore moisture to the hair shaft and locks it in. Using a cleansing shampoo regularly will usually bypass the need to clarify your hair once a month. However, if your curls feel heavy and dull, a hair detox with clay masks or an ACV rinse are a great and natural way to reset your curls back to its natural gorgeousness.
Clarifying Shampoos
Clarifying shampoos work great if you regularly use moisturising shampoos and co-washes in your routine. They help reset your curls back to zero, completely removing all build-up. However, these kinds of shampoos are drying and might require you to use heavy creams and conditioners to balance out the dryness. Clarifying shampoos are formulated to be used only once or twice a month because of how strong the cleansing ingredients are. Using this type of shampoo too often can cause your curls to become dry, brittle and increase frizz. But if a clarifying shampoo is what works best for your curls, then make sure to follow it up with a hydrating deep conditioner, this will add moisture back to your curls.