Don't clarify?

lazy loops · 09-19-2007, 09:59 AM

So that's what my Deva stylist told me; you only need to clarify when preparing for a chemical service (coloring only?).

So, no matter the red-orange from the iron, no matter the green from chlorine, no matter the hard water minerals lifting your cuticles, no matter the chemicals left behind from medications, don't clarify?

Is this true per the entire stylist group? Or is this just a Loraine Massey thing?

I'm going to ask my son's girlfriend who's completing stylist school. And I'm going to ask my aunt, a retired stylist.

Koukla72 · 09-19-2007, 10:53 AM

Edited due to a cyberstalker. Sorry, guys.

CurliLocks · 09-19-2007, 12:22 PM

I'd be interested to know more opinions too. I don't clarify with a clarifying shampoo, but I use a sulfate shampoo about once a week to 10 days.

Snarls · 09-19-2007, 12:45 PM

All I have is an opinion, which is that my hair is much better with a weekly de-mineralizing treatment. I shampoo once a week, no sulfate (I use Curl Junkie Hibiscus Bliss but I also like Creme of Nature) and I add Malibu 2000 Iron Rid, which is just a little bit of stuff to remove hard water buildup. It's mainly citric acid I think and maybe something similar to baking soda. I leave the shampoo in for about 3-5 minutes before rinsing.

Then I do a deep treatment afterwards.

However, I do not do any coloring or chemical treatments and I don't straighten. If that matters.

When I was in Colorado, I could easily have gone without shampooing or demineralizing. The water was AWESOME. The water I have at home is as corrosive as battery acid by comparison.

I think the deva salons in NYC have recommended different clarifiers to different nc'ers over the years.

lazy loops · 09-22-2007, 08:06 PM

Alright, so I talked with my son's girlfriend on the phone. She hasn't written back so I can't quote her word for word, but will do my best trying to remember exactly what she said: the only time we should clarify is when we're getting ready to color & hard water, chlorinated pool water & medications already strip our hair of the bonds, so when we clarify we're doing it even more damage & that using a regular shampoo is enough.

My aunt, having long been out of the business & only did old lady's perms when she was in business last in the 70s or 80s, doesn't have an answer.

laurabeth33 · 09-22-2007, 08:28 PM

I totally disagree w/ the idea of not getting hard water buildup out. Shampooing at all is somewhat damaging, and many of us do that.

lazy loops · 09-22-2007, 08:38 PM

I'm totally confused about this because of all I've heard & been told over the years & then being told something different now. It blows my mind that it's not needed. I don't know what to think.

ttripleblonde · 09-22-2007, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazy loops

I'm totally confused about this because of all I've heard & been told over the years & then being told something different now. It blows my mind that it's not needed. I don't know what to think.

Maybe it's for your type of hair, and she was saying it directly towards you?

I have no clue on this subject, but didn't you say that your hair was totally fine with cyclopentasiloxane? ...Maybe this is somewhat related?

lazy loops · 09-22-2007, 09:14 PM

Yeah, it does fine with all silicones.

Snarls · 09-23-2007, 09:21 AM

Article from CurlyChemist

The article doesn't specifically address the question raised by your stylist (increasing damage by clarifying) and includes options for no-poo'ers.

Clarifying is usually a hot topic in the summer, when people are swimming. I think there were some other articles as well (caring for summer hair etc).

I don't know what I hate more...when companies change ingredients on us, or when stylists change the rules on us!

Darby · 09-23-2007, 09:26 AM

Your hair is chemically processed and with bleach right? That's probably why she told you to not clarify. And your hair is damaged in the back. Clarifying would probably just dry it out even more - maybe not if used with a good DT.
I think you would just have to play around with it.
I think if your hair is real healthy and not dyed, clarifying would be just fine. I don't know if there is a difference as far as stripping with different products but thats an option to look at too.
I used to clarify once a week but it was drying my hair out too much. The one that I liked was by VO5 - I think it was Kiwi and Lime. Then I'd slather on a DT and leave it on for an hour or so. The next day tho, my hair was kind of frizzy and fly away.
And it took a few days for it to calm down. So, I stopped clarifying.

lazy loops · 09-23-2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Castella

Article from CurlyChemist

The article doesn't specifically address the question raised by your stylist (increasing damage by clarifying) and includes options for no-poo'ers.

Clarifying is usually a hot topic in the summer, when people are swimming. I think there were some other articles as well (caring for summer hair etc).

I don't know what I hate more...when companies change ingredients on us, or when stylists change the rules on us!

Thank you for that link!

I'll stick with a once a month clarifying then because the water is very hard.

I'll also drop my shampooing to once a week due to my hair being somewhat damaged/dry & the use of silicones. Plus I'll due a once a week deep treatment after shampooing since my hair is somewhat damaged/dry.

I figure this is the end of the discussion then now that I saw our resident chemist's article!

lazy loops · 09-23-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darby

Your hair is chemically processed and with bleach right? That's probably why she told you to not clarify. And your hair is damaged in the back. Clarifying would probably just dry it out even more - maybe not if used with a good DT.
I think you would just have to play around with it.
I think if your hair is real healthy and not dyed, clarifying would be just fine. I don't know if there is a difference as far as stripping with different products but thats an option to look at too.
I used to clarify once a week but it was drying my hair out too much. The one that I liked was by VO5 - I think it was Kiwi and Lime. Then I'd slather on a DT and leave it on for an hour or so. The next day tho, my hair was kind of frizzy and fly away.
And it took a few days for it to calm down. So, I stopped clarifying.

It only has some sort of light color, or maybe it is bleach, from a highlight job last November. A lot of it has grown out. I'm aiming for the rest of it to grow out.

I think the damaged section is from me sleeping on my back & me tossing/turning my head all night. Whether it's from my hair being in a ponytail exposing the underneath or my hair being down & parting in the back exposing that area. I don't know what to do about that.

I used to shampoo three times a week & only deep treat once a week, but now I'll shampoo once a week & still do the once a week deep treatment.