How to get rid of hair build up?

[1wokeuplikethis]

My hair is gross.

Washed it today and it is weighed down with a coating of waxy muck that comes off on my fingers just running them along the hair. It must be build up.

I've got really really thick hair, plus have a fair amount of bleach through it. As such, I get away with washing it once a week, using silver shampoo and a moisturising conditioner, followed by leave in conditioner and serum. Then usually lots of hair spray when I curl it.

Does anyone have any tips on de-clogging it? Is there a brilliant shampoo/conditioner that will get rid of all this cack? Hate the rigmarole of washing it, drying for 30 minutes and it looking and feeling like I've spent 6 weeks in the jungle (daily mail sadface)

Help

[1wokeuplikethis]

....meeeeee

[RandomDent]

I think I read on a thread once that people used baby shampoo because it doesn't have silicones in it.

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

You need a clarifying shampoo - I believe Johnson's baby shampoo is decent for this. It's all the silicone in the products that you're using, you're right it builds up.

I use SLS, paraben and silicone free products, and it works for me so you could try that.

[sentia]

If you dilute something like vinegar or beer with water and dunk your hair in it that will get residue off. Or, ironically, really cheap and nasty shampoo like the kind you get in hotels for free.

[charlieandlola]

LOreal Clay shampoo or Pantene Clarifying shampoo
More frequently than once a week

[Shop]

Tresemme deep cleansing shampoo. Fantastic stuff.

[Pupsiecola]

Aveda Clarifying Shampoo. Follow it with some Aussie 3 Minute Miracle conditioner.

[onecrazycook]

Put shampoo on your hair while its dry and gradually add water to it. It breaks down the gunk this way. My hairdresser gave me this trick and it works

[HectorAndKiki]

You need to use a clarifying shampoo as mentioned before - Boots do one too in their own "Expert" range, quite cheap, but is on the lowest shelf so you'll have to hunt it down 😀.
Meanwhile you could just put loads on shampoo on dry hair and work it in well, then wash your hair (found out this little gem when DD rubbed a whole tub of zinc and castor oil on her head !).

[QueenSpartacusOfTheAndals]

Don't use baby shampoo, it won't clean as well as its designed for babies' hair, ie, hair that doesn't use any styling products. The Boots clarifying shampoo mentioned upthread will do the job a lot better.

[1wokeuplikethis]

Thanks! I'm off to hunt a good de-crappifier.

Washing more than once a week isn't really an option at the mo. It takes forever.

[Botanicbaby]

agree with whoever said use vinegar in the last rinse of your hair and it works amazingly. makes your hair shine brilliantly too.

or else the aussie miracle shampoo worked for me when my (fine) hair was constantly lank and lifeless from build up.

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

I find that clarifying shampoo doesn't have great long term effects- when I used it I found that my hair would be great straight after but then go very dry after the nrxt wash ( it could be just the brand i was using though)

[Diamondsandpears]

Agree with above suggestions. Can you suggest some suitable ones FeliciaJollygoodfellow? The ingredients lists are confusing!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Vosene works a treat for this,either the original or the frequent wash. Use once a week.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

You need to really condition well after using a clarifying shampoo.

[Gwynfluff]

Wet hair thoroughly and then use a small amount - really small amount- of shampoo (any to be honest) and massage in. It should feel like there is not enough shampoo and it shouldn't lather. Rinse thoroughly and repeat with similar small amount of shampoo. That should feel more like it is cleansing.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

'Clarifying' shampoo is a marketing concept (to get you to buy your regular one and their one as well, rather than tackle brand loyalty head on).

Any non-silicone shampoo will shift the stuff: shampoo twice and rinse really, really well each time.

[Liiinoo]

Many, many years ago my hairdresser recommended vodka for this. Mix equal amounts of vodka and shampoo in an egg cup and wash as normal. You don't need to do it very often so a little bit of vodka goes a long, long way.

I bought a bottle of very cheap vodka to do this and over 30 years and two house moves later that same bottle of very cheap vodka is stored in our bathroom beside the bleach and loo cleaner. I used to get some very strange looks and questions from visiting friends and relations who spotted it there!

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Anything with -cone in it means silicone. PEG before it means it's water soluble.

Stay clear of Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it's basically what's in Fairy liquid.

I'm using Say Yes to Blueberries shampoo at the moment (from Boots) and a Wilkos conditioner - lemon and black pepper from their Fruits range. Smells gorge and limited nasties!

My hair is very curly and very dry, I wash with the shampoo once a week and every morning soak under the shower, then scrunch some conditioner and then gel into my hair and dry. I'm 34 on Saturday and it's taken me till this year to find that this gives me reliable hair every day! I use a Dove oil sometimes when it's fully dry (not usually before I leave for work) but it doesn't smell very nice. Lush Honey Bee (I think it's called) is very nice but I only got a sample to try so need to stock up!

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Oh I forgot, the Alberto Balsam conditioners are generally very good as well. I'm not sure about the shampoos - I think they have SLS in them.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I second using Vosene Anti dandruff shampoo. It's the only thing that gets rid of all my product build up. I use it once a week and my hair is always squeaky clean and swishy afterwards. And it's cheap!

[Herhighness]

I'd be sat on the loo drinking it .

[spiderlight]

Believe it or not, a teaspoon of bicarb mixed into your shampoo is amazing at clearing buildup.