I have been using various shampoos on my hair and even after I washed my hair still felt I had dandruff or the dandruff would come back in a day or two. In addition, I use gel for my edges and I also use leave in conditioner on my hair. I therefore felt that shampoo never properly removes all of these. I therefore started looking for shampoo that would thoroughly clean my scalp and hair but not make it dry. That’s when I came across cleansing shampoos. Cleansing shampoos are designed to remove dirt and product build up from the scalp and hair shaft. The two that I have tried are Curlsmith Wash & Scrub Detox Shampoo and Ouai Detox Shampoo.
Curlsmith Wash & Scrub Detox Shampoo
This shampoo is described as a clarifying shampoo that has micro-fine exfoliating particles which work to cleanse the scalp from dirt and build-up. The shampoo is stated to be for individuals with scalps that are flaky, itchy or need a little TLC. The shampoo is stated to be suitable for all curl types, straight hair and any hair texture or porosity.
This shampoo is stated to contain clarifying cleansers which consist of a foaming surfactant blend that deeply cleanses the scalp, unclogging pores and melts away dirt and product build-up. The shampoo’s other key ingredient include Perlite which is stated to be a fine natural scrub derived from volcanic minerals. The is also Apple Cider Vinegar which is attributed to helping with melting dirt and build-up and clarifying the hair and also enhances shine. There is also pro-biotics in the shampoo which is stated to be skin-friendly micro-organisms that help strengthen the scalp’s protective barrier, the Microbiome. Other notable ingredients include radish root, stated to be a skin-friendly peptide that acts as a probiotic preservative. There is also Mallow flower which is stated to have hair softening and conditioning properties. Other notable ingredients include: natural Ginger, Nettle, Dragon Fruit & Guarana extracts. Curlsmith states the product has no: sulphates, parabens, silicones, mineral oils, phthalates, DEA. This comes in a squeezy bottle of 8fl and is priced at £23 on the Curlsmith website.
My personal experience using the product is that the exfoliating particles are quite small and I was concerned that they would not easily be removed from my scalp but this was not the case. I rinsed my hair quite thoroughly and afterwards I didn’t notice any left in my hair. I didn’t feel the shampoo was that cleansing. I expected the apple cider vinegar to be more potent or concentrated but it didn’t feel that it was that strong. The scent is of this shampoo is also quite nice and is and not too overpowering. Overall, this did clean my scalp and hair but I don’t feel that it thoroughly cleansed my scalp, therefore I would give this a 6 out of 10.
Ouai Detox Shampoo
This shampoo is described as a clarifying shampoo that deeply cleanses away dirt, oil, and product buildup. It is claimed to be able remove buildup from styling products and hard water deposits and thereby leave hair feeling refreshed and super clean. This shampoo is stated to be for individuals that have oily hair and have flaky/dry scalp and want to add shine to their hair. It is advised that you should let the shampoo sit for 1 to 3 minutes before rinsing it off.
The key ingredients in this are apple cider vinegar, tamarind seed extract and chelating agents. It stated on the quai website that all products are: cruelty free, gluten free, paraben free, phthalate free, SLS & SLES free. This shampoo comes in two sizes, the full size is10fl and cost £28 and the travel size, is 3flz and costs £12 on the Ouai website This shampoo has luxurious scent and the scent is actually a signature scent sold as a perfume by Ouai and there is also a body wash with the same smell, this smell is called Melrose Place.
Overall, I really liked this shampoo. It lathers very easily and the smell is gorgeous. Most importantly I felt this really cleansed my scalp and cleaned my hair without making it dry. My scalp definitely felt super clean but not overly stripped and I didn’t see any dandruff afterwards. I would therefore give this a 9 out of 10.