I have a love-hate relationship with clarifying shampoos. They make your scalp feel squeaky clean and so refreshed, which I love, especially as someone who suffers from migraines and has extra sensitivity around my scalp. On the other side, though, they can be really harsh and drying on your hair - the worst ones make your hair feel like straw and can lead to breakage, which is never ideal.

I have fine, straight hair and don’t use a ton of product, but I do like to use a clarifying shampoo every other week (or so).

Having colored hair makes things a little trickier when it comes to finding the right clarifying shampoo. You want something that will brighten up your color without stripping the color. Colored hair is also more prone to breakage, so it’s important that your clarifying shampoo doesn’t dry out your hair.

I’ve tried lots of different clarifying shampoos, and have finally come up with a small handful (read: 3 total) of clarifying shampoos that keep their promises and are worth the money. Here are my favorites, with an extra tip that has been a game-changer for my highlighted hair.

best clarifying shampoos for colored hair

ouai detox shampoo

Every clarifying shampoo left my hair feeling like straw until this one, and no matter how many I try, I always come back to the Ouai Detox Shampoo. The formula is effective yet gentle, and it never dries out my scalp (even in the winter or dry climates). A little goes a long way, and it suds beautifully without stripping your hair of its natural oils.

You only need to use a clarifying shampoo every other week or so (depending on how much product you use, how often you wash your hair, how oily your scalp is, etc.) but I once tried using this product on back-to-back days for almost a week and it didn’t dry my hair out at all! So I feel really confident recommending this for all hair types, even if you have dry and damaged hair.

Every day use is extreme and not necessary; ideally I use this shampoo every 10 days (as someone who washes her hair daily), but unless you have an oily scalp or a lot of product build-up, every 2 weeks would work.

davines solu clarifying shampoo

I also really love this clarifying shampoo. Davines is one of my favorite brands, but it’s pricey, so I typically prioritize their toning products over clarifying. That said, once I tried Solu, I realized why it’s so loved. It gives your scalp a true, deep clean, and makes your hair noticeably shinier. The scent is more masculine than I expected it to be, but I love that it’s vegan.

That being said, it’s more expensive and slightly harsher than the Ouai Detox Shampoo and harder to buy (Ouai is available at Sephora, Ulta, and Target), so if you have extra thick or curly hair, I’d recommend Ouai instead.

kristin ess deep clean clarifying shampoo

I personally believe it’s worth it to invest in a clarifying shampoo because you only use it every handful of washes, so one bottle will last you months, but the Kristin Ess Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo is a great cheaper option. The bottle itself feels a little flimsy, but you get a great lather with this and it does remove product build-up without drying out your scalp. To avoid breakage and bring hydration back into your hair, use a deep conditioner and then finish with a leave-in conditioner, too.

how to protect colored hair from clarifying shampoos

And for my best tip for protecting the integrity of your colored hair while using clarifying shampoos, I recommend getting a scalp scrubber. This initially seemed really gimmicky to me, something that I’d use once and then stuff in a drawer, but it’s really worth it. Use it with your normal shampoo, not the clarifying shampoo - it will give you a deeper clean, help balance out your scalp’s natural oils, remove some of the product build-up, and allow you to go longer between having to use a clarifying shampoo.

I’ve noticed my hair is shinier, has more volume, my scalp feels so much better, and my color looks brighter for longer ever since I started using a scalp scrubber regularly. You can find some for as cheap as $5, so it’s definitely worth trying out.