Ask a Beauty Editor: 8 Best Clarifying Shampoos for All Hair Types 

Ever wanted to pick the brain of a beauty editor? Or get beauty product recommendations from someone who has tried them all? You've come to the right place. In our weekly series, beauty editor Hana Hong answers your biggest skincare, hair care, and makeup questions, all submitted by Real Simple readers. Tune in every Tuesday and submit your own burning beauty questions here for a chance to be featured.

Reader question: Can you recommend some good clarifying shampoos? —@shannon.albright

Sorry to break it to you, but if you use dry shampoo and other styling products, go a few days between washes, or rinse your hair with tap water (i.e. all of us), you have a lot of buildup in your hair—even if you can't see it.

And no, the solution isn't just to wash your hair more. In fact, your shampoo actually contributes to the problem. Product buildup from ingredients like silicones can weigh your hair down over time, getting in the way of your volume and shine goals.

But no sweat; the secret to cleaner and overall better-looking hair lies in adding just one more product to your haircare routine—and that's clarifying shampoo. Essentially a regular shampoo on steroids, a clarifying shampoo is buffed with extra ingredients like apple cider vinegar, charcoal, or mineral salts that are powerful enough to remove residue that your normal formula can't. As a good rule of thumb, you should be aiming to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo at least once a week. With consistent use, you should find that your hair has more sheen instead of grease—meaning less frequent washing for you.

To clear up (ha) your search, I've tapped the best clarifying shampoos for every hair type that won't strip or dry out your hair.

Best Clarifying Shampoos