My air-dried hair after two weeks of “hair detox”
Two weeks ago, I shared a post on”Hair Detoxing.” After running her fingers though my hair, my stylist declared I had some serious product build-up and insisted that I detox my hair. We both knew single shampooing session was not enough to de-gunk my strands. When she sent me home with a bottle of Kevin Murphy’s cruelty-free Maxi.Wash: Detox Shampoo, I was skeptical but willing to give anything a try.Flash forward to the present moment–I’m feeling the areas on the back of my scalp where I experienced the worst of the build-up, and I’m relieved to feel only a fraction of gunkiness that I felt prior to detoxing. My hair is not completely build-up free, but we’re getting there, and most importantly, it’s far more manageable!
I’ve also noticed the following:
- My hair is shinier and softer–my stylist was right, detoxing wouldn’t leave me with “straw hair” (my association with conventional clarifying shampoos.)
- My scalp is slightly itchier–this could be due to the chemicals in the product or the increasing cold, dry weather. Maybe both.
- I haven’t experienced an increase in dandruff, which I though might happen.
- My hair certainly has more body and movement!
Overall, I liked this product because, after two weeks of use, it’s helped me get a fresh start with my hair. Also, it’s surprisingly gentle. I’ll keep it around to use on occasion, but for now, I’m on the hunt for an effective, perfume-free shampoo for regular use.
Whether you’re looking to do a hair detox or just trying to prevent yourself from ending up in my shoes two weeks ago, here are a few tips to minimize product build-up–which I need to follow more diligently 🙂 :
1. Go easy on styling products. Here is a useful chart to help determine how much of each product type to use. Of course, the amount of product appropriate for your hair depends on your hair’s texture and length, but it’s always a good idea to start small.
2. Be careful when washing your face: this is especially true if you use an oil-based cleanser. When washing your mug, be sure to pull all of your hair back with a headband–including bangs and whispies.
3. Be careful when moisturizing. I love using coconut oil as an all-body moisturizer, but if too much oil gets in my hair, I have a mess. Therefore, I’ve started using a water-based moisturizer for my neck, shoulder, and décolletage. I still love using oils on my face, however, so I’ve started to be more careful about allowing the product to absorb before letting down my hair.
Lavender Luminosity Daily Moisturizer provides antioxidant-rich nourishment to neck and chest without leaving behind an oily-residue.
4. If you’re prone to product buildup, only use conditioner on the ends of your hair, and be sure to wash it out thoroughly. This way, you’ve have nourished locks without that heavy, greasy feeling.
5. Finally, resist the urge to shampoo daily. Unless you’ve been rolling around in the mud, your hair probably needs to be cleaned only every other day–at most. It seems counterintuitive, but the oils from your scalp are likely to be more balanced (i.e. not present in excess) if your scalp isn’t always trying to compensate for the oil that’s lost in daily shampooing.
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Photos: Mary Hood
