5 Hacks To Get Rid Of Hair Buildup

5 Hacks To Get Rid Of Hair Buildup

It’s happened again—your hair is lank, lifeless and dull. That probably indicates you have too much product buildup from conditioning, hairspray, gel or one of the other products you use religiously on your hair. Never fear, however, there are plenty of ways to revitalize your hair by getting rid of all that buildup.

Shampoo & Baking Soda

If you have tons of buildup, you’ll want to call in the big guns. Get a clarifying shampoo, and add equal parts baking soda to it in your hand. Rub into your hair and shampoo like you normally would. If your hair is prone to buildup, use this method once per month.

Make sure to condition with a light conditioner afterwards so that your hair doesn’t dry out too much. Using a light clarifying conditioner (preferably with no silicones) will keep hair moisturized without adding more buildup immediately.

Dish Soap

If you really want to go cheap and easy with it, just wash your hair like you normally would with a dish soap like Dawn. That stuff is made to cut through gunk. Same moisturizing rules apply as above.

Sea Breeze Or Witch Hazel

You can even use a basic astringent if your hair is really weighed down. This method is a bit more time-intensive. You’ll need to manually saturate all your hair in sections using a cotton ball. The product could be too harsh on the scalp if you dump it all at once. After your hair is saturated, rinse well and then wash and condition like you normally would.

Apple Cider Vinegar

You’ve probably heard of the amazing health benefits of apple cider vinegar. In addition to promoting hair growth, cleansing hair without stripping the natural oils and naturally detangling hair, it turns out it can cut down on the buildup in hair, as well.

Combine one part apple cider vinegar to eight parts water (use more apple cider vinegar for more oily hair). Pour two cups into your hair and let it saturate. Let the mixture sit for several minutes and then rinse.

How To Avoid Buildup In The Future

If you work to avoid buildup, you may not have to undergo the harsh hair care routines above. Try to focus on finding products that are free of waxes, oils and silicones, which all naturally weigh down hair. Looking for products with hydrolyzed proteins will hydrate the hair with small protein molecules that can enter the hair cuticle. That means no heavy waxes and buildup when moisturizing your hair.

If you can’t find or afford such a product, consider washing with synthetic wax and oil products, but use a cheaper clarifying shampoo a couple days a week to balance everything out.