Do You Need A Hair Detox?

Feeling defeated by damage and dullness? Want to switch up your haircare and styling regime, but stuck on where to start? The CLOUD NINE 9-DAY DETOX is here to help you take back control of your haircare routine and boost your confidence along the way. Follow our simple step-by-step routine to give your hair and scalp the health boost they crave.

About the expert

Mathilde Heather is a hairstylist and salon owner operating in Bath, UK. She specialises in short hairstyling and regularly shares tutorials about how to achieve healthy, great-looking hair. Follow Mathilde on Instagram.

WHAT IS A HAIR DETOX?

A hair detox is a complete reset for your haircare routine, designed to cleanse and enrich the scalp and strands, encouraging healthy hair growth and a beautiful shine.

Hair detoxification can alleviate many common signs of poor hair health, including dryness, dullness, split ends, frizz, excess oil, and a flaky or irritated scalp. Once you’ve detoxed your hair, you’re on track to replace problems in your haircare routine – such as using the wrong temperature to heat style, exposing your hair to UV rays and air pollution, or choosing high-manipulation hairstyles – with new healthy hair habits.

SIGNS YOUR HAIR NEEDS A DETOX

Just like our bodies and skin, our hair can get a little run-down sometimes. There’s no need to worry – it’s nothing a hair detox can’t fix.

Here are some tell-tale signs that your hair and scalp need a little extra TLC.

Your scalp is irritable and itchy

If you’re feeling the urge to scratch your head a little more than normal, it could be a sign of an inflamed or irritated scalp which commonly results from product buildup and clogged follicles. This may be accompanied by other symptoms including excess oil and dandruff. While several different factors cause dandruff – such as over or under-washing and clogged sebaceous glands – regularly detoxifying hair can help to banish flakes and rebalance the scalp’s hydration levels.

Your hair feels oily

Do you often find yourself wondering “why is my hair so oily?”. While there are a range of causes, oily hair is often due to an imbalance in hydration, meaning however often you wash, it’ll keep cropping up again. When the hair and scalp are thirsty, your sebum glands can go into overdrive to provide moisture, leaving your hair looking and feeling greasy. Product residue clogging your follicles, overly harsh cleansers that strip the hair of moisture, and heat damage from styling at excessively high temperatures are all common culprits. When we detoxify hair, we restore sebum production to a healthy level and provide the moisture needed to keep it hydrated.

Your hair looks dull

With seasonal changes, exposure to environmental pollution, and continuous use of heavy hair products, you’ll probably notice your hair looking a little lacklustre. That’s perfectly normal. Hair detoxification helps to remove excess buildup and promotes shinier, volume-packed strands.

Your scalp has an odour

If you’ve ever experienced an unpleasant smell coming from your hair, you can rest assured it’s more common than you think. Just like the rest of your skin, your scalp hosts a whole bunch of bacteria that contribute to maintaining a healthy environment for hair growth and scalp function. However, with excess sweat, dirt and dry skin, they can multiply at a faster rate and cause imbalances in pH and moisture, resulting in hair odour. A detox for hair can restore your scalp to its fragrant best.

DAY ONE: Examine your hair and scalp

Now you know the symptoms of run-down hair, you’re ready to spot them and start your journey from dull to detoxed. Here’s how:

Starting with clean, dry hair, brush to remove any knots and tangles. We recommend the CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush. Once it’s detangled, look in the mirror. Take note of whether your hair looks shiny or dull, and whether it has its usual volume and texture. Lacklustre, dull hair that appears weighed down, greasy or damaged can often benefit from a detox.
Next, look closer at your strands. Take a few in between your thumb and forefinger, and run along them slowly from root to end. As you go, take note of how the hair feels. Is it dry and brittle? Rough and frizzy? These issues hint at deeper dehydration or damage that detoxifying could help with.
Finally, take a look at your scalp. Position one mirror behind you and one in front, so you can see the back of your head. Divide your hair at the root so the scalp is visible and look for any signs of excess oil, flaky dry skin, itching, scalp irritation, redness, and debris. If any are present, it’s time to detox.

HOW OFTEN DO I NEED A HAIR DETOX?

The correct frequency of hair detox depends on your individual needs and daily haircare routine. If you never go a day without applying styling products like hairspray, dry shampoo or mousse, you should aim for a detox every two to three weeks. For lower-maintenance hair that’s washed regularly, once a month to once every six weeks should do the trick.

YOUR HAIR DETOX SCHEDULE

Everyone’s hair needs are different – Different strands show different symptoms. From excess oil to brittleness, a range of problems can be addressed by a hair detox.
Knowledge is power – Regular check-ins with your hair’s condition make it easier to spot when you need to detox.
No two hair detox schedules are the same – Tailor the frequency of your detox routine to the needs of your hair and how much time you have.
Use the right temperature for your hair type – If you’re using heat styling tools during your hair detox, make sure you’re using the perfect temperature for your hair. Discover your hair’s ideal temperature using the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator. Use the Variable Temperature Controls included on all CLOUD NINE hair straighteners to adjust them your perfect heat. Don’t forget that your hair changes throughout your life, seasonally and even as a result of styling. Finding your perfect heat might be something you need to repeat through the year. Combined with our signature Revive Mode™, you can stop the cycle of damage without sacrificing the styling routine that boosts your confidence.

WELCOME TO THE 9-DAY DETOX

Want to join a community committed to hair health? Start the CLOUD NINE 9-DAY DETOX to rediscover your hair vibrancy with Mathilde Heather, our expert guide in all things hair wellness.

Learn about the CLOUD NINE 9-Day Detox

Ready for the next step in your detox journey? Move on to Day 2: Kickstarting Your Hair Detox