Beauty experts are buzzing about double shampooing, but should they be? Bottles of shampoo often direct shampooers to “repeat as necessary,” or, more classically, “lather, rinse and repeat.” Is there weight to these suggestions, or is shampooing hair twice a waste? Let’s cover some common questions about shampooing, including:

• What is double shampooing?

• Is double shampooing good for your hair?

• Should I use a clarifying shampoo or scalp cleansing treatment?

What is double shampooing?

Double shampooing entails washing your hair with shampoo twice during the same shower or bath. Some hair stylists swear by double shampooing, suggesting that the first shampoo helps remove dirt and oil and the second shampoo helps impart nourishing benefits.

Is double shampooing good for your hair?

If your hair tends to get greasy at the roots, but feels dry and brittle at the ends, this typically means the oil from your scalp is having trouble making its way to the ends of your strands. This might happen if you have very thick or very curly hair. Since those who have curly or thick hair tend to spend more time between washings, this creates more time for product to build up, so shampooing twice may help remove excess product and cleanse away built-up oil near your scalp.

However, if you have thin, damaged, dry or oily hair, or suffer from a sensitive scalp, double shampooing may do more harm than good by causing scalp irritation, according to board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “I don’t know that double shampooing is necessary,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “I worry about scalp irritation. For my patients, I generally recommend what I call ‘slow shampooing,’ which involves leaving on the shampoo during the entirety of their shower or bath and then washing it off at the end. This allows them to retain the full benefits rather than simply washing it off immediately.”

The moral of the story? Double shampooing can be okay in certain situations but isn’t necessary every day, and it isn’t for everyone.

Should I use a clarifying shampoo or scalp cleanser?

Scalp cleansers and clarifying shampoos are two popular products that promise to remove build-up that can leave your hair feeling dull. Scalp cleansers are intended to help exfoliate dead skin cells and other debris that can build up on the surface of your scalp. Whereas, clarifying shampoos are formulated to remove build-up on hair. If you use a lot of hairspray, wax or pomade to style your hair—or if you have hard water, which can leave mineral deposits on your hair—you could benefit from using a clarifying shampoo once a week or a couple times a month. “Be mindful, as clarifying shampoos are not intended for everyday use, and if you use them too often, you can strip away the natural oils on your hair and scalp,” Dr. Schlessinger says.

9 shampoos and scalp cleansers to try

Leonor Greyl Concentre Energetique Energizing Scalp Cleansing Treatment

This scalp cleanser was designed for once-weekly use in place of your usual shampoo. It comes with a brush applicator, which you’ll use to apply the cleanser to your dry scalp before massaging with your fingers. After fifteen minutes, you can slowly add water to build a lather and then rinse thoroughly. Thanks to a blend of plant extracts—including lemon oil, ginseng, sage and aloe vera—your scalp will be left feeling clean and refreshed.

Surface Purify Weekly Shampoo

This clarifying shampoo helps cleanse away build-up from minerals and chlorine while still being safe for use on color-treated hair. As you might guess from the name, it’s intended to be used once weekly and contains a blend of ceramides, babassu oil and coconut oil to help reduce frizz for softer, silkier hair that’s free of build-up.

Rene Furterer COMPLEXE 5 Regenerating Plant Extract

This oil-based scalp treatment helps stimulate microcirculation in the scalp to help promote healthy hair growth and also boost the efficacy of other hair products you use. Use it once weekly by applying the oil to your entire scalp and shampooing regularly after a wait of five minutes. Thanks to a blend of orange and lavender oils, it features a pleasant herbal, citrus scent.

CLn 2-n-1 Gentle Wash & Shampoo

If you have sensitive skin or an itchy scalp due to dryness, eczema or dermatitis, give this mild, hydrating shampoo a try. It’s formulated with glycerin and gentle conditioners that work to help hydrate your strands while relieving itchiness and irritation on your scalp with sodium hypochlorite.

Miriam Quevedo Black Baccara Hair Multiplying Scalp Concentrate + Pre-Treatment Exfoliator

This two-piece kit contains everything you need to cleanse and pamper your scalp to help encourage healthier hair growth. The Black Baccara Pre-Treatment Exfoliator contains rose stem cells to help boost hair regeneration and a blend of acids (salicylic acid and gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid) to exfoliate away dead skin cells and scalp build-up. The Hair Multiplying Concentrate also contains rose stem cells and activated charcoal to help eliminate excess oil as a blend of vitamins work to nourish hair follicles.

ReTress Shampoo

This daily shampoo is formulated to calm scalp irritation and support healthy hair growth. It contains a proprietary ingredient blend to stimulate blood flow to hair follicles, which supports the normal anchoring of existing hair. A blend of peppermint and spearmint oils also give your scalp a cooling tingle while you wash, and because it’s sulfate-free, it’s also safe to use on color-treated hair.

Redken Blondage High Bright Shampoo

This unique shampoo is formulated to help brighten color-treated blonde hair in between salon visits. It contains vitamin C and Redken’s own Brightening Care Complex to help eliminate the build-up and impurities that can make blonde hair appear dull and dark. With daily use, it also helps seal hair cuticles for silkier, shinier-looking strands.

ColorProof Clear It Up Shampoo

Wash away excess oil, products and build-up on color-treated hair without compromising your color with this clarifying shampoo. A blend of vitamins C and E along with baking soda help clarify and deodorize hair, leaving it looking clean and vibrant. It also contains FlexShield Technology to help provide protection from the potential damage of heat styling and a blend of vegan proteins to help strengthen hair strands.

Hush & Hush Deeply Rooted Shampoo Exfoliating Hair Cleanser

This exfoliating shampoo helps gently clear away build-up and impurities that may be weighing your hair down. It contains argan oil to help strengthen hair and prevent breakage, making it a good option for brittle or dry hair. Aloe and glycerin also help keep strands hydrated while apricot kernel oil seals in moisture for a shiny, healthy gleam.

Are you interested in learning more about organic hair care? You can read more about hair care brands using organic ingredients in their products and more on the LovelySkin Blog.