What is it, how does it work and why should you use it in your routine?
What is a chelating shampoo?
A chelating shampoo goes one step further than a clarifying (strongly cleansing) variant. In addition to product build-up, it is also designed to properly remove minerals (such as magnesium and calcium) from hard water from your hair. It is therefore mainly used by people who live in an environment where hard water comes from the tap.
Hard water, but also chlorine, sweat and seawater can accumulate on your hair, making your hair extra dry, brittle and difficult to treat.
They contain 'chelating agents'. These are active molecules that actually do the biggest job: removing built-up minerals from your hair.
How does it work?
As indicated, the chelating agents are the most important ingredient. They cling to the impurities and minerals in your hair so that everything can be rinsed out properly.
EDTA
The most common chelating agents are EDTA, short for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid. This is a colorless, water-soluble substance that can remove impurities and minerals. It is actually a synthetic amino acid.
NB! It does not always have to be chelating if it contains EDTA. Some formulations contain EDTA in a very low concentration as a preservative to extend the shelf life of the product. The higher EDTA is in the ingredients list, the better it is able to remove impurities and hard water minerals from your hair.
These are synthetic EDTAs (made in a laboratory):
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Disodium EDTA
- HEDTA
- Sodium Oxalate
- TEA-EDTA
- Trisodium EDTA
- Oxalic acid
There are also natural alternatives to EDTA, namely:
- Sodium Phytate
- Sodium Gluconate
- Phytic acid
What is the difference with a clarifying cleanser?
The biggest difference lies in the degree of cleaning. Chelating shampoos clean more strongly. Clarifying shampoos mainly target the surface of the hair, while chelating agents also do work beneath the hair shaft.
Both are strong cleansers and can damage your hair if you don't use a conditioner or mask after washing.
When do you use a chelating shampoo?
First of all, we would like to emphasize that you do not have to use it regularly. Do you use it daily or fairly regularly? Then this can work in the wrong direction because you also remove the good skin oil from your head. Use it a maximum of 2 times a month. It is advisable to experiment with this: see how your hair reacts, perhaps once a month is sufficient. Feel free to use your 'normal' mild shampoo for all other washes.
You can try/use the chelating variant in the following cases:
- Hard water comes out of your tap (you can search on Google to see how hard your water is, you can also measure it yourself).
- The water coming out of your tap is too 'soft', which means that there is a minimal concentration of minerals and you can experience build-up sooner.
- You have dull hair.
- Constantly suffering from frizzy hair.
- Excessive hair loss.
- You swim a lot in chlorinated water or seawater.
- Your hair is falling out.
- Your hair is extremely soft.
How do you use a chelating shampoo?
Dampen your entire hair and take a little of the shampoo in your palm. Rub between your hands to distribute the shampoo evenly. Then apply the shampoo to your hair and massage it well into the scalp and distribute the excess over your hair lengths. Then rinse it immediately and continue the wash with a conditioner or hair mask.
What benefits does it have?
You will notice that your hair is more manageable, healthier and can have more shine. In addition, it can promote the effect of your other hair products because they can be better absorbed by the hair. So always be careful when writing off products, test first before drawing conclusions!
The problems don't go away
Do you continue to have problems and do you think this is related to hard water coming from your tap? Then you can possibly have a water filter installed. This will soften your water. Although this comes with high costs and is not an option for everyone (for example if you live in a rental house), there are other options. For example, there are special shower heads that can filter the water a little.
Do you have any questions about a chelating shampoo? Please let us know in the comments.
