My Solution for Buildup

With all of the talk about curls and about using products in your hair, buildup is something you should consider. You know you have buildup when your hair feels a little sticky, or may have flakes of product in it, even after you have shampooed it (yuck!). To avoid buildup as much as possible, before you shampoo let lots of warm water run through your hair (for a few minutes), to dissolve the products that are in it. Still sometimes, buildup will occur no matter what you do. Although there are a good many products you can purchase that claim to remove buildup from the hair (they work, some better than others), my favorite trick is to add a small palmful of baking soda to your regular shampoo and scrub your hair really well. Be sure and follow up with a conditioner, because this can leave your hair feeling a bit deprived.

If buildup is a problem with you, consider what products you are using, and consider making a change, because not all styling products will cause this problem. One thing that I recently found causing a very bad buildup in my daughters hair (that really surprised me) was the Loreal Kids detangling spray, that she was using after she washed her hair. Try using a little baking soda once a week or so, noticeable buildup or not, your hair will be much more manageable and shiny on a daily basis. Here are a ton of resources for other useful ways to use baking soda that go WAY beyond baking!