Aimed at people with curly, coily, or wavy hair who use a lot of styling product, live with hard water, or notice curls going flat and residue-coated between washes. It's a periodic clarifying step, not a daily shampoo replacement, so it suits anyone already following a curly-hair routine (co-washing, gels, curl creams) who occasionally needs a deeper reset than their regular cleanser gives them.

Where a standard clarifying shampoo typically leans on sulfates to strip hair back to bare, Buildup Buster is built around gentler, sulfate-free surfactants specifically so curl pattern and moisture aren't sacrificed for the sake of a clean scalp — useful if past clarifying shampoos have left curls frizzy or over-dried.

Use DevaCurl's "scrub in/scrub out" method occasionally, in place of your regular cleanser, rather than as a daily shampoo.

1. Wet hair thoroughly.
2. Apply to the scalp — about a tablespoon for fine hair, or a palm-full for thicker hair.
3. Scrub in with fingertips to loosen buildup.
4. Scrub out while rinsing thoroughly.
5. Follow with a DevaCurl conditioner or treatment.
6. Avoid contact with eyes; rinse thoroughly with water if it happens, and keep out of reach of children.

Pros

• Sulfate-free surfactant system removes buildup without the tight, stripped feeling of a traditional clarifying shampoo.
• Silicone-free and paraben-free, so it won't leave behind residue that then needs its own clarifying step later.
• Vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free formulation.

Cons

• Not meant for daily use — reaching for it as a regular shampoo would work against the low-buildup goals of DevaCurl's curl-care method.
• Still a cleanser, so curls typically need a conditioner or treatment applied right after to replace moisture lost during the 'scrub in/scrub out' process.
• Fragranced with a multi-note scent (Aqua Bliss), which won't suit anyone specifically shopping for a fragrance-free clarifying option.