Anyone whose hair has started to feel coated, heavy or dull: regular users of dry shampoo and styling products, people in hard-water areas, and swimmers or city dwellers dealing with residue. Redken lists it for all hair types and textures, and colour-treated hair included.

It is also a sensible step before a colour service or a treatment, when you want the hair free of build-up so the next product can work evenly. The 1000 ml size suits salons and households that clarify regularly.

Build-up happens slowly: dry shampoo, stylers, silicones from other products and minerals from tap water settle on the hair until it looks flat and stops responding to conditioner. A weekly clarifying wash strips that layer back off. Hair Cleansing Cream does this with an acidic cleansing complex aimed at hard-water minerals as well as product residue, so hair feels lighter and shinier, and the rest of your routine works better afterwards.

1. Apply to wet hair.
2. Massage into a lather.
3. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Follow with a conditioner.

Use it once a week, alternating with your regular shampoo. If there is a lot of build-up, some retailers suggest leaving the lather on for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing. Rinse immediately if it gets in your eyes.

Pros:

• Removes product residue and hard-water minerals in a single wash.
• Silicone-free, so it doesn't leave its own coating behind.
• Redken says it's suitable for colour-treated hair when used as directed.
• Two sizes, including a 1000 ml bottle.

Cons:

• Contains sodium laureth sulfate, which some people choose to avoid.
• It's a clarifier, not a daily shampoo: Redken recommends once a week, alternating with your usual shampoo.
• Hair can feel squeaky-clean afterwards, so a conditioner is needed.