Product Review: Number 4™ Clarifying Shampoo

My Birchbox recently showed up with a sample of Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo. By the way, if you’re not getting a monthly Birchbox, check the site up and sign up. I really love this service for trying hair and other beauty products that I otherwise wouldn’t even know about. Plus, getting a box of beauty products every month (for next to nothing) never gets old.

At the time this Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo came in the mail, I wasn’t really in need of a clarifying treatment, so I tucked it away and forgot about it. Then one morning I woke up with 5-day-old gym hair and happened across this little white unassuming bottle in my cabinet. The fact that my hair was dirty, full of dry shampoo, riddled with various hair products, and it had been months since I’d clarified my hair, I figured there was no time like the present to test this stuff out.

If this shampoo could undo this hot mess state that my hair was in (without drying it out), it would be a miracle. I didn’t have my expectations set really high, to be quite honest.

What is Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo and How is it Different?

Clarifying shampoo has a tendency to be drying, full of sulfates and harsh chemicals, and, as a result, notorious for stripping your hair’s color and shine. It’s a necessary evil because let’s face it, product build-up causes more bad hair days than a humid summer day. I usually recommend a decent conditioning treatment after clarifying to restore your hair’s sheen and body.

Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo is instantly different the moment you put it in your hands. It’s very thick and creamy and emulsifies well through the hair. It doesn’t feel drying in any way, yet it’s obvious that it’s an effective cleanser. It’s honestly one of the most luxurious clarifying shampoos I’ve ever felt in my hair.

The biggest difference in this product has nothing to do with what’s in it and everything to do with what’s missing.

The low-sudsing formula is 100% vegan, gluten free, sulfate free, and sodium chloride free, and paraben free. These qualities promise to gently cleanse the hair of product and environmental buildups that can make your hair misbehave. The subtle scent of white freesia, golden amber, and warm musk isn’t overpowering. It’s an impressive product, and the fact that it’s free of, well, everything is just icing on the cake.

My Results with the Product

Number 4 Clarifying shampoo is obviously gentle enough to use every day, you know, if you’re into that daily shampooing thing. If you use a lot of hair product, have fine, thin, or greasy hair, Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo would make an excellent regular shampoo. It’s perfect for all hair types, honestly. It left my hair feeling very clean, oil-free, light and conditioned. Even the next morning, my hair felt impeccably clean and manageable with more body than I normally have for second-day hair. I will absolutely use this clarifying treatment again, and probably a lot more regularly. If I didn’t switch shampoos all the time to test different brands, this one would be a top contender for my daily shampoo.

Recommendations for Use

There’s nothing special about using this shampoo that’s different from any other shampoo you’ve ever used. Just make sure you’re shampooing correctly.. Squeeze a small amount (a little goes a long way) of the water-activated formula into the palm of your hand and work into a thick lather. Deposit the lather evenly through damp strands and rinse thoroughly. Repeat as necessary.