In 1814, Dean Mahomed and his family moved back to Brighton and opened Mahomed's Baths, the first commercial shampooing vapour bath in England. He later became shampooing surgeon to both George IV and William IV. Shampooing began as an event, closer to a treatment than a quick lather.

Which is the right way to think about Odele Clarifying Shampoo. It is a reset, not a daily habit. The brand was launched in January 2020 in the Twin Cities by three friends and mothers, Lindsay Holden, Britta Chatterjee and Shannon Kearney, and the name is a nod to the Norwegian å dele, to share. The idea is one shower for a whole household, with products organised by what they do, not by gender. I like that plainness, and this bottle is the honest expression of it.

The trick is to treat it as the first step of a wash day, not the whole thing. A review by DermApproved says the formula is sulfate-free but still a strong cleanser, and it suggests using it about once a week, or every two weeks if your hair is fine, dry or chemically treated. Then the rest of the Odele line does the follow-through. Moisture Repair Shampoo is for dry, damaged hair and the Smoothing one is for frizz. Volumizing brings lift, and Ultra Sensitive is the fragrance-free option. After the wash, the Leave-In Conditioner, the Hair Oil and the Air Dry Styler finish things off.

Start with the water. If your hair feels coated and dull even after a proper wash, the culprit is often hard water or a build-up of stylers, and a clarifying shampoo is the only thing that shifts it. The rule I use: clarify when your hair tells you to, not on a calendar.

OUAI's Detox Clarifying Shampoo with apple cider vinegar and Nécessaire's The Detox Shampoo are the two friendliest to keep on a shower shelf. Olaplex's No. 4C Bond Maintenance Deep Clean is for people who colour or heat-style and want the reset without a rough finish. Paul Mitchell's Shampoo Two is the old salon staple, the one your stylist probably already uses.

Davines' SOLU, Oribe's The Cleanse and Moroccanoil's Clarifying Shampoo with argan oil are the salon-counter picks, and Fenty Beauty's The Clear Thinker is the one for anyone who likes a clarifier with a bit of personality. If you want a first pick, choose by the rest of your routine. Heavy stylers and oils call for a stronger wash, and a light routine needs a gentler one.

A pairing I like: a clarifying shampoo on Sunday, a proper mask on Sunday too, and nothing else for a week. The mask is what makes clarifying feel kind.

What I would skip: clarifying right before a big colour appointment or on a scalp that is already irritated. Ask your stylist how often is right for you.

Here is how I would use them: shampoo the roots, then squeeze the conditioner from mid-length down and comb it through. Clarifying opens the door, and the conditioner is what you walk through it with. The hair feels different in the shower, then better on day two.

Odele has a conditioner for almost every hair mood. Smoothing Conditioner is for frizz and shine, and Moisture Repair Conditioner is for dry, damaged hair. Volumizing keeps fine hair from going flat, and the Thickening one is for strength and density support. Ultra Sensitive Conditioner stays fragrance-free, which is useful for scalps that do not love perfume.

The Moisture Mask for dry, damaged hair is the one I would use straight after the clarifying wash, left in for a few minutes while you do anything else. Curl Defining Conditioner is for curls that need moisture and definition, and Purple Conditioner is for blonde, silver and grey hair that has turned a little warm.

The trick is to match the shampoo and the conditioner to your real hair, not your hair on a good day. Somebody with fine, straight hair needs a very different bottle from someone with thick curls.

What I would skip: piling a mask on fine hair at the roots. Keep it from the ears down.

A habit worth borrowing: after clarifying, give your hair the richest thing you own, but only once. The wash strips, so the treatment matters. Then go back to your ordinary conditioner for the rest of the week.

K18's Damage Shield Protective Conditioner and OUAI's Bond Repair Balm Hair Mask are the ones for damaged hair, and they suit anyone who has had a rough summer. Amika's Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask and Redken's All Soft All-In Mask are the cushiony options for dry, brittle ends.

Davines' The Purity Circle Hair Mask for scalp detox is a smart partner for a clarifying shampoo, since both are aimed at the scalp. Rossano Ferretti Parma's Dolce Nourishing Hair Mask is the most luxurious thing here, and I would keep it for a Sunday when nobody needs the bathroom. Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Joia conditioner strengthens and smooths, and L'Oréal Paris' EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture Conditioner is the plain everyday partner.

A pairing I like: Odele Clarifying Shampoo, then a rich mask, then an air-dry styler from the first grid while your hair is still damp. Three steps, one shower.

What I would skip: the heaviest mask on a day when you need hair that holds a blow-dry.

I think Odele Clarifying Shampoo earns a place in a shared shower because it does one job and admits it. It is a reset for the days when your hair feels like it is wearing yesterday.

So I would keep it for the weekend, follow it with a mask, and leave the rest of the week to gentler bottles. If your hair still feels heavy after a month of that, try a different clarifier, or ask your stylist what your water is doing to it. Dean Mahomed sold his customers a steam bath and a fresh start. You can get the same feeling in ten minutes with a lather. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Best Shampoo for Oily Hair Is a Clarifying One, Used the Right Way and Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair.