Sulfates are chemicals used as cleansing agents. They’re found in household cleaners, detergents, and even shampoo.
Two main types of sulfates are used in shampoo: sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium Laureth sulfate. The purpose of these sulfates is to create a lathering effect to remove oil and dirt from your hair. If your shampoo easily makes a lather in the shower, there’s a good chance it contains sulfates. Sulfate-free shampoos make little to no later.
Compared to other cleansing ingredients in shampoo, sulfates are said to have the deepest cleansing effects trusted by Source. They belong to a class of cleansers called anionic surfactants, which clean away substances.
What is sulfate exactly?
In a nutshell, sulfates are great cleansers that cut through oil and dirt. They’re commonly found in hair and skin cleansing products because they have the ability to attract water and oil. Due to this quality, they can efficiently lift dirt and oil from the body and rinse down the drain when mixed with water. Oh, and they’re also responsible for that lovely foam you associate with feeling so fresh, so clean.
Since sulfates are safe, efficient and effective, you may find the sulfate-free movement in haircare products confusing. Well, the issue seems to boil down to one thing: shampoos containing sulfate can be a bit too good at doing their job. While these shampoos wash away dirt and grime, they may also wash away important stuff our scalp creates and needs, leading to a loss of moisture. Thus, sulfate-free products are considered milder, less drying, and less frothy alternatives to their sulfate-containing counterparts
So is sulfate or sulfate-free right for your hair type? To help you determine if your hair could benefit from a sulfate-free shampoo, ask yourself these five questions:
IS YOUR HAIR CURLY AND FRIZZ-PRONE?
If you have the following issues, though, consider using a sulfate-free formula:
IS YOUR HAIR CURLY AND FRIZZ-PRONE?
If you answered yes, sulfate-free is likely the way to go.
If you introduce sulfate shampoo into the curly-picture, you may be making the situation worse, since sulfate lifts the hair cuticle, making it more likely to frizz. In this scenario, a shampoo without sulfate is best since it won’t strip hair of as much moisture as a regular shampoo would.
If you come across a shampoo for color-treated hair, chances are, it will be sulfate-free. Color-treated hair is BFFs with
IS YOUR HAIR DYED?
Sulfate-free shampoos are best friends for color-treated hair because of two main reasons:
1. After a hair coloring service your hair may be drier than usual. A sulfate-free shampoo, however, won’t dry your hair out as much as a sulfate shampoo would.
2. Since sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners are so gentle, they’re less likely to wash away your hair dye.
IS YOUR HAIR COARSE?
If it is, you may need sulfate-free shampoo.
If you have hair that feels dry and rough, as opposed to smooth and soft, when you run your fingers down the length of the hair, then you probably have coarse hair.
This type of hair can also benefit from shampoo without sulfate since a no sulfate shampoo won’t rid your hair of all its moisture.
The natural oils on your head can travel down your hair to provide hydration.
Another alternative to using shampooing without sulfate is co-washing, a technique where you use a conditioner with shampoo to cleanse your hair.
You can also switch between your regular, traditional shampoo and a cleansing conditioner to get the best of both worlds—clean locks and moisturized hair. Cleansing conditioners gently cleanses while deeply conditioning the hair to fight frizz.
Protection and Smoothing is another great option to reduce frizz.
