5 Reasons to Use Sulfate Free Shampoo
Jul 07, 2022 | By Maria Eliza Pineda
More people are making the switch to sulfate-free shampoo? Should you too? Here are 5 benefits to going sulfate-free with your hair care routine.
Sulfate shampoos are so much more common than sulfate-free shampoos. Most of us have gotten used to sulfate shampoos because that’s what we grew up with. Shampoos you find in the drugstore are all mostly formulated with sulfates. They’re the cheapest to get and the easiest to find.
Sulfates can be found in the form of sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, the two main types of sulfates that are found in shampoos. Sulfates are a cleansing agent whose purpose is to wash away all the buildup of sebum, product, and environmental grime in your hair. And sulfates are quite good at doing that seeing as they are a very strong type of detergent that can really cleanse your hair thoroughly.
However recent discoveries have led people to the belief that sulfates can actually cause more harm than good for your hair. Because sulfates are a harsh detergent, it doesn’t just cleanse the buildup in your hair, it can also strip it of its natural moisture and irritate the skin on your scalp.
Thankfully, sulfate-free shampoos are now a good option for many. More and more stores are carrying sulfate-free shampoo options and the magic of online shopping has made it so that getting hard to find, top quality brands are so much easier and convenient.
So, now that you have the option, here are a few more benefits you can get when you go sulfate-free:
It’s Healthier for Your Hair
As mentioned previously, your hair should have a healthy natural balance of moisture. It shouldn’t overly oily and it shouldn’t be overly dry either. Using sulfates can really mess with your natural balance because it strips all the moisture away completely from your scalp and hair. This can make your scalp and hair both dry and oily at the same time. Stripping away all the moisture regularly can cause your scalp to produce more sebum to compensate for the dryness, making your hair overly oily but still dry and irritated.
Using a sulfate-free shampoo will be a lot gentler and much healthier for your hair. You will feel a significant difference when it comes to strength and shine. Your hair will restore its natural balance and feel fresh and clean without having to rely on harsh detergents that dry out the skin and hair.
Your Hair Will Feel Cleaner for Longer
Getting used to a sulfate shampoo can mean that your hair will start relying on that strong detergent to be able to be clean. This can cause your hair to feel dirty and buildup grime in it much faster. Your scalp will start producing more sebum and your hair won’t have a protective layer of protein to keep away all the environmental debris.
Switching to a sulfate-free shampoo, your hair will be able to restore its natural moisture and produce proteins that will protect your hair from environmental buildup. There might be a bit of an adjustment period at first when you start withdrawals from the sulfate shampoos that you’re using. Your hair might feel greasier than usual but bear with it. After a few weeks, your hair will naturally adjust and get back to a healthy state. You won’t need to wash your hair as often and your locks will feel fresh and clean for longer.
Your Hair Will Be Less Prone to Buildup
Buildup is just a combination of all the grime you acquire as you go about your life in-between hair washes. It’s the sebum produced naturally by your scalp, it’s the environmental pollution in the air, and it’s the styling products that you use. The purpose of sulfates is to thoroughly cleanse your hair of all this dirt and it’s quite effective at it. However, it does also strip your hair of much-needed moisture and protective proteins.
With sulfate-free shampoo, your scalp and hair won’t be stripped of the natural oils your scalp produces to keep your skin and hair moisturized. The right balance is just enough to keep your hair healthy. Stripping away all of the sebum can cause a backfire where your scalp just produces more oil to compensate for the dryness. Excess production of sebum can cause chemical imbalances on the scalp that can irritate your skin and cause hair fall and dandruff. When your hair is properly nourished and moisturized, it won’t produce excess sebum that will add to the buildup in your hair.
Going sulfate-free also means that you will retain the proteins that form a layer over your hair to protect it from environmental buildup. These proteins help to make your hair strong, shiny and seal it so that moisture stays put and outside debris slides off. That means fewer washes and more time feeling fresh and clean.
Your Hair Treatments Will Last Longer
If you like getting keratin treatments, dyeing your hair, or any kind of hair treatment, you will want to stay away from shampoos that have sulfates in them. In fact, if you’ve gotten any of these treatments at a salon, your stylist has probably already recommended that you buy a sulfate-free shampoo. That’s because sulfates will definitely strip your hair of the expensive treatment that you just got. That’s something that no one wants.
To make your treatments last longer and keep your hair as healthy as possible, using a sulfate-free shampoo is your best bet. A gentle, sulfate-free shampoo won’t strip away your hair treatments, it will just cleanse away any excess buildup.
You Will Enhance the Natural Pattern of Your Hair
Sulfate shampoos have gotten a bad rep for destroying natural hair patterns. If you’ve heard of the curly girl method, then you’ll know that sulfates are a big no-no for those with naturally wavy or curly hair. Sulfates are extremely harsh on the hair and long term use of it can completely change your natural texture. Instead of beautiful curls or waves, you will get frizz and dryness.
A sulfate-free shampoo is designed to keep the moisture in your hair and bring out your natural pattern whether that is slightly wavy, wavy, curly, coily, or kinky. Your hair will be considerably less frizzy, much shinier, and whatever hair type you have, it will be enhanced without the use of harsh detergents frying out your hair.
Bye, Bye Sulfates!
Many might be hesitant to completely say goodbye to sulfates because let’s face it, it does a pretty good job of cleaning our hair. We’re used to having those sudsy bubbles to make it feel like we’re cleaning our hair thoroughly. But don’t fear! Sulfate-free shampoos have come a long way. Some options can give you the cleanse that you want without having to sacrifice the health of your skin and hair. Don’t be afraid to say bye to sulfates and switch on over to the sulfate-free life.
Check out these sulfate-free options that will give you that fresh feeling: