Why Should You Use Sulfate Free Shampoo

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If you haven’t already converted to sulfate free products (we know you will after this article), when checking the back of your shampoo bottle you might find that these potentially harmful chemicals are in the top few listed ingredients.

THE 3 DIFFERENT SULFATE PRODUCTS USED IN SHAMPOOS ARE:

– Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
– Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
– Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)

When using a sulfate free shampoo the first thing you will notice is the lack of foaming. The reason for this is that sulfates are practically detergents, harsh and cheap detergents loaded into our products.

Sulfates are a cleansing, foaming agent that are there to remove the oil from the hair however they are so strong that they remove all moisture and natural oils leaving the hair and scalp dry, brittle and can leave hair frizzy. Skin conditions are very common following the use of shampoos containing sulfates.

If you are suffering from dandruff, eczema and using a shampoo with sulfates this is most likely to be the cause.

These chemicals can be very dangerous and putting them directly on our skin and scalp can actually be worse than ingesting them. When you eat something, the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help to break it down and flush it out of your body. However, when you put substances on your skin, they can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream without being modified by the digestion process.

Most sulfated shampoos these days contain between 10-15% of the chemical. It has been researched and concluded that a concentration of 10-30% SLS can corrode the scalp and damage hair follicles, thus slowing hair growth by as much as 8 times the normal rate of growth. SLS and SLES have been linked to being a contributing factor to hair loss.

THESE SLS CHEMICALS HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED TO:

– Possible mutations and cancer
– Organ toxicity
– Irritation to the skin and eyes
– Developmental/reproductive toxicity

EVERYONE SHOULD REALLY AVOID THESE PRODUCTS, BUT THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SHOULD PARTICULARLY AVOID SHAMPOOS WITH SULFATES:

– Coloured hair
– Keratin treated hair
– Chemically damaged hair
– Oily skin or scalp
– Wearers of bonded hair extensions (sulfates will break down the keratin bond resulting in a waste of money spent on hair extensions!!)