Are Sulfate Free Shampoos Really Sulfate Free?

Are Sulfate Free Shampoos Really Sulfate Free?

After much research developing my own line of hair products, I interviewed some heavy hitters in the shampoo biz, most agree that  “Sulfate Free Shampoos” are free of 1 out of 3 sulfates that have been commonly used for decades.  Most also agree, that there is not much difference between a drug store shampoo to a luxury salon shampoo.  This is disheartening, but during my research I discovered that sulfate and sulfate free shampoo’s which are both considered “surfactants” are a mixture of water and oil that separate dirt from skin and hair.  Essentially all shampoo contains detergent because the objective is to cleanse your hair.

What is sulfate free shampoo

The new “sulfate free shampoo” contain detergent, but in place of some of the harsher detergents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a milder degreaser such as Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate is replaced .  There are many other compounds that replace the harsher detergents in sulfates, but essentially there job is to cleanse your hair.  It is important to remove oil build up without stripping color and leaving your hair dry.

Noelle Salon Brand

In conclusion, sulfate free shampoos are a milder form of shampoo containing sulfates, but the difference is not necessarily tremendous and, they too,  can leave your hair dry etc.  There are cleansing conditioners which contain some essential oils that help to clean the hair, but it will never be very clean.  The flip side is that they can clog the hair follicle which can lead to thinning hair.

My best advice is to test shampoos, and see how your hair reacts to them.  If your hair and scalp is dry, what is known as a “sulfate free shampoo” may work best for you.  Although, I have many clients that like the suds, and volume they receive from shampoos containing sulfates.  In the end, they all have one purpose, and that is to cleanse the hair.