As a society, we are becoming more conscious about what food we eat and how it affects our health. But in contrast, we still slather all sorts of chemicals all over our body in the name of beauty, especially in our hair care. In this post, I’m going to chat about the benefits of sulfate-free shampoo and other hair care ingredients you should know about. Because while our body has a digestive system to help rid it of toxins and chemicals, our skin does not have the same luxury.
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Benefits of Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Everything we put on our skin gets absorbed into our body and bloodstream. But the scalp, where we slather on shampoo and conditioner, is even more sensitive to products.
According to my new favorite book, No More Dirty Looks, “Your scalp is one of the most absorbent parts of your body – more than your face where you slather anti-aging cream. The scalp is a sponge that sops up whatever you put on it. It’s also your most sensitive skin. It extends all the way down to your eyes, so it stands to reason we should be extra careful what goes on or near it.”
Ingredients to Look Out for In Shampoo
If you’ve dabbled in the green beauty world you’ve heard of sodium laurel sulfate, more commonly known as SLS. It’s an agent put into our shampoo to help it lather. (And I know we love our lather!). But it also can be harmful to our skin and potentially our health. Even if you’re not immersed in the green beauty world yet, you may have at least noticed “sulfate-free” shampoos on the market.
I’ll dive more into this ingredient later, but as stated in No More Dirty Looks, “….the main ingredients in our shampoos today are detergents, water, surfactants, and alcohol. Surfactants are wetting agents that help trap oil and the dirt stuck to it, allowing the water to rinse it all off. Unfortunately, in the process, this also strips hair of its natural oils. This makes our hair feel oh-so-clean (which we love), but it also perpetuates a cycle that demands more and more products.”
“The sulfactants used in more shampoos – usually sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) or its sister sodium laureyl sulfate (SLS) – can cause unsightly rashes on many of us. Even worse, however, is when SLES is ethoxylated – a cheaper process meant to softness the harshness of the chemical – it produces a carcinogen called 1, 4-dioxane.”
A possible cancer-causing carcinogen? No, thank you. Now, that is a worst-case scenario. At it’s best, SLES and SLS can be very drying to our hair, which stated above, means we are forced to use more conditioners to get the softness back. I’ll talk more about silicones later but it is a vicious cycle we put our hair through. We need silicones to make our hair look shiny after sulfates, which dry out our hair. And so on and so forth.
If you want even more information about general ingredients to avoid in beauty products my friend Erin put together a pretty comprehensive list.
What happens when I switch to a sulfate-free brand?
Will my hair go through any changes?
I made a similar ACV rinse that brings out natural highlights but for detox, I’d just use regular water and Bragg’s apple cider vinegar.
Will I notice a difference?
Eventually, yes. Your hair will become softer – naturally – without the need for deep conditioners or products to mask the dryness. It will also take longer to get greasy, which means you can go longer between shampoos. Win-win!
Ingredients to Look Out for In Conditioner
From no more dirty looks:
And I don’t want to go down too many rabbit holes, but if shampoo and conditioners can cause that must havoc, imagine what hair products that we don’t rinse away can do. I’m talking hair sprays, gels, heat protectants, creams, straighteners, dyes, relaxers and all the rest of them which often contain even worse and harsher chemicals than shampoos and conditioners.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with what to use and not use, don’t worry. At the bottom, I will include a list from No More Dirty Looks and my own personal favorites.
But when in doubt there are tools out there! Make sure to check your favorite product on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG)website or an awesome new app called Think Dirty, where you can actually scan products before purchasing. Yes, even ones you find at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are not always considered “clean.”
So what should I do to get soft silky hair?
Well, quite frankly take care of it. Avoid sulfates, silicones, and other harmful ingredients. Eat well. Try to limit how often you blow dry your hair or use heating products. Make sure you eat Omega-3’s in fish or pill form. None of these tips are groundbreaking. They just take some discipline.
“Green” Brands to Use Instead:
To start, here is a long list from EWG’s website. But I’d recommend using the search tool if you have a specific brand in mind.
- Aubrey’s Rose Mosqueta Nourishing Shampoo
- Dr. Hauschka Shampoo with Apricot and Sea Buckthorn
- CTonics Passion Shampoo
- Jon Masters Organics Zinc and Sage Shampoo
- Alaffia Coconut and Shea Butter Daily Shampoo
- John Masters Honey and Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor
- Aubrey’s GPB Glycogen Protein Balancing Conditioner
- John Masters Organics Lavender and Avocado
- Intelligent Nutrients Leave-In Conditioner
I loved this post! You answered all the questions I had about it & I really appreciated you listing the ingredients to watch out for. Usually that’s what I don’t know.
Hilary – I’m glad it was helpful!
Omg so informative. I’ve headed towards more green hair care but honestly didn’t know the info. Haha. Now I want to try this brand!
I hope you entered the giveaway!
Great information! I’ve weaned myself off of sulfate free formulas, and am currently using an essential oil based shampoo/conditioner. I love it, and so does my hair. I might give the juice organics line a try!
ooh what do you use then? I’d love to try it, too.
I dye my hair coppery red and I never use ANYTHING with sulfates! It was ruining my color and the quality of my hair. So much bad junk! There’s a reason salons don’t sell anything with sulfates!
Absolutely true! Those with colored hair have to be more careful.
Loved this post, and it’s so true how harsh ingredients in some shampoos can quickly take its toll on your hair! I actually have the whole line from Juice Organics and LOVE them! Their hair mask is amazing!
I love sulfate-free hair products. There’s so many ingredients that are so harsh for our hair and these products + not washing my hair often has definitely made my hair more healthy.
Yes – another great point! Although with sulfate-free shampoo it is not as important
This was so informative! I’ve always really wondered if it was worth switching to a sulfate free shampoo, now I will!
Definitely worth it! On so many levels.
Hmm I tried getting away from sulfates and I just didn’t like how my hair felt so dry. Maybe I didn’t wait long enough for it to detox. I’ll have to try again!
Yes, absolutely! Sometimes it can take a few weeks for your hair to adjust.
Thanks for the information! I’ve been using LUSH shampoo bars, but they do have sulfates. :( It’s a pity, because they smell so good and make my hair look great. I will have to switch to something else after I finish my current bar.
Oh that is a bummer. I have heard they contain sulfates. Maybe they will come out with one that doesn’t soon!
My husband found out about this ingredient when he went to a dermatologist for eczema. She told him that he needed to stop using anything that lathers, and the only product she knew of was Free & Clear shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. It’s the only thing that helps!
Well I’m so glad they were able to figure that out!
I’ve tried this brand for face wash. I really like plant based products. Sulfate free has changed my hair a lot and my curls pop out more. I look forward to entering the contest. Fingers crossed.
Yes, plant based beauty products are the best. Good luck on the contest!
I would really like to transition to green shampoos and conditioners. No one wants to put toxic chemicals in their hair. Sometimes, it is so much easier though. Your post made it easy to decipher what is the best and what to look for. Thank you!
Very welcome! I’m glad it was helpful.
Haven’t heard of this brand but sulfate free is all that I use. No more stiff wiry hair. I think I’d check this brand to see what they offer.
It’s a really affordable price too. You can find them at Target.
I never really realized how much junk and toxins we put on ourselves… including lotions and hair! I’m starting to be a lot more conscious about what products we use around here and are slowly trying to incorporate those into our life.
That’s awesome Kaycee! Good luck!
I find my hair color lasts longer hen I go sulfate free. My skin is happier too.
It absolutely does! Sulfates strip the color out.
I hope I win the contest! If not, I seriously need to try that brand. My hair is such a grease bomb when I use shampoos with silicons in them.
Good luck, Kristen!! And yes, silicones are kind of gross!
I thought I knew a good amount about good shampoos and conditioners but I learned a lot. I know that no sulfate in shampoos makes for curlier hair. I’m downloading the app, Talk Dirty, now!
I need to go for sulfate free again. I ditched it after I tried ONE brand, and I ended up not liking it! I should give your fave a try!
Yes! And make sure to wait until your hair rids itself of the chemicals, too.
Oh my goodness! I had no idea the gross stuff in our shampoo… Definitely going to start buying greener product!
Yay!
Love this informative piece! I’m all about trying beauty products with less chemicals and going a bit more natural. xx
http://hollyhabeck.com
I just recently started making the switch to more natural, cruelty free products and I’ve been super pleased with how my skin/hair have responded! It took some playing around with brands and formulas, but my skin/hair have never looked better!
Yes! I’m so glad you are already seeing results.
Yikes, I’m scared to even look whats in my shampoo and conditioner. I know they’re sulfate-free but that’s about it haha.
Hey, that’s a start :)
This is great! I have been working on revamping my beauty care Thank you!
Truly great information in your post. I have been using sulfate and paraben free shampoos and conditioners for the past 10 years, and it has made a big difference in the health of my hair. I’m no spring chicken, so taking care of my hair and skin are a top priority.
Cecil – sounds like you are doing a great job!
I have been shopping for sulfate-free shampoo and bath products for years! I am surprised people are just learning about it TBH. Always a good idea to get informed about what you’re putting inside your body and ON TOP OF your body! :)
So informative! I only use sulfate-free shampoo and it has made such a difference!
Oh, I’m also using a sulfate-free shampoo. Thanks for sharing the benefits. It’s really time we make the healthy shift.
Thank You for this post, Im really trying to switch to sulfate free products , Ive been doing some research lately and am floored about how many of the popular products have them! Thanks again!
You are so welcome!
Such a useful post! I’ve also found that sulfate-free shampoos are helpful when using natural hair dyes to colour the hair. The hair quality as well as the colour is maintained.
Agreed!
Suplhate free shampoo is generally a no no for everyone specially for babies, I prefer coconut and olive based cleansing shampoos.