Sulfates help a shampoo to strip oil and dirt away from the hair. However, the hair needs to retain a bit of its natural moisture and oils to stay healthy. Sulfates may strip away too much moisture, leaving the hair dry and unhealthy. They may also make the scalp dry and prone to irritation.
According to Gretchen Friese, certified trichologist at Bosley MD, sulfates can strip the hair of essential moisture. "Sulfates may strip away too much moisture and leave the hair dry and possibly damage it," she says. "They may also make the scalp dry and irritated."
You might want to avoid sulfate shampoos if you have sensitive skin or a skin condition such as rosacea. Sulfates can be harsh on the scalp and may cause irritation and itchiness. Sulfate-free shampoos are usually much milder.
Experts suggest that sulfate-free shampoo is the best option for your hair, because it gently cleans your tresses. Even if you don't believe in this trend, you almost always end up buying sulfate-free products, because they are everywhere today.
Less tangles and knots: Sulfates can make hair feel rough and tangled, but when you stop using them, your hair may feel smoother and easier to comb or brush. Reduced frizz: Sulfates can contribute to frizz and flyaways, but when you stop using them, your hair may feel more smooth and manageable.
No, sulfates do not directly cause hair loss. While sulfates aren't directly linked to male pattern baldness, they're best avoided if you have sensitive skin or naturally thin hair.
While prolonged and daily use of sulfate shampoos can make the hair rough and brittle, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner can be used every day without damaging your hair.
Sulfate free shampoo will get you feeling clean, but not stripped of moisture. The results? A healthier scalp with balanced oil production. Dry scalp types will find that their scalp is more moisturized (not oily), and oilier scalp types will find that their excessive oil production will be reduced over time.
Summary. For the most part, sulfates in shampoos are safe. They help the shampoo strip dirt and oil from the hair. For people with sensitive hair and skin, shampoos containing sulfates may cause some mild side effects, such as dry, brittle hair, and dryness or redness of the scalp.
One relative disadvantage to using a sulphate free shampoo is the level of which it cleans. Those used to stripping shampoos may feel like their hair isn't clean enough after using a sulphate free alternative. Usually, this is because they aren't accustomed to their hair having retained its natural oils.
Your hair may turn greasy either due to your hair type or the constituents of the shampoo. Abandoning the harsh SLS-based shampoos for a sulfate-free decyl glucoside or coco glucoside shampoo means lesser cleaning action. However, these shampoos may not be able to develop lather quickly and build up in an area.
To keep your oily scalp under control but still prevent damage caused by overwashing, it's best to limit hair washes to two or three times a week. You want to use a sulfate-free shampoo that can soothe, cleanse, and clarify your hair without stripping away beneficial oils.
The answer is yes. The chemical makeup of sulfates is drying on any hair texture, not just curls. So when possible, avoid products that include sulfates in their formulas.
Whether from laundry detergent, soap, or shampoo, the sulfates can cause reactions in sensitive people. Sometimes, sulfates like SLS and SLES end up removing too much oil, washing off the skin's protective barrier and causing redness and dry, itchy skin.
Although everyone's experience may differ, it may take about 6 washes until your hair adjusts to sulfate free shampoo. Remember, you have been using shampoos with sulfates for years, and now your hair simply needs time to adjust. Be patient, and don't throw in the towel!
All that being said, it should take about 4-6 washes for your hair to adapt to the new shampoo and conditioner formula fully. You can expect to see a bit of improvement with each wash until one day your hair is truly the healthiest it's ever been.
Keep Your Hair's Natural Oils
One of the benefits of using a sulfate-free alternative is that your hair is cleansed without removing your natural oils that keep your hair shiny and scalp happy & moisturized.
Sulfates can be replaced with other less harmful ingredients with comparable cleansing abilities, but they're traditionally more costly to produce. That's why sulfate-free shampoos and products are usually more expensive than those with sulfates, and more than 90% of all shampoos contain sulfates.