Sulfates are one of the ingredients that I’m sure you hear about all the time. There are many products that contain sulfates and many people use them on their hair. But, how bad are they? and Should you avoid them? If you want to get more information about these ingredients, we are going to talk about them in this post.
What are sulfates?
Sulfates are detergents or surfactants, and usually products like shampoo, body wash, face cleanser, and toothpaste and also household cleaning products, like laundry and dish detergent) contain sulfate. The most frequent ingredients which contain sulfate are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium Laureth sulfate. Sulfate has been used since the 1950s and they are also the most frequently used detergents in the beauty industry.
The most common sulfates that you can find in your shampoo ingredients are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium Laureth sulfate. They are added to shampoo to make lather, and lather can remove dirt and build-up from your hair and scalp.
Although it seems like sulfates are useful and effective in hair products, they have many disadvantages that make them a bad choice for your hair. Sulfate can damage your hair and even cause skin irritation for some people.
Here is a list of common sulfates that you can find in many products ingredients list:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
- Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
- Ammonia Laureth Sulphate (ALS)
- TEA Lauryeth Sulfate (TEA)
- Sodium Myreth Sulphate (SMS)
How do sulfates affect my hair and scalp?
Sulfate can be really helpful when it comes to removing dirt and other things on your hair and scalp. But, it can have many bad effects on your hair and scalp too.
You may experience some allergic reactions when you are allergic to sulfates. Here is a list of these common allergic reactions:
- redness
- skin rash
- swelling (inflammation)
- itchiness
- hives
It can dry your hair and scalp
The first effect of a product that contains sulfate is drying out your hair and scalp. This can be really bad when you have curly hair. Sulfate can easily remove too much natural oil from your scalp and hair. Curly hair tends to be dry by its nature, and sulfates are just going to make things worse for your hair and scalp.
It can irritate your scalp
Sulfates can also irritate your scalp. If you have dandruff or other problems with your scalp, a shampoo that contains sulfate will make your situation worse. It can also make your scalp itchy. If you want to refresh your scalp and fix its problems, try Alikay Naturals Essential 17 Hair Growth Oil.
It can also cause hair loss
Yes, sulfate can also cause hair loss. They can damage hair follicles that can lead to hair loss. This can have a bigger impact on those who don’t wash the shampoo out of their hair completely. The best thing that you can do is to use a sulfate-free shampoo for your hair. If you have decided to use a sulfate-free shampoo, take a look at this great product: tgin Sulfate Free Shampoo.
If you have found any method that works for your hair, feel free to share them in the comments. This can be very useful for those who have your hair type. Do you use sulfate in your hair regimen? Have you decided to switch to sulfate-free products? Share your experience of sulfates with us in the comments.
