If you've ever read the ingredients label on a bottle of shampoo, you've
likely seen some of the most common sulfates listed, including sodium lauryl
sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). But what exactly are
sulfates, are they damaging, and should you avoid them?
What Are Sulfates?
Sulfates are used in many shampoo formulations for their cleansing
properties, as they help to remove the buildup of product, oils and dirt.
They're also responsible for creating the rich lather that foams up as you
work the product into wet hair.
How Do Sulfates Affect Different Hair Types
Sulfates are excellent at cleaning hair, however they do also have the
potential to negatively impact certain hair types. Let's take a look at how
sulfates could cause some unwanted results on different hair types.
Dry or Damaged Hair
If you've got dry, damaged or weak hair, you may find that shampoos
containing sulfates leave your hair feeling stripped, which can lead to
excess frizz, brittleness, split ends and breakage.
However, many excellent shampoos formulated for dry or damaged hair contain
sulfates, as well as nourishing ingredients that will leave your hair
feeling softer, stronger and shinier. The Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin
Shampoo is a great example and is clinically proven to leave hair feeling up
to 45% softer and up to 90% shinier.
Colour-Treated Hair
Sulfates have the potential to cause colour-treated hair to fade faster by
opening up the cuticle and allowing colour to leak out. But this doesn't
automatically mean you need to avoid sulfates completely. There are many
colour safe shampoos that contain sulfates, so make sure to choose a range
that's specifically formulated for colour-treated hair.
One example is the L'Oreal Vitamino Colour Shampoo, which is designed to
help nourish and protect coloured hair, while helping colour to remain fresh
and vibrant for up to 8 weeks.
Oily Hair
If you have oily hair, shampoos containing sulfates that leave hair feeling
stripped of its natural oils may trigger the oil production process to
compensate for the loss, causing excess oiliness. However, shampoos usually
contain a combination of cleansing and nourishing agents to create balance
across the scalp, roots and ends.
A great example to consider if you've got oily hair is the Kerastase Bain
Divalent Shampoo, which is formulated to gently cleanse oily roots and calm
oil production while ensuring the lengths and ends are nourished for
softness and shine.
Should I Avoid Sulfates?
The reason that a lot of shampoos contain sulfates is because they're highly
effective cleansing agents that leave hair feeling clean and manageable.
However, if you're noticing any excess dryness, irritation or damage, you
could consider trying a sulfate-free shampoo to see if it helps improve your
hair and/or scalp.
Sulfate-Free Shampoo Recommendations
There are a range of high quality sulfate-free shampoos, which are ideal for
colour-treated or damaged hair.
For dry and damaged hair, the Kerastase Bain Fluidealiste Gentle features a
gentle formulation with ingredients designed to protect against frizz, ease
detangling, and offers greater manageability.
For coloured hair, the Color Wow Colour Security Shampoo is a sulfate-free
formula, which features an innovative blend of eight non-stripping cleansing
agents to keep the hair cuticle closed and smooth.