Best Sulfate Free Hair Products and Why You Should Make the Switch!

A new type of hair product hit the market recently: Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner. The introduction of these Sulfate Free items is an exciting new addition to the world of beauty. Here's why...

Shampoo and conditioner formulated with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Ether Sulfate (SLES) contain salts and chemicals which typically dry out the hair cuticle and follicle so badly, they often cause irreparable damage to your scalp. Although SLS is a well known cleansing agent, it is found in many hair conditioners as well. The high salt content of this chemical defeats the purpose of the conditioner, by parching your tresses, drying out your scalp, and fading color treated hair. It's also been found that high concentrations of SLS in shampoo and bubble bath actually eat away the natural lipids that moisturize your skin. If you've been suffering from dry, itchy skin and/or minor hair loss, SLS may be the reason why. Open hair follicles actually die when exposed to an overload of SLS, which is readily absorbed by the skin. Did you know that SLS is a common de-greaser found in industrial and engine cleaners? Pretty disturbing that millions of people routinely apply this chemical to their hair!

SLS is meant to strip away dirt and oil, which is why it provides the cleansing and foaming properties in many shampoos and soaps. This is also why your hair may feel "squeaky" clean after using a product containing SLS. Cleanliness of course is not a bad thing, but your body produces its natural oils to care for and moisturize your hair and body. When those oils are stripped away, it leaves us with dull, dry hair and lackluster skin that cannot be replenished with topical moisturizers. It will drastically benefit the condition of your skin and hair to find bath and hair products that do not contain any form of SLS or SLES. People typically think that if a product does not "foam" it will not provide proper cleansing. This leads many shampoo manufacturers to believe that if their product doesn't release enough lather, customers will not continue purchasing. Another reason SLS is so commonly used? It's cheap. Rather than adding natural cleansing ingredients, which are far pricier than SLS, companies add this chemical as an inexpensive way to create the illusion of super-cleansing products. Therefore, you may find that SLS-free products cost double or even triple the price of regular items that do contain this chemical.

So, is it worth it to pay more for items that do not contain sulfates? In one word, YES! The damage left behind from SLS can take years to reverse. If your hair feels straw-like or coarse, and appears dry and frizzy, sulfates are probably to blame. Remember, SLS strips the natural oils from your scalp and hair, causing strands to become dry and brittle, eventually leading to breakage. If you have color-treated hair or have used the Brazilian Keratin Straightening Treatment, products containing SLS will cause these treatments to last only half as long. The sulfates strip color and keratin from your strands at an accelerated rate, compared with SLS free products. There have also been arguments that SLS is a carcinogen, potentially causing tumors and cancer. Although most articles state that this has not been solidly "proven", why take the chance when there are alternative methods of hair care?

People who suffer from dry skin conditions, or have normal skin should be using sulfate ree shampoo all the time. The chemicals and salt in SLS zaps moisture from your scalp and hair; so if you don't have enough natural oils to combat that depletion, the problem of dryness will only get worse with time. If you have a severely oily scalp, consider using a deep-cleansing shampoo that contains SLS only once every one or two weeks. This will remove the excess oil build-up, but not strip your hair and scalp of so much oil that it leads to dry frizzy hair. Alternately, you can use the Alba Botanicals Tea Tree Shampoo (mentioned below), which deep cleanses and has zero sulfates.

The good news is that making the switch to sulfate free shampoo and conditioner doesn't have to cost a fortune. There are several brands you can now find at Walmart, Target, CVS and grocery stores, which only cost a couple bucks more than their SLS containing counter-parts. L'Oreal has recently created their Ever Purline which is sulfate free and contains natural ingredients such as Rosemary and Juniper. In addition to smelling wonderful, your hair will be left feeling silky and soft with no tangles. As an extra bonus, the Ever Pur products retail for only around $6.99 each. Two other excellent SLS free lines are from Giovanni and Alba Botanica. These can be found at most Whole Foods and Walmart Stores. The Giovanni Organic Line offers a solution for every type of hair, and even has a Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo for those who want to remove product buildup without lathering on the SLS. Giovanni items retail for $10.00 - $15.00 per bottle. The Alba Botanica product line is enriched with herbal extracts, botanical oils, and plant proteins which effectively cleanse while providing moisture. Alba also provides a wealth of body and facial care products that do not contain sulfates, and are very high quality. These typically retail from $10.00 - $20.00 per item.

If you don't mind paying a bit more for your hair care items, try a product line called No Frizz by the company Living Proof. An innovation in frizz-free shampoo, conditioner & styling products, Living Proof has discovered a new molecule called PolyfluoEster. This break though ingredient manages to fight frizz, and is a hair-enhancing replacement to the typical silicone based serums on the market. Silicone is yet another ingredient you want to avoid, as it only causes more long term damage to your strands. Silicone effectively seals out ALL moisture from your hair, leading to severe dryness and breakage. No Frizz products retail for $15 - $35 and do not contain any silicones or sulfates, making them a top choice for silky, healthy, frizz-free hair.

If you prefer not to spend much on shampoo and conditioner, DON'T opt for the cheapest brands you can find. Often, those contain the highest amounts of SLS, and will be the most damaging to your hair. A natural and very inexpensive alternative to avoiding SLS based products is to go with the humorously titled "no-poo" theory of never shampooing your hair with a store-bought cleanser. There are many online articles advocating this idea, which is growing in popularity. Most of the no-poo creations entail making your own shampoo at home with baking soda added to water and your own conditioner with a rinse of apple cider vinegar. If you have brittle or severely damaged hair from too much processing, I would not recommend this idea as your tresses need added moisture that will not be provided by the vinegar. However, if you have virgin hair, this would be a good cleansing method for keeping your already healthy hair soft and supple.

The truth is, many ingredients added to cosmetics and hair care products have adverse long-term effects on our health and complexion. It may seem like a losing battle to do something as minute as switching your hair care products to avoid possible health implications. But, if you don't want to make the switch to Sulfate Free hair products for health reasons, at least do it for the benefit of your hair. Your gorgeous, moisturized tresses will thank you!