A sulfate free shampoo, as the name would suggest, is a type of shampoo that is free of sulfate i.e. it doesn’t contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), otherwise referred to as sodium dodecyl sulfate or sodium laurilsulfate. SLS is a very common chemical in cleaning and hygienic products, especially in situations where one needs to remove oily residues. Although the sulfates present in hygienic products lack scientific proof of their carcinogens, there is enough reason to believe that the chemicals can excessively strip one off essential oils, weaken the immune system, irritate the scalp, and sometimes even lead to excessive drying of hair and eventually hair thinning.
It therefore goes without saying that if you know you are allergic to sulfates, it would be advisable to avoid shampoos that contain sulfate. Your best bet would be a sulfate-free shampoo which is known to cause no allergic reactions thanks to the fact that it is much gentler on your scalp. There is also reason to believe that a sulfate-free shampoo leaves the hair less dry and much softer. So how do you go about buying one?
The best place to start is to ensure that the sulfate free shampoo you choose is derived from 100% natural ingredients. This way, you will be guaranteed of an overall improvement of the health of your hair. If you are looking for a sulfate free shampoo that will help with dandruff problems in your head while helping boost the volume of hair, you can base your search on that and start searching for the best sulfate free shampoo formulated for that purpose.
The reason why most people go for sulfate-free shampoos is because of the above-mentioned health concerns. However, just because it is a sulfate free shampoo doesn’t mean it is safe for use. It could contain other potentially harmful ingredients. As previously mentioned therefore, you might want to go for an all-natural shampoo to be sure that you will not be putting your hair into risk. You want to ensure you read the label carefully, especially on the active ingredients so as to be able to make an informed decision. If you find ingredients that you don’t know of, you are better off discarding the shampoo, than wasting your time and money on a product that you may never use, or one that could potentially affect your hair and scalp, and even lead to hair thinning.
With that being said, it is important to keep in mind that the main reason why the sodium lauryl sulfate ingredient is added to a shampoo is to give it the synonymous lathering effect. What this therefore means is that should you purchase a sulfate free shampoo, you shouldn’t expect it to produce as much lather as a common shampoo. While you could be tempted to add more product so as to produce ‘enough suds’, you can rest assured that the normal amount you always use is enough, actually, more will be a wastage of your product and it would be unnecessary. Just ensure you rinse off the shampoo with a lot of water because some of the ingredients in shampoos could affect your hair.