When you use hot styling tools to style your hair or experiment with new hair colours occasionally, you need a cleansing routine that will coddle rather than strip your hair. Sulphate-free shampoos come in handy in this situation. Read on to know everything.
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“Sulphate-free” is a beauty buzzword that features on many cleansing bottles these days, but should you replace your regular hair cleanser with one of these? What exactly are sulphates? We’ve got the lowdown, as well as recommendations for the best sulphate-free shampoos based on your hair type and concerns.
What are sulphates?
Sulphates are cleansing agents that have been widely used in hair care products for a long time – especially, sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate in shampoo. Sulphates have been added to the beauty ingredients blacklist as we become more aware of what the symbols on our skincare and hair care products truly signify. Many experts believe that sulphate-free shampoo is the best choice for stronger, healthier hair.
Is sulphate-free shampoo good for hair?
Sulphates, when used in regular, everyday shampoo, provide a pleasantly foamy lather, which can make a product effective at completely cleansing the hair. So, if you prefer hair styling products like hairspray, hair gel, and dry shampoo, including a sulphate may be good for eliminating product build-up on your scalp.
However, if your hair is feeling a little dry, or if your hair colour isn’t lasting as long as it should, you may consider switching to one of the finest sulphate-free shampoos.
These shampoos include essential oils that gently eliminate grime and residue while promoting moisture retention, leaving your hair smoother and your scalp happier. If you have dry hair, sensitive skin, or dandruff, or you want your hairdresser’s colour magic to last longer, a sulphate-free shampoo is worth trying.
Experts advise alternate shampoos throughout the week, depending on the style you desire or how your hair and scalp feel.
Advantages of using sulphate-free shampoo
1. Because sulphate-free shampoo does not strip the hair of its natural oils, it is gentle on the scalp and rarely causes allergies. Due to the stripping of the hair and scalp’s natural oils, some people may develop eczema or acne along their hairline after using sulphate shampoo.
2. Sulphates can also leave an unsightly film behind, so sulphate-free shampoo is a healthier, more natural option.
3. Many sulphate-free shampoos contain more natural oils, which can help to smooth down any unwanted frizz caused by abrasive, oil-stripping sulphates. This is especially useful for combating the undesirable effects of summer humidity or the dry hair we experience in the winter due to indoor heating.
4. Sulphate-free shampoos are ideal for colour-treated hair because they do not strip the hair’s outermost layer. If you use this hair care, you can be confident that your dye job will last much longer.
5. The same is true for keratin treatments. Sulphate-free and clarifying shampoos are always a gentler option that won’t undo our precious and expensive hair regimens.
Disadvantages of using sulphate-free shampoo
1. Because most of these shampoos don’t lather well, it can be difficult to tell if you’ve thoroughly cleansed your hair.
2. If you have long or thick hair, they also require more than one wash, so you end up using more shampoo to get the job done. If you’re on a beauty budget, this can be a disadvantage.
3. Sulphate-free shampoo also has a slight adjustment period, so your hair may lose some of the volume that ingredients in other shampoos falsely provide.
4. Not to mention that most sulphate-free shampoos do not help with dandruff, though there are a few products on the market that do.
Scroll to see our full edit of the top sulphate-free shampoos
Jump To / Table of Contents
- mCaffeine Naked & Raw Coffee Shampoo For Hair Fall Control
- Aaranyaa Sulphate Free Argan Shampoo
- KT Professional Kehairtherapy 3X Moisture Shampoo
- OLAPLEX N°4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
- Mamaearth Onion Shampoo
- Love Beauty & Planet Argan Oil And Lavender Sulfate Free Shampoo
- Pilgrim Sulfate Free Shampoo with Argan Oil, Camellia & White Lotus
- Earth Rhythm Murumuru Butter Shampoo Bar
- davines Purifying Shampoo
- Happier Soulfruit Shampoo
Frothy Coffee for your hair that will leave it craving for more! Embrace how the coffee shampoo makes your hair feel while gently cleansing and nourishing your hair shafts. It also provides 7X Stronger Hair when compared to the neutral product.
Rating: 4.6/5
Aaranyaa Sulphate-Free Argan Oil Shampoo hydrates and nourishes hair while gently cleansing it without harsh moisture stripping agents. It strengthens the hair while optimising the moisture balance of the hair and scalp. It is rich in essential oils and nutrients. It cleans the scalp, promotes growth, protects hair follicles, and adds elasticity to hair. It is specially formulated with amino fruit extracts combined with natural essential oils to provide complete protection to hair from free radical damage.
Rating: 4.3/5
This shampoo has a sulphate-free formula that gives long-lasting results for keratin and cysteine treated hair. Ideal for chemically treated hair, this shampoo gently cleanses, repairs and hydrates dry damaged hair. Rich in antioxidants, aloe and keratin, this shampoo improves and maintains the overall appearance while adding strength and shine. This shampoo without sulphates or harsh chemicals is the perfect first step in a hair care regimen, ideal for healthy, well-nourished hair.
New technology in a clarifying OLAPLEX N°4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo that deep cleanses to reveal your healthiest hair and clear the way for your other products to do their best work. The Broad-Spectrum Clarifying System removes damaging product buildup, excess oil, hard water minerals, chlorine, even heavy metals and pollutants. OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™ supports strong bonds as you cleanse
Rating: 4.4/5
5 /10
Stress, pollution and unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to many hair troubles, hair fall being the most common one. Mamaearth’s Onion Hair Shampoo helps you combat that. Rich in natural and hair loving ingredients such as onion oil, vitamin E and plant keratin, this shampoo keeps your hair healthy and well nourished. Onion oil, rich in sulphur, potassium and antioxidants, reduces hair fall and accelerates hair regrowth. Plant keratin replenishes and strengthens hair, repairing its natural structure. It keeps the hair smooth and frizz-free. Hair is left stronger and thicker. This shampoo can be used on coloured and chemically treated hair.
Rating: 4.1/5
Calm your frizz for hair that’s oh so smooth with this shampoo! Their anti frizz shampoo is made with plant based cleansers and infused with organic coconut oil. It delicately surrounds your hair in a cloud of heirloom French Lavender, sourced ethically from the Drôme Provençale Region of France.
Rating: 4.3/5
Pilgrim is an Indian beauty brand that has brought the Korea beauty technology to the Indian forefront. Their Sulphate Free Shampoo which includes Argan Oil, Camellia & White Lotus cleans gently yet effectively. It promises to increase hair growth and fight frizz and hair fall.
Rating: 4.3/5
Earth Rhythm Murumuru Butter Shampoo Bar is a no-nasties shampoo bar that softens the hair and controls frizz. Crafted with beneficial ingredients like murumuru butter that coats coarse curls and makes them more supple and manageable and provides lasting hydration and vitamin E that has a natural antioxidant effect on the scalp and hair to maintain hair growth. Unlike, shampoos that leave the hair dry, this hair wash bar contains a gentle surfactant derived from coconut oil which improves the scalp’s hydration and prevents dryness and irritation.
Rating: 4.7/5
10 /10
A natural hair shampoo with the goodness of ingredients like mango, coconut, and banana, and avocado. The nourishing blend of plant keratin and Pro-Vitamin B5 are apt for hair hydration and hair nourishment.
Rating: 4.5/5
Conclusion
The best sulfate-free and paraben-free formula overall is the davines Purifying Shampoo, a no-nasties shampoo that fights microbial attacks and dandruff, establishing a healthy environment for hair grow, gently yet effectively cleanses, lathers well, and smells amazing. If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with the Love Beauty & Planet Argan Oil And Lavender Sulfate Free Shampoo, and if you want the top-shelf stuff, it might be worth splurging on the OLAPLEX N°4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo.
All Images: Courtesy Shutterstock
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Experts suggest that sulphate-free shampoo is the best option for your hair, because it gently cleans your tresses.
Answer: Sulphates may strip too much moisture from the hair, leaving it dry and unhealthy. They may also cause the scalp to become dry and irritated.
Answer: Sulphate-containing shampoos are more likely to cause thinning since they can irritate and inflame the scalp while also breaking down your existing hair shafts.
Answer: Sulphate-free shampoo's rich lather leaves hair healthy, strong, vivid, and manageable. It is safe to shampoo colour-treated hair and is good for all hair types.
Answer: Reading the ingredient labels is the best method to determine if you're using a paraben and sulfate-free shampoo. Keep an eye out for labels that include any of the following ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Answer: Sulphate-free shampoo may cause your hair to get greasy shortly after washing it. Many sulphate-free shampoos contain ultra-gentle cleansing ingredients like as decyl glucoside or coco glucoside. These are excellent for not stripping delicate scalps and hair, but their gentleness is also their downfall. These cleansers are just not strong enough to eliminate the product buildup that many individuals have on their tresses since they are so mild.
Anushka likes to write about fashion, beauty, and other nice things. When not bound to her keyboard, she likes to make her Pinterest boards come to life.
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