Are all shampoos made alike? Not at all. Here’s a list of ingredients to avoid while choosing your shampoo.
When it comes to the choice of shampoo, most people tend to go with the claims about what the said shampoo can do for your hair. While it’s great to be told that the shampoo will help you achieve those luscious tresses, it is rare for people to stop and assess what ingredients go into the shampoo. In effect, this is the most important consideration for your scalp and hair health. Unfortunately, many shampoos contain toxins and harmful chemicals, including Sulfates, Silicones, Parabens, Mineral Oils, and dyes that can be highly detrimental to hair health.
What are Sulfates?
Sulfates are common ingredients found in hair shampoos. Not without reason- they are relatively inexpensive and are responsible for the lather in your shampoo. Some of the sulfates commonly found in shampoos include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or what is popularly known as SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulphate or SLES, and Ammonia Laureth Sulphate or ALS. In addition, you may find it interesting to know that Sulfates are the same ingredients found in household cleaning products and are responsible for the lather.
Some of the adverse effects that sulfates have on your hair include:
- Dryness of hair and scalp: With Sulfates stripping your hair of natural oils, you are left battling dryness. In turn, dryness causes conditions such as scalp irritation and itchiness and dandruff and eczema.
- Dull locks: Particularly if you color your hair, you may face stripping of the hair color because of the sulfates in the shampoo, leaving you with dull hair.
- Hair thinning and loss: The damage caused by sulfates to hair follicles leads to hair thinning and hair loss.
You need to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo to ensure that the hair feels healthy and looks good.
Some of the other chemicals to avoid in shampoo include:
- Parabens: Typically used as a preservative to prolong shelf life, they can result in skin irritation, disrupt hormonal balance, and more.
- Polyethylene Glycols: This is used as a thickening agent. However, it often results in stripping the hair of moisture and causing breakage.
- Silicones: Over time, silicone can build up on your hair, leading the hair to look dull and feel dry. It also makes the hair more prone to breakage.
- Formaldehyde– Used as a preservative, it can cause toxicity, asthma and has also been linked to cancer.
- Artificial fragrances: Once again, several chemicals used to create fragrances are associated with many health issues, including skin irritation, hair loss, and even diseases like asthma and cancer.
Make a Switch to a Shampoo Formulated With Natural Ingredients
You must switch to a chemical-free shampoo to ensure long-term hair health. That said, the switch to a sulfate-free shampoo will involve you adjusting to a couple of things. First up, your sulfate-free shampoo may not lather as much. This stands to reason as you aren’t using a chemical detergent anymore to generate the lather. If you have always associated lather with proper hair cleansing, it’s time to reboot your thinking. Pro-tip: To ensure maximum lather from your sulfate-free shampoo, ensure your hair is thoroughly wet before applying the shampoo. It will also help to wash your hair twice!
What are the Choices When it comes to Sulfate-Free Shampoos?
Thankfully, some brands believe in manufacturing toxin-free and safe hair care products. For instance, you can benefit from using Mamaearth Hair Shampoo that comes loaded with natural ingredients. With the time-tested goodness of ingredients such as Onion, Plant Keratin, and more, you can be assured of not just clean but also strong and nourished hair. L’Oreal also offers Everpure Sulfate-free Moisture Shampoo that is Sulfate and Paraben free.
Going green has a whole new meaning with some of these products, such as those offered by Forest Essentials or Mamaearth Chemical Free Shampoo! For not only can you maintain great hair health, but you also help the environment stay healthy!
