Lately there’s been a lot of buzz around sulphates in beauty products, especially shampoos. But what exactly are sulphates and is it really necessary to switch to a sulphate-free shampoo? Here’s everything you need to know about this growing beauty trend.
What are sulphates?
Sulphates are a very common ingredient in most shampoos and household cleaning products. Sulphates are basically a foaming agent, giving beauty and cleaning products their ability to lather and foam. Sulphates are also used in cleaning and beauty products because they are very effective surfactants – a surfactant is a group of molecules that can attract both water and oil – and for this reason products containing sulphates are excellent at removing dirt and oil from either your skin or other surfaces.
Should you avoid sulphates?
In addition to being such great cleaning agents, sulphates are also a known skin irritant. For some people sulphates can be very harsh and can cause issues like irritation, and dehydration on the skin and scalp, especially if you have a sensitive scalp or very dry hair. If you’ve struggled with using traditional shampoos in the past or have had a reaction on your skin or scalp after using a traditional shampoo then sulpahte-free shampoo could be for you! While most people are fine using ordinary shampoo, those with concerns about their hair being dry or their scalp being too reactive can benefit from using a more gentle suplhate-free shampoo. Other reported benefits of switching to sulphate-free shampoo include softer, more nourished hair, due to a more gentle cleansing agent in sulphate-free shampoo, as well as reduced frizz.
Products to try
There are loads of affordable sulphate-free shampoos on the market. Those with very dry or fragile, damaged hair will love L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Low Shampoo. This sulphate-free shampoo is infused with a blend of precious oils to help keep your hair hydrated, healthy, and reduce frizzy. Since the product doesn’t lather you will need to massage it into the hair and scalp and leave it for 2-3 minutes before rinsing.
Shop the L’Oréal Elvive Low Shampoo range and other great sulphate-free shampoos online via PriceCheck.
Want more beauty finds and reviews? Check out our 5 Must-Try Beauty Products for June.
