The Best Sulfate Free Shampoo From Madison Reed
You may have heard of sulfates before…or rather, you may have heard of sulfate-free hair color and care. Sulfates have been getting a lot of attention in hair care recently—with good reason. While often misidentified as carcinogens (an agent with the capacity to cause cancer in humans), which they are not, there are still plenty of reasons to steer clear of sulfates in your shampoo.
What are sulfates…and what are they doing in shampoos?
Sulfates are chemicals used as cleansing agents. They belong to a class of cleansers called anionic surfactants—which break down oils and dirt, and also emulsify to give cleansers their foaming or sudsing action. The purpose of these chemicals in shampoo is to create a lathering effect and to remove oil and dirt from your hair.
Why are sulfates bad for your hair?
Some sulfates should be avoided in shampoo, while others are fine. The main types of sulfates used in shampoo are:
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
• Sodium laureth sulfate, a slightly more mild sulfate (SLES)
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS)
The first sulfate on the list is the one most commonly found in shampoos: SLS. SLS is a surfactant, meaning it lowers the surface tension between ingredients and creates the lather often associated with shampoo and other hair products. However, SLS can also strip your hair of moisture. Additionally, products containing harsh surfactants like SLS can contribute to color fading. SLS can increase frizz and cause dry hair. In severe instances, SLS can also irritate the scalp, causing redness, dryness and itching. Sulfates can also accelerate color fading in color-treated hair.
For all of the above reasons, we never use sodium lauryl sulfate in our products, opting instead to use sodium laureth sulfate, a gentler alternative..[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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Are sulfates the same thing as parabens?
No, they are not. However, you may have also heard some negative buzz about parabens. Parabens are a type of preservative mixed into hair care products to help prevent mold and bacteria, ultimately prolonging the shelf life of these products. We’re still learning what kind of effects parabens can have on people, but for now, parabens are considered potential endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones (our endocrine system).While current analysis concludes that they are safe at the levels presently used in other cosmetic products on the market, the long-term impact of parabens continues to be researched, so we do not use parabens in any of our hair color and care formulas.
Three of the most common parabens also have “paraben” in their name, making them easy to spot—butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben. However, parabens can also be listed as alkyl parahydroxy benzoates, so keep your eyes peeled when you read those ingredient lists.
Sulfate-free and paraben-free shampoos
While sulfates have been present since the invention of shampoo, it’s time to move past using it in shampoos simply to boost the sudsy factor, and instead look for more hydrating, sulfate-free options that make your hair look and feel healthy. Sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner are gentler on color-treated hair while still cleansing and nourishing the hair.
While there are many gentle hair care formulas on the market, it will come as no surprise that we think our NEW ColorSolve™ Customizable Shampoo + Conditioner is the best color-safe shampoo and conditioner set that also happens to be sulfate free. Tested by our own colorists, we’re proud that our shampoo and conditioner are not only sulfate-free but free of parabens.