No two heads of hair are exactly alike. What works to cleanse locks for one woman may not work for her sister or even her daughter. It’s not that the shampoo isn’t doing what it was designed to do-clean hair-it’s that the person’s hair needs a certain type of shampoo. For some women, going sulfate-free is the best option. These shampoos, like found in some known cleanser products, are made without sodium laureth sulfate or ammonium laureth sulfate, the ingredient in shampoos and other cleaners that creates suds. This type of shampoo works best on certain hair types.
Thin Strands
Most women know if they have thick hair or thin hair, but many assume that classification is based on the number of strands on their head. Instead, it is the thickness of the strand itself. Thicker hear tends to be course while thinner hair is often soft. Thin hair cannot stand up to heavy washing, conditioning, or styling products; they weigh it down. That’s why sulfate-free shampoos work well on thin hair. There aren’t any suds to wash out and hair comes out of a shampoo feeling lighter.
Curly Hair
As anyone with curly hair knows, dry hair turns to frizz. Sulfate can have a drying effect on curls. That’s one reason that it is so hard for a woman with curly hair to find a good shampoo. They often change brands hoping that one will eventually help. Because of the sulfate in shampoo, it is increasingly important for women with curly hair to condition and condition well. The more moisture the hair retains, the less likely it is to frizz. Changing to a sulfate free shampoo will change the texture of a woman’s curls and she may need to adjust the amount of conditioner she uses after washing her hair.
Hair Color
While all the shampoo producers claim their products won’t strip color out of hair, every women knows it happens and has found products to avoid if she wants to make her hair color last. Sulfate is suspected of being the number one offender when it comes to stripping artificial color from hair and many women find their hair color lasts longer when they use a sulfate-free shampoo. For years these shampoos, touted as “all-natural” have been shoved to the back of the shelf to make room for flashy products with expensive packaging. But, even the mainstream companies are picking up on the trend.
