Sulfate-free Shampoos

Sulfate free shampoo
 
Q: Hi, not sure if you can help me but I was wondering if all organic shampoos and conditioners are sulfate-free. I googled it, but all I found was just sulfate free or just organic but not both together. Thanks for your help.
 
A: No, not all organic shampoos are sulfate-free. You need to read the label to determine whether your organic shampoo contains any sulfates. You should also remember that “organic shampoo” is an umbrella term that covers anything from 100% organic ingredients, to only containing few organic ingredients.
 
This being said, you’ll find a lot of very good organic shampoos and conditioners that contain no sodium laureth sulfate. There are three kinds of sulfate compounds used in shampoos and conditioners, namely sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate or ammonium laureth sulfate. Sometimes shampoos or conditioners that claim to be “sulfate free”, only mean that there are no sodium laureth sulfate compounds in it. It is this specific kind of sulfate that is the most damaging to our health, though.
 
Thus, even though your label may claim that your shampoo/conditioner contains no sulfates, you should read the ingredients list to see if it contains one of the other two, much less damaging sulfate compounds.
 
Here are some of the organic shampoos that are sodium laureth sulfate free:
• Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo
• David Babaii for Wildaid Amplifying Shampoo
• Avalon Organics Revitalizing Peppermint Shampoo
• L'Oréal Ever Pure Hydrate Shampoo
 
The biggest problem with shampoos without any sulfate compounds is that these shampoos battle to get rid of grease buildup on the hair. Sulfates are added to shampoos, (and lots of other cleansing products such as carpet shampoos, dishwashing liquids, etc.), in order to produce soap suds. The soap suds break down and loosen the grease, which inevitably gets washed down the drain. Thus, 100% organic shampoo without any sulfate compounds may not work for particularly greasy or dull hair.
 
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See also:
 
Are shampoos with sulfates bad for your hair?
 
How does shampoo clean the hair?
 
How often should I change my shampoo?
 
What does pH mean in pH balanced shampoo?
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