I Tried Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Parabens, Triclosan, Pthalates, and Formaldehyde. These are just some potentially damaging ingredients commonly found in skin and haircare products. Among the roster is Sulfates. More often than not, you can find Sulfates in the ingredient list of most shampoos, so why is it that some brands try to do away with the ever-present component? While browsing at Yves Rocher, I came across Sulfate-free shampoo and decided to give it a try, and to see if there really is a difference between shampoos with Sulfates and without it.

Before anything else, what are Sulfates? Essentially, they’re surfactants made of sulfur-containing mineral salts. They lift away grease and grime from the hair and scalp to make them easier to wash away, and they’re responsible for that nice, bubbly lather. So what’s so bad about them? While Sulfates do clean your hair and scalp, they’re pretty aggressive and potentially irritating, and using shampoos containing Sulfates can strip your hair the of moisture it needs. Sulfate-free shampoos are milder and don’t strip the skin of the natural oils it needs.

I had run out of shampoo one day, so I popped into Yves Rocher to grab some more when I saw their Low Shampoo Delicate Cleansing Cream. My curiosity got the better of me (and it was on sale!), so I purchased it to try. The shampoo is a really thick cream, and its consistency is more like conditioner rather than regular shampoo.

The first time I used it, I massaged it into my scalp and ran it through the length of my hair. It doesn’t have the satisfying lather that most shampoos have, but after I washed it off, my hair still felt really clean. I still used conditioner with it, and I noticed that my hair was a lot softer and shinier than normal. Throughout my use of the shampoo, I concentrated most of the product onto my scalp instead of the length of my hair. I did this because I had to be economical about my shampoo use; since it’s a cream, I found myself using way more product compared to its soapy counterpart.

Because I have an oily scalp, I have to wash my hair everyday. I was hoping that by putting moisture back into my skin through the Low Shampoo, it would keep my scalp from producing more oil. I still found that my scalp would get pretty oily after 24 hours, and it pretty much felt the same way it would when I would use soapy shampoos.

Overall, using Sulfate-free shampoo was a good experience as it made my hair feel softer and smoother, but I think I’d still stick to normal shampoo only because I find that I use up Sulfate-free shampoo a lot faster than normal. I should probably learn how to portion it better, and I’d mostly likely repurchase it if I see it on sale again.

I’d recommend the shampoo to people who need the extra moisture in their lives. People with naturally curly hair, colored hair, and brittle hair would probably benefit from Sulfate-free shampoo the most. I have a friend who has beautiful curly locks, and she swears by Sulfate-free shampoo because it keeps her curls bouncy and hydrated.

Have you tried Sulfate-free shampoo? Let me know in the comments!