The Benefits of Sulfate-Free Hair Care Products
How do you take care of your hair? Do you wash your hair with hydrating shampoos and conditioners? Do you use shampoos that are specific to color treated hair or condition with a conditioner that is specific to enhancing volume?
Every woman uses different products that cater to their needs, but what every woman should also do is make the switch to sulfate-free products. Yes, your hydrating and moisturizing and volumizing shampoos and conditioners no doubt make your hair feel clean and soft, and they do work, but at what cost?
Sulfates, also known as SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), ALS (ammonium laureth sulfate) are inexpensive and powerful surfactants, or sudsing agents, that hair care companies use as a cheap ingredient in their shampoos and conditioners.
Sulfates contain salts and chemicals, which can dry out your hair cuticles and follicles in addition to causing damage to your scalp. Irreparable damage. In addition to drying and damaging your hair, sulfates can even permanently fade your natural (or paid for) hair color.
As if the damage to your hair wasn’t enough, it has been proven that products that contain sulfates can eat away at the natural fats in your body that moisturize your skin, simply by washing your shampoos out and having the suds fall down your body. Sulfates were first introduced to shampoos and conditions as a way to strip away dirt and oil from your hair, but what most women don’t realize is that your natural oils are meant to naturally moisturize and clean your hair and body.
Using products that contain sulfates can strip away your natural hair oils that are necessary to keep your hair happy and healthy. So if I haven’t convinced you to make the switch to sulfate-free products yet, maybe this will help: the damage sulfate’s causes your hair is irreversible.
Make the switch, just like I have, and I promise you’ll notice a huge and beneficial difference. Yes, the downside to making the switch is that some sulfate-free products are more expensive than your typical shampoos and conditioners because most sulfate-free precuts use natural and organic ingredients. In my opinion, it’s worth it.
Ally | Elite.
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