Does this de-bunk the 'Sulphate-Free' trend?

[HappyLoneParentDay]

Just thought I'd share this really simple but informative video about sulphate-free shampoos!

I follow this lovely lady on YouTube and she really
knows her stuff!!!

Any hair stylists reading this who can corroborate??

It doesn't debunk it for me! Sulphates are really good surfactants but that means they indiscriminately wash out everything, including the natural oils on your hair and scalp that are supposed to be there.

I think a lot depends on your skin type, but the same way I find soap really hard on my face, I find sulphates really harsh on my head! You can also get a really decent wash from sulphate free shampoo, you just tend to need more water to froth it up and really massage it in. It doesn't do the work for you but it's still clean.

We've evolved to have oil in our skin and scalp for a reason, washing it all out completely seems a bit unnecessary to me...

Yes I know a bit about this. There is so much misinformation! Firstly sulphate shampoos traditionally contained sodium or ammonium lauryl sulphate. However most now contain sodium laureth sulphate which in itself is much milder. The point is that sodium laureth sulphate cleans the hair. It is super efficient at cleaning it.

Sulphate free shampoos replace these sulphates with a cocktail of different chemicals. Most of these are not as efficient at cleaning the hair which is why a lot of people feel their hair is limp and greasy with sulphate free shampoos. A lot of brands such as Aveda and Kiehls therefore use sulphates in their volumising and clean ranges and non sulphate in their dry damaged ranges. This is despite the fact that there is zero clinical evidence that sulphate free is better for damaged or coloured hair. Zero! In the end it comes down to choice.

A lot of people complain about the following with sulphate free shampoos - greasy and limp (because the alternative chemicals used are less efficient), itchy scalp and dandruff (ditto - they simply are not cleaning as well), straw like hair and tangles.

There is one alternative ingredient in sulphate free shampoos called Sodium Olefin C14-16 Sulfonate. This ingredient is present in Briogeo, OGX and some of the Davines products. The reason it is included is because it is a very efficient non sulfate cleaning agent but actually is worse for the hair than the original sulphates !! Hence the dryness and tangle.

So it is a lot more complex than people make out. Sulphate free shampoos are certainly not more ‘natural’ - check out the cocktail of chemicals the sulphates are replaced with! And they also are washed out less efficiently leaving you with dirty residue based hair and flaky scalp. And more chemicals in the hair!

In my book stick to what works and washes out efficiently and well. Sodium laureth sulphate.