Somnuz Sez: Hi. Just wanted to know your thoughts regarding sulfate-free products. If products do not contain surfactants, can they still clean. Or, if they contain lesser know surfactants, could they be even more harmful than SLS and SLES? Am trying some sulfate-free products and would love to know what you think of them. Ren shower washes and also the Mir skincare range.
The Right Brain’s Response:
To answer your question, first let’s take a look at 4 quick reasons why sulfates (like sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and their cousins the laureth sulfates) are so popular.
Why sulfates are popular
1) They’re very cheap and they’re readily available. Basic sulfates can cost as little as 25 cents per pound. More expensive surfactants can be $1.00 or more per pound.
2) They’re good cleaners. Sulfates are good at dissolving dirt and oil, especially the kind found on your hair and body. So they work really well in shampoos and body washes.
3) They foam well. Sulfates are extremely good at generating a lot of foam really fast. Even though you can have a good cleansing product that doesn’t foam, consumers tend to like high foaming products better.
4) They’re easy to thicken. Lauryl sulfates (not so much the laureth ones) can be thickened just by adding salt. Therefore, the companies that manufacture shampoos and body washes like to formulate with sulfates because their products can be made quickly and easily.
So, what about sulfate free products? Well, by comparison they generally are more expensive, they may not foam as well (depending on the formula. Consider a baby shampoo for example), and they require more complex formulas because they can’t be thickened with salt.
The sad side of sulfates
So why would your want to use sulfate free products? Well, a potential downside of using sulfates is that they can dry out your hair and skin. Sulfate free formulas can be milder because they don’t strip the natural oils out of your skin as much. Also, sulfates can really make your eyes sting. Sulfate free products can be formulated to be non-stinging and “tear-free.”
The Beauty Brains bottom line:
Yes, sulfate free formulas will still clean and no they’re not more dangerous. In fact, if anything, they’re a bit milder to your skin and eyes. So feel free to experiment. The Ren and Mir products are perfectly fine but they’re very overpriced. If you just want to experiment with sulfate free but don’t want to spend a lot of money, try a baby shampoo.
The Foam Gnome
By the way, in case you’re wondering about the picture in today’s post, we’d like to introduce you to the newest member of The Beauty Brains team, the Foam Gnome. Foam Gnome will be answering all your questions about anything that foams, from shampoos and body washes to shave creams, to the mouths of rabid dogs.
Ok, that’s stupid. Scratch that. In reality, we just thought this was a bizarre picture that involved foam. That’s why we posted it. There are no new Beauty Brains team members. We have no intention of recruiting a diminutive Detergent Dwarf to help us with our posts.
Wait a minute, Detergent Dwarf, that’s pretty catchy! We can see it now, Foam Gnome and Detergent Dwarf – battling dirt and grime. Grime Fighters! Get it? Crime – Grime? Whew! I’m on fire today!
Ok, I’m done now. The Left Brain is here with my medication.
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Somnuz asked about other surfactants being less known and maybe dangerous. I think his or her concerns should be put to rest. In fact, in many natural products, vegetable oils like olive oil, avocado oil, and other oils like coconut oil or palm oil are made into soap via the process of saponification. They are not less known and as you pointed out, they are generally milder than the sulfates.
All soaps work by bonding to oil and dirt and then washing them away. Stronger products like the sulfates foam well and leave you feeling clean, but also tight and dry because they strip away more your natural oils.
I think the difference is one’s skin when using the milder products is well worth the extra expense. They make the skin much softer, less dry, less itchy and I find them well worth the difference in price.
Just a few things I’d like to clarify. To Emily above – soap is very irritating and drying, even if it is make from olive oil, avocado oil, etc. Much more irritating to the skin than Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
Also, the major branded baby shampoos are not sulfate-free. Sodium Trideceth Sulfate is a Sulfate Surfactant and on the labels. It’s a mild surfactant but don’t be surprised if you see it get taken out anyway because of the sulfate-free hype.
It is very unfortuante that Sodium Laureth Sulfate got caught up in the “harshness” belief that surrounds Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. The former is much less irritating than the latter. And substuting Sodium Laureth Sulfate with other surfactants doesn’t necessarily make a milder formulation.
And, just like no man is an island – neither are surfactants. The other ingredients used in personal care products, such as betaines, can mitigate the irritation of the primary foaming agents, like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laurth Sulfate. Just because a Sulfate Surfactant is present doesn’t make the whole product irritating.
I agree
The reason why I agree is because I’m 21 yrs old I’ve always used Pantene pro v and everytime i took a shower I was losing hair at first I thought it was normal….now than it started to become thinner. I try everything from head and shoulders to garnia and they all contain sodium Laureth..I did’nt believe at first that was the reson…Until I read sooooo much bad things on it….I finally try coloreese it’s sold at sally’s beauty supply..It’s Sulfate FREE and my hair has no never felt better and it’s not weighed down or stripped of oils u will know when you say goodbye to Sulfate period like I did….Hope this helps..
Oh and by the way I’m Biracial with curly but thin hair…
I am a big fan of sulfate-free shampoo. When I use shampoos that contain sulfate my scalp feels itchy, tight, and even burns. I have VERY sensitive skin and using a gentler, sulfate-free shampoo really helped my scalp feel better. I also didn’t have the dry skin flakes when I brushed my hair. I also noticed a BIG change in my hair. I have very fine hair and it always looked dry. After using a sulfate-free shampoo (and not changing any other part of my hair routine) I noticed that my hair feels better, and not as dry. It looks better, too. I highly recommend the Pomegranate and Green Tea sulfate-free shampoo from Organix. It’s easy to find at your local drug store or even Walmart. It’s a little pricey, but not as pricey as some of the other sulfate-free brands. It’s definitely worth it!
I have just recently tried sulfate free shampoo and for the first time in over 20 yrs my hair is actually growing past my shoulders and without breaking so bad that I have to cut it. I have baby fine, thin, fragile hair and it has been broken and frizzy for all these years. I’m so grateful for the hype and I don’t think it’s worthless at all. Now my hair is almost down to my elbows, looks great and is still growing. Thank you sulfate free advicates I’m so happy!!