Did you ever consider you’d find yourself googling ‘Is sodium laureth sulphate good for hair?’ High school chemistry style queries aside, none of us could have predicted the precision with which we’d examine our beauty products today. Social media has opened Pandora’s box of information, encouraging consumers to question what beauty brands have doled out all along.
Scientific studies are quoted with the ease of knock-knock jokes, and all of it has translated to brands being very cautious about including certain chemicals in our everyday beauty products. The biggest and most glaring example is the proliferation of sulphate-free hair care on supermarket shelves, sulphate-free shampoo recommendations as hair care tips, and the rise of natural shampoos or even organic shampoos.
Sulphates have become a dirty word, and shampoos marketed as sulphate-free are flying off shelves. But the problem with sulphates in hair care is not as dangerous as you’ve been led to believe.
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Chemistry 101: What are sulphates?
“Sulphates are a type of detergent (surfactants) that help create foam and essentially help to cleanse,” explains Dr Kiran Sethi, dermatologist and author and founder of Isyaderm. “They are used in body washes, shampoos, face washes, and anything where we need foam or a cleansing component.” Their very nature makes the product easier to apply, with less friction, making the application process safer too.
Why the bad rep?
Shampoos are known to have both sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate in their formulations—they cover a larger surface area. They, therefore, need to be ‘smooth’ to apply. They help remove dirt and oil. And this is where the problem starts. When applied on the skin and left on for long, they can cause irritation because they are pretty strong detergents. “However, if they are used in a wash and in the right percentage, they don’t irritate [the skin]. In the case of shampoos, sulphates in large amounts or high percentages can be very drying for the skin and hair,” says Dr Sethi.
I’ve been using shampoos with sulphates—what will happen to my scalp?
Nothing. Unless you’re allergic to sulphates or have excessively dry hair and skin anyway, there is no reason why sulphates would harm you. While cleaning away the oil and dirt in your hair, sulphates can remove the natural oils on your scalp and hair. This opens your hair shaft and scalp to aggressors like pollution and dirt, which can be damaging. However, “problems like hair thinning and hair loss aren’t really caused by sulphates unless your hair is super damaged and super dry, and that is what is causing breakage,” says Dr Sethi. “But theoretically, sulphates shouldn’t be causing any hair fall and breakage. It may worsen issues that already exist.” If you do have any of these concerns, even the best organic shampoo can have the same effect as one with sulphates.
Is it necessary to go sulphate-free for healthy hair?
Not really. “Sometimes a shampoo that reads ‘sulphate-free’ on its label may actually be using some other detergents or salts that may contain the same damaging characteristics of sulphates,” says Dr Sethi. They can be equally drying or irritating. But if you do have dry hair and need some form of protection, that’s a possibility to consider. “To counteract the effects of sulphates in our body and hair care, we should use gentle detergents,” advises Dr Sethi. “Amphoteric surfactants are gentler, but they have much less foam. So, the idea is to stop our reliance on foam and go for gentle cleansing. The goal of feeling squeaky clean is misguided. We don’t need to be stripped of all oils to feel clean,” she adds.
It’s easy to polarise and exist in extremes. However, the truth, more often than not, lies in the middle. A blanket ‘no’ is too easy a way out. And the power lies in you. Easy access to information combined with the ability to question, debate, or even dialogue is the consumer’s superpower. Instead of being peddled misinformation by various agencies, read and or scroll to empower yourself to make the right decision. Perhaps, sulphates in shampoo is the one thing standing between you and your greatest hair days ever.
