What Is Sulfate?
Sulfates are chemicals used as cleaning agents. They are found in household cleaners, laundry detergents and even shampoos. That’s why it’s recommended to use Sulfate free shampoo for healthy hairs.
Speaking of sulfates, this is a common foaming agent found in shampoos to create a bubbly and foamy texture. The most common of these are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLES). These surfactants are known to remove dirt and oils from the scalp and hair.
If your shampoo lathers easily in the shower, there’s a good chance it contains sulfates. Sulfate-free shampoos do little or nothing later.
Compared to other cleansing ingredients in shampoo, sulfates are said to have the deepest cleansing effects. It belongs to a class of cleaning agents called anionic surfactants, which remove substances.
So you might be asking what’s wrong here? Simply put, surfactants are molecules that have a water-loving end and an oil-soluble end. The oil soluble end captures oils, grease and dirt before rinsing. This can get caught in the scalp and cause irritation that causes dryness and itchiness. These molecules can accidentally remove too much oil from the hair, leaving it brittle, weak and prone to damage.
Benefits Of Using a Sulfate-Free Shampoos
Sulfate-free shampoos have become seriously popular in recent years. When you take a trip to your grocery store, you’ll notice the expansion of sulfate-free shampoo aisles.
Before you add sulfate-free shampoo to your bucket, here’s everything you need to know.
- Reduces scalp irritation
- Frizz control
- Relieves irritation of the skin around the hair.
- Leaves hair softer and conditioned
- Intact curly hair
5 Best Sulfate Free Shampoos Available in Pakistan:
Now that you understand its benefits and how they work, here is a list of the best sulfate-free shampoos to restore your hair. These sulfate free shampoos easily available in Pakistan.
Overall, sulfate-free shampoos are more expensive than their regular sulfate-containing counterparts. But the trade-offs can be worth it, especially if you have sensitive skin or hair. Check out some of the following products to try by hair type at reasonable prices:
Conatural:
Conatural has the best organic and natural hair care line. The shampoos are suitable for all hair types and do not contain sulfates, silicones, mineral oil, artificial color,cruelty and parabens. They have three different shampoos:
- Hair repair
- Hair growth
- Hair volume
The price of a 275 ml bottle ranges from PKR 1,480 – PKR 2,177.
Palmers:
Palmers is an American company that uses real natural ingredients to produce high quality shampoos. They have shampoos for different hair solutions such as moisturizing, smoothing, repairing, color protection, styling and soothing the scalp. These shampoos do not contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils and gluten. The shampoos are available in five different ingredients:
- Cocoa Butter
- Coconut Oil
- Vitamin E
- Olive Oil
- Shea Butter
The price of a 300 ml bottle ranges from PKR 800 – PKR 1400.
XHC:
Xpel Hair Care is ideal for dry and damaged hair. They have specially formulated rehydrating shampoos and conditioners. The shampoos are perfectly formulated to be free of sulfates and parabens.
For a soft and silky smooth touch, XHC Green Tea Shampoo is the perfect choice.
It is a nourishing shampoo enriched with green tea extracts that will leave your hair sleek, shiny and smooth.
The price of a 400ml bottle of shampoo is PKR 700.
Coco Curls:
Coco Curls introduces this sulfate-free, curl-specific shampoo that’s gentle, mild, and hydrating.
The shampoo works by cleansing the hair without completely stripping the natural oils. Gently removes impurities and keeps hair hydrated.
Does not contain gluten, silicones, parabens and surfactants. The shampoo is made from a perfect blend of conditioners and cleansing ingredients.
The price for a 350 ml bottle is PKR 1,450.
Nirvana Botanics:
Nirvana Botanics Introduces Organic Shampoo – Stops Hair Loss. The benefits of this shampoo are that it completely stops hair loss, is extremely gentle on the hair and scalp, and leaves hair stronger and healthier.
It will deeply cleanse your scalp, removing all the dead skin follicles blocking hair growth and causing dandruff.
This shampoo is perfect for restoring dry and damaged hair and results will be visible after the first 5 uses.
The natural ingredients used are honey, dates and coconut.
The price for a 100 ml bottle is PKR 1,650.
Sulfate-free shampoos are easily available Online and in big marts like Carrefour, Alfatah, Metro, D.Watson, Bin Hashim and other stores similar to these.
Try out these shampoos that are best suited to your hair condition.
When should someone avoid sulfates?
While sulfates are effective at removing dirt and grease from hair, the problem is that these ingredients can be too strong for some people. You may not react well to sulfates if you have sensitive skin or hair, or if you have any allergies or sensitivities to these types of chemicals.
- An allergic reaction is also possible if you are sensitive to sulfates.
- You may also want to avoid sulfates if you have dry or fine hair.
- Sulfates can also strip color from your color treatments, although the scientific evidence for such effects is mixed.
- People with dry, frizzy hair.
Conclusion:
Sulfates do not necessarily pose a health risk to all users. However, if you have a sensitivity to sulfates or your hair is dry, fine, or damaged, it may be best to choose a different type of shampoo. You may even prefer to avoid them altogether just to be on the safe side.
There are also other things you can do to keep your hair looking its best. Consider following these tips along with using a sulfate-free shampoo:
- Wash your hair only as often as you need to: Oily hair needs to be cleaned most often, usually daily. Dry hair may only need to be washed a few times a week; more frequent shampooing could strip your hair of its natural oils and make it even drier and duller.
- Make sure your shampoo is tailored to your hair type: These include creamier shampoos for dry and frizzy hair, color-treated hair care products, and more.
- Don’t forget to use conditioner: Shampooing your hair will remove excess oil and dirt, but it can also strip it of natural oils. (Think of it like washing your face, where you always need to use a moisturizer tailored to your skin type.) You must always follow with conditioner unless you have a 2-in-1 combination product. Focus on using conditioner only on the ends and bottom half of your strands.
- Use heated tools sparingly: Using a blow dryer, curling iron or flat iron every day will eventually damage your strands. Try using them every other day if you have to, and use a sulfate-free dry shampoo in between.
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