Say bye-bye to sulphate

Why should you choose sulphate-free shampoos? Dr Nirupama Parwanda answers

There is a huge war going on in the hair industry for the past couple of years now. The issue in concern is if sulphates are a ‘yay’ or a ‘nay’ for the public. When you’ll cross the haircare aisle of any store, you’ll have an array of options to choose from. The impact of this debate is so huge that there is a huge possibility of you buying a particular shampoo because it was sulfur-free without even knowing the reasons to opt for one.

If you check the back of your shampoo bottle, you might find words like ‘sulphate’ or ‘ethanolamine lauryl sulphate’ written on them with which we can easily infer that ‘sulfur-free products’ are the products which do not contain these ingredients in them.

The most common question is if people should believe that products with sulfur are actually harmful in nature. The truth is that shampoos with sulfur in them are not harmful in nature, nevertheless, they aren’t the best for your hair either.

Benefits galore

Now I know it is difficult to say goodbye to your old shampoo which has been your friend for the past so many years, however, there are a couple of reasons why one should opt for a sulphate-free shampoo. And trust me, the benefits are worth it:

• It keeps the essential oils intact: You must be aware of the fact that our scalp contains essential oils and using a shampoo which contains sulphate might just remove those oils from your scalp, making them dry and brittle. Using a sulphate-free shampoo not only ensures a chemical-free approach but also keeps all the oils intact.

• It’s best for a sensitive scalp: Sulphate-free shampoos should be your favourite product when it comes to haircare. People with sensitive scalp might face irritation, redness or burning sensation. Sulphate-free shampoo is mild in nature which eliminates any harmful chemical reaction on the scalp. With a change in shampoo, you can definitely say goodbye to any allergic reactions on your scalp.

• It’s perfect for frizzy hair: One of the most common reasons for dry and frizzy hair is the presence of sulphate in the shampoos. Sulphate is added to haircare products to remove impurities from your scalp. But it also removes any moisture in your scalp, which causes frizzy and dry hair. Using a sulphate-free shampoo will help you in nourishing your hair.

• It doesn’t impact your hair colour: People with coloured hair should definitely bid adieu to shampoos with sulphate. Now there might not be a direct connection between sulphate and hair colour. However, the indirect connection is worth changing the shampoo for. When you apply products with sulphate on your coloured hair, they make your scalp dry. This, in turn, affects the quality of your hair which eventually adds up to making your hair colour dull and boring.

There is a common myth attached to shampoos with sulphate in them — these products can increase the chance of getting cancer — which is completely false. There has been absolutely no evidence for this. By now, most of you would be ready to chuck your old sulphate shampoos in the bin to replace it with sulphate-free versions. However, it is important for you to know that shampoos without sulphate in them do not lather much and require a much more extensive massage on the scalp. The role of sulphate is to create a lot of lather and to remove all the impurities on the scalp.

Now that you are ready to take that big leap of faith in sulphate-free shampoos, you should definitely be ready to invest more than five minutes in washing your hair. Sulphate-free shampoos are sensitive on your scalp and thus require a longer massage time to make sure it has reached all the parts of your scalp.

(The author is founder, Zolie Skin Clinic)