Most of us have heard the latest news that sulfates are bad for us, but what are sulfates and why are they so evil? Sulfates are the primary ingredient in most personal care products including soaps, shampoos, and even toothpastes. They are the cleaning agent, known as the surfactant, that binds to dirt and oils on our hair and skin and pulls them away so we can rinse them down the drain. All detergents are harsh and sulfate based detergents are the absolute worst. Sulfates are indiscriminate and strip your hair and scalp of essential oils and natural moisture. They damage the hair follicle leading to hair loss can clog exposed hair follicles. They strip away the pigment from color treated hair resulting in the need to color your hair more often which exposes you to even more harmful chemicals. They can be absorbed by the liver and can mimic the presence of excess estrogen in the system.
Knowing all this why do companies use sulfates in their products? The number one reason is that they’re cheap. They are selling their products to make the highest possible profit and the cheaper ingredients the better. They also easily form the thick rich lather that we have been taught makes a product that works better. This is simply not the case. Foaming occurs when the molecules of the surfactant form around air instead of oil so if you have heaps and mounds of sudsy lather it simply means that too much product was used. Oils and sebum quickly destroy foam and there should only be enough lather to lubricate the skin to easily massage the product into your hair, skin, or scalp.
Knowing all this and if you’ve decided to make the transition to sulfate free products you do have options. Many manufacturers have introduced their own lines of natural or sulfate free products. Sulfate Free Shampoos and soaps can be found in almost every drugstore and there is an even bigger selection online.
The benefits of going sulfate free are enormous not only to your body but also to the environment. You will feel better every day knowing not only that you have done a better thing for your skin but that you are no longer rinsing caustic chemicals down the drain into the earth and our water supply.
All Green Beauty 