Ever wonder why your hair color doesn't seem to last or your hair loses its silky shiny feel after a few weeks? Well kids, maybe its time we had the talk. The talk about your shampoo.
Now here's the down low: the ingredient sodium laureth sulfate/ sodium lauryl sulfate are very common ingredients in a lot of shampoos. These ingredients are what make the large amount of suds that make your hair squeeky clean, but did you know that's not good for your hair and your scalp? Using products with these ingredients strip hair of not only dirt, oil and grime but also strips the natural oil your hair needs to stay healthy and shiny not to mention the expensive hair color you just paid to have done. :'(
The example:
You just went to the salon and spent over $100 getting color, highlights and a sexy! new haircut. You decide that you'll pass on the $20 shampoo your stylist recommends. You go to the grocery store and buy a shampoo labelled for color treated hair. You take it home and use it everyday. Within a week you notice that the color isn't as vibrant as it was. It has to be the stylist's fault, right?
The next week you notice your hair is really dull and dry. There are already split ends everywhere and nothing you do seems to soothe the raging beast. You'll never go to that stylist again now, you're convinced she fried your hair!
Betcha didn't know it was your cheap shampoo!
Even a professional brand like redken carries a shampoo called color protect that is notorous for striping your hair like nobodys business!
They also have nasty buildup causing additives (*cough cough* pantene) that trick you into thinking you're getting immediate results from using their shampoo. Then all of a sudden, your hair is dull and lifeless, lying flat against your head like a dirty sheet. (Pantene also has no many buildup causing additives that it actually shows up on my shears. No really. It even dulls them. Ew.)
The one and only thing that will save you from this major hair catastrophe is the right shampoo.
Sulfate free shampoo is getting easier to find now, and is more affordable than ever. The trick to remember is that it must say sulfate free right in the front of the bottle.
In addition to saving your hair from buildup and stripping that freshly done color out, its also good for texture services too. You should NEVER use regular shampoo when you've had a smoothing treatment or perm done. While the effects might not be immediate, curl will become heavy and fall out, and smoothed hair will become frizzy and unmanageable again! :(
There's a million and one different kinds out there and I have tried a few, but one recurring theme is that none of them quite lather like regular shampoo.
Don't fret my turtledove! It takes what seems an eternity to get used to, but you actually use less product with a sulfate free! Here's how I use them:
First, you must remember that you only need enough for your scalp. You don't need to wash the length of your hair, that's half of how you strip natural oil out. I use about a quarter size amount.
If you feel you aren't getting sudsy enough, you can use the same technique as cleansing conditioner. (I'll be talking about that next post, so keep an eye out)
I've been seeing more and more drugstore brands like herbal essence, garnier, or my favorite: organix carrying sulfate free options so maybe you could give it a try! ( just please don't purchase loreal's Ever line, they smell awful and they're SUPER hard to use)
However, professional lines like Sexy hair (this is what my salon uses a lot) have sulfate,paraben and salt free options. These are really easy to use, they smell great! And they have different shampoos for all different needs and hair types. (Like bright blonde, curly hair type, and volumizing shampoo just to name a few)
I hope this information helps, but don't just take it from me. Do research before you buy. Read reviews, and get the most out of your money!
Ashleigh.
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