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Sulfates cleanse the hair and are most commonly found in shampoos, although they are sometimes added to other hair products as well. Clients who follow the Curly Girl Method will generally avoid sulphate-based shampoos in their regular routine. However, shampoos containing sulphates are still sometimes used to remove build-up.
How harsh sulphates affect curls
Most people are used to washing their hair daily or several times a week with shampoo. The lather gives a “clean” feeling, but when you use shampoos containing sulphates, the natural oils are stripped from both the scalp and the hair. This can lead to:
- an irritated, dry scalp
- a scalp that becomes oily again quickly
- dry hair
- frizzy hair
- dull-looking colour
Sulphates commonly avoided
- Alkylbenzene sulfonates
- Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate
- Ammonium laureth sulfate
- Ammonium lauryl sulfate
- Ammonium Xylenesulfonate
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Sodium cocoyl sarcosinate
- Sodium laureth sulfate
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
- Sodium myreth sulfate
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- TEA-dodecylbenzenesulfonate
- Ethyl PEG-15 cocamine sulfate
- Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate
Tip: As you can see, many of these ingredients end in -ate.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
One important exception is behentrimonium methosulfate. Despite the name, this is not a harsh cleansing sulphate. In fact, it helps moisturise the hair and improves slip, making detangling easier. This ingredient is commonly found in conditioners.