3 reasons why you absolutely must avoid sulfates in your shampoo!
Everything you need to know about these controversial synthetic ingredients, and more.
When it comes to grooming, we at Spruce are naturals! We avoid synthetic ingredients to the best of our abilities so you have the gentlest products to pamper yourself with. Our commitment to natural grooming means we stay away from sulfates, parabens, artificial fragrances and silicones so you have a soothing, indulgent experience. In this vein, we hope to make you understand why we try to avoid putting sulfates in your products!
Sulfates (like sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate and even sodium laureth sulfate) are used very regularly in shampoos as they're great to help build up a lather and clean the skin and hair. Sulfates are surfactants (anionic surfactants to be specific); they reduce the surface tension of your grooming products to help them spread uniformly and easily.
The thing is, big brands use sulfates because they'd rather focus on making their products look good than you! That's what sulfates do; they're a cosmetic ingredient. They only make your hair care products look good. So your shampoo foams up and gets all bubbly, and that isn't all that bad; which begs the question, "what's all the hate about?" Why stay away from sulfates?
While sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate, make your products look good when you use them, they may be doing you some harm. Here's why:
They're cosmetic: As we've already mentioned above, they don't really serve much of a purpose other than being a foaming agent which makes your body wash and shampoo seem richer. Putting that aside, it gets harder to justify why they are in your shampoo.
They're drying agents: Sodium lauryl sulfate, which is the most common sulfate you will find in shampoo is a strong cleansing agent. Perhaps even be too strong, and although this means it will remove dirt, it will also strip your hair and scalp of its natural oil. A scalp without its natural oils is going to itch and irritate. Not only this, there have been studies to show that some sulfates even strip your hair of its natural proteins, which can lead to split ends and weaker hair prone to breakage.
They're irritants: Because of their strong cleansing properties, people who use personal care products with this powerful ingredient are likely to experience some sort of itch or irritation, especially if they have sensitive skin. If you use a sulfate-based shampoo and you've got sensitive skin, you may notice itching on your scalp, eyes and nose but also might find that you're developing pimples around your hairline!
Avoid sulfates in your shampoo and you will have a more sustainable, comfortable grooming experience. You won't have to worry about being the guy that's always sitting around scratching his head, or dusting flaky skin and dandruff off your shoulders. Your scalp may finally be irritation-free! We make sulfate-free shampoo so that you can regularly have a gentle cleanse without worrying about stripping your hair and scalp of all those natural oils and protein that keep it strong and lush.
So what does Spruce do instead? How do we make sure that you still get that rich, foamy experience when you use your shampoo? We use a coconut-derived ingredient known as Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate or DLS! DLS binds to dirt and oil in your hair and is easily washed away, carrying them with it.
Studies conducted and cited by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (a US FDA supported non-profit initiative) have attested to the mild nature of this ingredient. This means you can leave our products in your hair for a while and take advantage of all the benefits provided by our natural extracts and oils without having to worry about an itchy, irritated scalp. That said, DLS is also an effective foaming agent and lathers up nicely too! With this coconut based extract, you get a luxurious showering experience without compromising on the thicker, glossier, healthier hair you want.
If you have an itchy scalp, or sensitive skin and are looking to avoid sulphate based products, try out our range of shampoos, free of sulphates and powered by DLS and enhanced with other natural extracts and essential oils!