Why It's Important to Use Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioners

April 06, 2014

Hi Nurture My Body Family :)

I hope you all are having a good week….we are half way through summer! Can you believe that? Me neither! I hope you guys are getting the time to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather before the summer slips away.

Anyway, today I want to talk to you guys about the importance of using sulfate-free shampoo. Over the past few years, I have been seeing more and more "sulfate-free" labels on the shelves of my local drug store. But why use sulfate-free shampoo? And what are sulfates? What is SLS?

Sulfates are inexpensive chemicals used by companies to provide grease-cutting cleaning power and a bubbly lather in our shampoos and detergents. You see them show up in ingredients lists with the names "sodium lauryl sulfate" (SLS) and "sodium laureth sulfate" (SLES), among other names.

So why is this such a bad thing? Who doesn't love suds in the shower?

Trouble is that like many other detergents, sodium lauryl sulfate is an irritant with the irritation increasing with concentration. It has also been shown that sodium laureth sulfate causes eye or skin irritation in experiments done on animals and humans. Want more? Here are a few quick hits. Studies on SLS and SLES have shown that (Source: Judi Vance, Beauty To Die For, Promotion Publishing, 1998)

1. "Shampoos with SLS could retard healing and keep children's eyes from developing properly. Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to improper eye development."
2. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate can cause cataracts in adults and delays the healing of wounds in the surface of the cornea."
3. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate has a low molecular weight and so is easily absorbed by the body. It builds up in the heart, liver and brain and can cause major problems in these areas."
4. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate causes skin to flake and to separate and causes roughness on the skin."
5. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate causes dysfunction of the biological systems of the skin."
6. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is such a caustic cleanser that it actually corrodes the hair follicle and impairs the ability to grow hair."
7. "Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is routinely used in clinical studies deliberately to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested."

Sulfates can cause skin irritations, worsen existing skin problems and can even be linked to hair loss. Sulfates are cheap and effective as a detergent, but our delicate scalp, hair, and hair follicles aren't able to handle the harsh chemical—especially as we age.

Why ELSE should you use SLS Free Shampoos?

• More shine
• Less hair loss
• Drastically less frizz (my curly-haired friends have been swearing by SLS free shampoo for years!)
• Longer lasting color
• Stronger and more fortified hair
• All natural, no chemicals
• Won't irritate skin or scalp
• Keep healthy natural oils that your hair needs

All of the Nurture My Body shampoos are SLS-free and paraben free. Be kind to your body and your hair and use only organic shampoos and conditioners :)

-Sally, Summer Intern

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