A few weeks back I talked about how I'd ditched the straighteners & started embracing my naturally wavy hair. It's been a learning curve to say the least but the biggest change has been in the products I use (& don't use!) on my tresses. Following the Curly Girl Method means cutting out silicones & sulphates which given that the majority of haircare products are packed with them, isn't so easy.
So why not use sulphates? Well sulphates are designed to break down the silicones in conditioners & strip the hair clean. They're also found in washing up liquid as they're brilliant at breaking down the grease on your pots & pans. In short; sulphates are great at 'cleaning' your hair but they're also great at stripping out all the natural oils that your hair needs to be healthy & grow. So overall, they're not really great at all and in fact they're pretty bad, especially if you have wavy or curly hair as these hair types are naturally in need of extra moisture.
Cut out the sulphates & you have a gentler shampoo. A gentler shampoo means more moisture in the hair. And more moisture in the hair means happier, less fizzy hair all around! So here's my favourite sulphate shampoos, all available in the UK and available to buy on the High Street.
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First & foremost, this smells divine! It was one of the first sulphate-free shampoos that I used and it remains a firm favourite of mine. I've always been a big fan of the Body Shop, especially their body butters and it makes sense that they'd have an entire range of haircare products free from sulphates & silicones. Like most sulphate free shampoos, the lather is a bit poor in this one but it does the job well. Price wise, it's not the cheapest but for the smell alone it's worth every penny. I'm close to the end of the bottle & will definitely repurchase this one.
This was a shampoo I picked up on a whim, looking for something to make the buy one get one half price offer worthwhile. I'm already addicted to Pure Argan Oil, using it as my daily facial moisturiser & in my hair also, so it made sense that I try an argan oil shampoo. I can't fault this shampoo in terms of doing the job but the smell isn't the best - not bad, just not as nice as the other. That being said, it does make up for it in goodness, packed with good ingredients like Orange, Clove, Geranium, Lemon, Cinnamon, Rosewood, Mandarin, Vanilla & Spearmint. I probably won't buy this one again but I'd happily try another shampoo from the Dr. Organic range, after an initial sniff test!
My new favourite shampoo! I ordered this as part of a review and instantly fell in love with it from the first wash. The lather is as you'd expect from a sulphate-free shampoo but this one leaves my hair feelings hydrated & moisturised whilst also cleaning it nicely in the process. The bottle is great too & I love the pump dispenser. Fragrance wise, it's still not as nice at the Body Shop shampoo but it isn't too bad at all.
Out of all the sulphate-free shampoos I've tried, this one has the most lather; which can be great after a deep conditioning treatment or when I think my scalp needs a thorough clean but I find it a little too drying for daily use. It does smell lovely though and would be a great transitioning shampoo for a sulphate-free shampoo virgin. Best of all you can pick it up in Savers right now for a only £1!
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I've just started using the Palmer's Shea Formula conditioner (I use Deva Curl shampoo) and it's great, too - I usually hate scented hair products but this one is lovely.
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