I like to read the labels on my products! We tend to base our purchasing decisions on factors such as price and brand recognition. As curly girls, it’s important to do deeper research and be extremely selective with our hair products.
What if I told you some ingredients in your shampoo could cause more harm than good? Let’s break this down; in a normal shampoo the main ingredients are sulfates. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is one of the most commonly used sulfates. Sulfates act as detergents to break down dirt and cleanse the hair. Although washing our hair is very important, it’s best to stay away from harsh chemicals that dry our curls.
Have you ever experienced super dry ends? This is more than likely because the sulfates in your shampoo are drying out your hair. Oils travel from your scalp to your ends; the curlier your hair is the longer it takes for your natural oils to moisturize all of your hair. If the oils are washed off before they get to your ends, this will lead to dryness, breakage, frizz and overall dull curls.
Luckily for us curly girls, there are shampoos made with natural ingredients for a safe, gentle wash. These are some of the ingredients you’ll find in sulfate-free shampoos: Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Capryl Glucosisde among others. They’re made from coconut oil and fruit sugars. My favorite sulfate free shampoos are from the brand Shea Moisture. I love that they use natural ingredients that cleanse my curls while keeping my hair moisturized.
For Curly Tips, help with your transition and all things curly you can find me on YouTube at Jiolka Peralta and on Instagram @diazynochex. Free the fro!
By: Jiolka Peralta
