Scalp Care 101: Why you need to swap to Sulfate-free hair products

We are all aware of how important skincare is; the media talks about it, our favourite celebrities endorse it, and our dermatologists recommend it. But is the same done for scalp care? And why should a healthy scalp be celebrated as much as healthy skin?

Why Scalp Care should it matter?

Hair-loss; an entirely possible end to our adulthood and the universal sign of “Well, we’re getting old now”. It’s something that we don’t think about a lot, but when we do, boy oh boy is it terrifying. So how can we prevent complete hair loss? Well, it’s partially genetic but the good news is, there are many products out there that can prevent this from happening. One particular tip is getting rid of sulfates in your hair products.

What are sulfates?

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or simple ‘Sulfates’ are cleaning agents often found in detergents and personal care products. They attract water and oil and can effectively ‘clean’ your hair, skin, teeth, or clothes. First of all, that in itself is a red flag because you don’t typically expect something to clean your hair if it’s meant to clean your clothes. Besides the point, sulfates are ‘surfactants’ that clean a little too well. They can result in excessive loss of oil in your skin, as well as dry out your ends.

Your scalp hates sulfates!

Sometimes the main culprit of dry and damaged hair could be closer than you think. Although using potentially harmful ingredients on your hair are more forgiving compared to our skin, making the switch to a clean alternative is key for the scalp in the long run. Your hair is made up of proteins that allow it to have the shine and strength that it needs to stay on your head, and sulfates don’t allow that. Studies have shown that sulfates in hair care have been associated to split ends, rapid hair loss, and greying strands.

Cleaner alternatives

If you want to start eliminating sulfates from your everyday routine, your shampoo and conditioner might be the easiest way to do so. Here are some BB-approved hair products that you might want to check out:

HiBAR Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner

Josh Rosebrook Hair Mask

Conscious Coconut Coconut Oil

Patricks SH1