Someone somewhere said women’s tresses are their greatest treasure. That someone somewhere might just be right. We do love our crowning glory, don’t we? Unfortunately in today’s lifestyle, it has become difficult to give our hair the tender, loving care that it requires. Lest we forget, the pollution has ruined any chances of maintaining hair health. We have come to tell you about a lazy girl hack that everybody should know – sulphate free shampoo. Yep, it is a God sent (okay fine, hair scientist sent maybe) product for our hair, a saving grace at the least. Today consumers are increasingly aware of the ingredients that make their shampoo and conditioner. The key ingredient to keep away from your hair care and styling routine is sulphate. Let us explain –
Why use sulphate free shampoo?
Essentially sulphates are cleaning agents. They are used in shampoos to remove dirt and oil from hair. Unfortunately, sulphates have a bigger list of cons than pros. They don’t remove only dirt and oil, but can also strip off essential oils which will make the hair extremely dry. Your hair will lack moisture and lustre due to the continuous use of shampoos that contain sulphates. The idea is to switch to a sulphate free shampoo for moisturized and healthier scalp and hair.
How to know if a shampoo is sulphate free?
There are a lot of debates about the authenticity of sulphate free shampoos. A lot of products claim to be natural or sulphate free but contain some or the other equally damaging chemical. One way to check for a sulphate free shampoo is to read the ingredients list. The list should not contain words like phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), triethanolamine (TEA), propylene glycol, cocamide MEA and cocamide DEA. The lists can be long and confusing but thankfully there is another way. You can simply scan the label or the product using the Think Dirty app to check if the shampoo is really sulphate-free or just claims to be. Another indicator for sulphates is synthetic fragrance. Shampoos with synthetic fragrances tend to contain sulphates in them.
How to use sulphate free shampoo?
One tricky thing about sulphate free shampoo is that it doesn’t lather as it lacks the chemical. When you use it for the first few times you may feel your scalp is not really clean or has some buildup residue. Don’t worry, it is a common concern. In fact, using a chemical free shampoo should not feel like rocket science. Here is how you can use it –
- Thoroughly wet your hair. It should be drenched.
- Use a coin sized amount of the shampoo and apply it well on your scalp and hair. Add more water to the shampoo instead of increasing the amount of shampoo.
- Massage your scalp well for at least 2-3 minutes. You can also use a shampoo massager for the same.
- Shampoo twice only if you have oiled your hair or if it is absolutely necessary.
- Rinse it off and don’t forget to follow it with a suitable sulphate free conditioner.
Now that you know how to use a sulphate free shampoo, scroll down to check which ones you should use according to your hair type.
A) Sulphate free shampoos for normal hair
1) Forest Essentials Amla, Honey and Mulethi Hair Cleaner
Forest Essentials have created a niche for itself in the market. They are recognised as an honest and sophisticated brand that always delivers its promises. Their sulfate free shampoo is no less. Made with amla, honey, mulethi, reetha, nilini, soya protein, haritaki and coconut oil, this shampoo will cleanse your scalp and hair without damaging it. It is nutrient-rich and SLES/SLS poor.
Diligent usage of this shampoo promises bouncy tresses, lesser hair fall and hair growth. If you are looking for an Ayurvedic formulation that nourishes your hair, the Forest Essentials Amla, Honey and Mulethi Shampoo is meant for you.
Available at: Nykaa
Follow it up with: Forest Essentials Amla, Honey and Mulethi Conditioner
2) Amrutam Kuntal Care Herbal Shampoo
Amrutam Kuntal Care Herbal Shampoo is one of the best chemical-free shampoos in India. As the name suggests, this herbal concoction includes amla, bhringraj, shikakai, reetha and ghrit kumari. Each ingredient is carefully chosen to give maximum benefits to your hair. They attack almost all the concerns like premature greying, dandruff and hair fall. The brand suggests using this after applying their uber-famous Kuntal Care Do-it-Yourself Hair Spa.
Follow it up with: Amrutam Kuntal Care Herbal Conditioner
B) Sulphate free shampoos for curly hair
1) Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate Shampoo with Shea Butter
Curlies will agree with us when we say that curls are naturally very dry. Using shampoo without sulphate is a boon for them. Imagine stealing moisture from a desert! Maui Moisture’s entire range is dedicated towards curls. Their Heal and Hydrate range contains aloe vera, coconut and macadamia oils and shea butter.
These ingredients are known to nourish the hair and give it a much-needed sheen. Curl squad, if your goal is to quench your curls’ thirst (forgive us for being so cheesy), go for Maui Moisture!
Available at: Sublime Life, Vanity Vagon
Follow it up with: Maui Moisture Heal and Hydrate Conditioner and Mask with Shea Butter. You can also use their leave-in detangler instead of the mask.
2) Ouai Curl Shampoo
We love Ouai’s tagline- Who Runs the World? Curls. That’s right, bishes! Jokes apart, Ouai means business when they say they want to make it better for all the curlies. Their lightweight sulphate free shampoo has a unique ingredient – Ouai’s patented Smart technology. It helps to cleanse the hair effectively without compromising on moisture. It is also great for those who have coloured their hair. The shampoo protects the colour and hair both! Hello, soft curls!
Available at: Sephora or NNNOW
Follow it up with: Ouai Curl Creme
3) Kerastase Curl Manifesto – Bain Hydration Douceur Shampoo
It’s said – manifest and you shall receive. Maybe that’s why Kerastase named their widely recognised sulphate and paraben-free shampoo as Curl Manifesto. This shampoo will help you to achieve all your curl manifestations. Manuka honey and ceramide are the heroes of this shampoo. Apply the shampoo on your scalp first then work the lather through your hair in a downward motion, It won’t weigh down your curls – instead, they will feel light and bouncy, just the way they should be!
Available at: Reflexions
Follow it up with: Kerastase Masque Beurre Haute Nutrition and Creme De Jour Fondamentale
Btw, we have an abundance of curly hair tips for you to follow!
C) Sulphate free shampoos for coloured hair
1) Moroccanoil Colour Complete Shampoo
Care for coloured hair is a different ball game altogether. Sulphates cause the colours to bleach which is why all the hairdressers and experts advise using sulphate free shampoos. Moroccanoil has become a cult favourite in the past few years.
Their Colour Complete shampoo is a crowd-pleaser. It ensures locking the colour from within by rebuilding the keratin structure of the hair. Moroccanoil’s patented technology COLOR LINK repairs and strengthens each and every strand of hair. How lucky are we to live in a world that has shampoos that protect our coloured hair without sulfites? Damn luck, we’d say!
Available at: Nykaa
Follow it up with: Moroccanoil Colour Complete Conditioner and Moroccanoil Treatment Oil
2) Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter and Rose Aroma Colour Blooming Shampoo
Love Beauty and Planet’s Murumuru Butter and Rose Aroma Colour Blooming sulphate free shampoo is vegan and made of ethically sourced ingredients. A simple Google search of “chemical-free shampoo India” will show you this shampoo in the top 10. No, not because of their SEO team but because of the goodness of their product. It is sought after as an affordable brand in America too.
Sourced from Brazil, the murumuru butter is an excellent nourishing and moisturising ingredient. The Bulgarian rose acts like a cherry on top of this already amazing colour-protecting shampoo!
Available at: Nykaa, Purplle, Amazon
Follow it up with: Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter and Rose Aroma Colour Blooming Conditioner
D) Sulphate free shampoos for damaged hair
1) L’Oréal Professionnel X-Tenso Care Shampoo
Hi, victims of dry and damaged hair. We are here for you. Let’s not damage our hair further by using a chemical-laden sulphate shampoo. Look out for shampoos that will take care of your hair minus the sulphate. One such shampoo is L’Oréal Professionnel X-Tenso Care. It has keratin care which helps to restore hair’s natural keratin and asta care that constructs damaged hair. It is super gentle, yet super effective!
Available at: Nykaa
Follow it up with: L’Oréal Professionnel X-Tenso Care Masque and Hair Serum
2) Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Shampoo
The Pure Renewal shampoo by Aveeno aims at restoring hair’s vitality to the fullest. The seaweed extracts help to balance the pH level of the hair. This sulphate-free formula is infused with their NATRASURF technology which helps to maintain the health of the hair without stripping off the natural oils and moisture. You will start noticing the difference after a fair few washes.
Available at: Amazon
Follow it up with: Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Conditioner
3) Kiehl’s Damage Repairing and Rehydrating Shampoo
With a flaunt-worthy ingredients list that includes moringa tree oil, ceramides and hyaluronic acid, Kiehl’s Damage Repairing and Rehydrating shampoo works at all levels to rehydrate dry and damaged hair. This sulphate-free shampoo strengths and repairs dry, dull and damaged hair. If your hair is over-processed due to heat styling and pollution, Kiehl’s is your go-to option.
Follow it up with: Kiehl’s Damage Repairing & Rehydrating Conditioner
Which is the best sulphate free shampoo in India?
Well, the best sulfate free shampoo in India is quite a heavy title. From our own experience and research, we will have to pass the crown to Keratase. Tad expensive but all their products work like magic! They are gentle on the hair with no harsh chemicals or side effects whatsoever. In fact, their haircare range is often recommended by hair experts all over the globe.
While you are adding one or two new sulphate free shampoo to your cart, why don’t you glance at our online shopping app for the best online shopping in India? We promise you, you’ll only find amazing deals, quirky apparel and of course our baby, Cosmos. Happy shopping to you, healthy hair human!
