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Knowledge is a blessing and a curse. In my youth, shopping for beauty products was a lot easier and less stressful because I didn’t have to worry about my beauty products being x-, y-, or z-“free,” simply because all I needed was a shampoo or conditioner that removed dirt and cost less than $10. Now that I’m a curious, ingredient-obsessed adult who wouldn’t dare put those cheap formulas of my youth to my scalp, I’m keenly aware of how damaging certain ingredients can be to my hair.
These days, I spend extra time scanning product labels to ensure that my serums, body washes, and makeup aren’t packed with anything that will irritate my skin—and my haircare is no exception. I’ll admit that I’m still not totally clear as to why I must stay away from specific ingredients, particularly the hotly contested “sulfates” in shampoos. So I turned to Alicia Bailey, hair texture specialist and global education manager at Design Essentials, for answers.
“Sulfate-free shampoo is formulated with cleansers that do not contain sulfates, which are essentially detergents that help to create suds and lather to cleanse the hair and scalp,” Bailey explains. While many shampoos contain sulfates as a lathering agent, unfortunately, they often come with the side effect of stripping the hair shaft of all that’s good—be it dye, oils, and/or natural protectants.
Our top picks for the best sulfate-free shampoos of 2024
Those formulated without sulfate may not offer as many suds, but they’ll also leave hair perfectly clean and much less damaged over time, especially if your hair is color-treated or curly. And some still manage to add suds all the same. We consulted hair experts and poured over dozens of customer reviews to find the 19 best sulfate-free shampoos you've been missing out on. Check out all of our favorites ahead.
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