Shampoos have come under fire recently because of their ingredients. Some of the relatively harmless ingredients in shampoo include citric acid used to lower the pH balance of the scalp, sodium chloride, which is nothing more than a salt to add a thickening effect, foaming agents, and hydrolyzed collagen, which actually does nothing for your hair. Some shampoos also add natural essential oils such as jojoba, sweet almond, argan, olive, and shea butter. There are some other ingredients you should be aware of, as they can be irritating, such as preservatives and soy protein—which can be a problem if you have an allergy to soy. There are still other ingredients that have been rumored to be cancer-causing agents, such as sulfates, which produce foam and lather. So should you ditch the shampoo altogether? Below we look at going shampoo-free and alternative shampoos without all of the chemicals.
Shampoo
Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a relatively cheap ingredient in shampoos that add foam and lather, and cuts and removes oil rather effectively. Sulfates have been rumored to cause cancer, but there are ongoing studies and it has not been banned by the FDA for use on any skin or hair care product. Some in the media have claimed that sulfates dry the hair and scalp by stripping it of natural oils, while others say because it strips the oils, the scalp produces even more to adjust causing the scalp and hair to become oilier. If you color your hair you may have been advised to use sulfate-free shampoo to prevent the color from fading. Some manufacturers have replaced Sodium Laurel Sulfate with alternative ingredients while others have eliminated the sulfates altogether in favor of more “natural” ingredients. Overall, the shampoo available today is not likely to damage your hair or health, so it’s up to you if you want to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo. Keep in mind, they can cost more and you may not see any noticeable results in your hair.
Or Not to Shampoo?
On the other hand, the trend to avoid using shampoo completely has been on a steady rise. Many women have tried it and posted their results on the internet for you to read through, complete with before and after pictures and video. You need to prepare your hair by washing with a regular shampoo to remove any product build-up and trim your hair to remove split or damaged ends. It will take about two to four weeks before your hair adjusts to not having shampoo, so be prepared. The most common way to clean the scalp is with baking soda massaged in and then rinsed followed by apple cider vinegar. You won’t smell like vinegar once it is rinsed from the hair. This generally only needs to be done once every five to seven days. In between, you can just give your hair a good rinse with cool water. Women who have ditched shampoos claim that after the adjustment period, their hair felt smoother and softer, appeared shinier and grew faster.
Shampoos aren’t a dangerous product and using or not is a personal preference. So read what some of these women have to say and decide if going shampoo-free is right for you.
