The Tea on Sulfates

Disclaimer: This blog provides educational information about hormone-disrupting chemicals in shampoos and beauty products but is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual reactions to ingredients may vary, and readers are encouraged to consult healthcare providers with specific concerns. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only, and no particular product mentions constitute endorsement or condemnation. By reading this content, you acknowledge that any actions taken based on this information are at your discretion and risk.

Clean beauty is a hot trend. But what does “clean” really mean? If we were talking about food, it would mean food made from scratch, probably organic, and minimally or unprocessed (meaning it didn’t come from a factory). I don’t know about you, but I’m not eating my shampoo. In terms of beauty products, “clean” means products free from chemicals and ingredients that are said to be harmful to the body. This includes but isn’t limited to phthalates, parabens, fragrances, and sulfates. As far as I know, these chemicals, except sulfates, are known hormone disruptors. 

A hormone disruptor is a chemical that interferes with the production of hormones or blocks the hormone receptors, interfering with the body’s natural processes. According to the National Library of Medicine, phthalates directly interfere with reproductive hormones and are connected with thyroid cancer. In children, phthalates may disrupt arginine and proline metabolism, resulting in the development of overweight and obesity. 

Parabens, on the other hand, have a structure that mimics estrogen. The disruption of the estrogen hormone can cause weight gain, skin irritability, and fertility issues (Rastogi et al., 1995). Hence, it is called an “endocrine disruptor.” It directly affects the endocrine system, which may eventually lead to breast cancer. 

If you are a Millennial like myself, you probably had an array of body sprays, candles and lotions. Most brands do not include a breakdown of their magnificent scents. It is most commonly labeled as “fragrance.” Fragrances in sprays like the ones we used in the 90s and some products we use today are endocrine disruptors. Although fragrances contain many undisclosed chemicals, phthalates are the culprit, which we just learned about. Fragrances are also known to cause neurological issues after prolonged exposure. For some people, immediate exposure causes headaches and dizziness. That alone is a telltale sign that it’s not good for you.

That brings us to sulfates.

Here’s the tea…

A sulfate is a naturally occurring compound made up of sulfur and oxygen molecules. Sulfates, sometimes referred to as surfactants, are the compound that makes soap lather. They are also responsible for cleansing the hair of oil and debris, which is important for maintaining a clean scalp and promoting healthy hair growth. In shampoo, sulfates are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES).

There is a lot of negative talk about sulfates and how they can damage the hair because they “strip” the hair of natural oils. This may be true in some cases, but people likely follow up their shampoo with a conditioner that replenishes the moisture in their hair. In addition, most of the hair’s oils are at the scalp and not through the lengths and ends of the hair, where shampoo should be concentrated for washing anyway. If you complain about oily hair, you probably use a sulfate-free shampoo. The negative side of sulfates is that they may cause skin irritation in some users.

The alternative to sulfates in shampoos is using a chemical called sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate. Other names for Sodium Clairolethyl isethionate are:

• Sodium 1-(dodecanoyl oxy)propane-2-sulfonate

• (+/-)-Sodium lauroyl 1-methyl isethionate

• Dodecanoic acid, 2-sulfoethyl ester, sodium salt

• Sodium 2-sulfoethyl dodecanoate

Sulfate alternatives can be good for people with sensitive skin who are negatively affected by sulfates. The downside is that some sulfate alternatives may still cause skin irritation. They don’t cleanse the scalp from debris and oils that may clog follicles, preventing healthy hair growth. They also cause severe eye irritation if they come in contact with that area. 

So what is a woman supposed to do?!! It’s honestly up to you. No one can decide what is ultimately best for you when it comes to what you put on or in your body. However, I can offer my professional perspective. 

• Watch out for trendy gimmicks. Product manufacturers spend millions on marketing and know exactly what makes women, especially moms, spend their money. 

• “Free” of something doesn’t always mean better. For example, a shampoo labeled “sulfate-free” may contain an ingredient called cocamide dea, a modified form of coconut oil that has been shown to cause serious skin irritation and may contribute to cancer.

• Minimize or eliminate products that are scientifically proven to be harmful to the body through actual studies performed by unbiased labs, such as parabens and phthalates. Most companies have caught on and eliminated these from their products anyway, but some lower-end products still contain them because it is cost-effective.

• You can always alternate your sulfate shampoo with a sulfate shampoo to be sure your scalp is clean. 

• Suppose you want to go an actual clean route to wash your hair. In that case, you can do it the way the ancients did and shave your head and keep it clean with natural ingredients mixtures of water and animal fats, herbal concoctions like rosemary and sage, citrus juice, vinegar rinses, clay-like rhassoul, and in some cases, even the water left over from rinsing quinoa which contains natural saponins; essentially, they used plant-based soaps and natural oils to cleanse their hair before the advent of modern shampoo. They would then cover their bald head with a wig. … I actually don’t recommend that, but it’s still interesting. 

What do you use? Do you go the way of the ancients? Or do you use sulfate or sulfate-free shampoo? Leave your product recommendations in the comments.