Why some sulphate-free shampoos are harsh

When I go silicone free every once in a while, I require a sulphate free shampoo since there are no silicones that would require the extensive cleaning of a sulphate shampoo. I’ve tried a few sulphate free shampoos but I’ve noticed that some of them are not at all gentle and some are actually harsher than sulphate shampoos *nods head*

So I decided to dig deep into the ingredients of those sulphate free shampoos and found the culprit – olefin sulfonate. It is almost as harsh as SLS. And SLES which is regarded as a ‘harsh sulphate’ is much gentler than olefin sulfonate! Look out for ingredients like C12-C14 olefin sulfonate or C14-C16 olefin sulfonate.

Here’s a detailed post on this discovery – Are sulfate free shampoos really gentle?

So the next time you want a gentle shampoo, look for a sulphate + olefin sulfonate free shampoo ! 🙂 You can also check – 4 ways to make your shampoo less harsh – The best alternative to sulphate free shampoos