A few years ago, I discovered a sulfate-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, dye-free, and cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner from Love Beauty and Planet.
The idea instantly enthralled me. Without any research or help from Google, I decided that I needed it. I determined that if so many things were unincluded from this shampoo and conditioner, they must all be bad for me and my hair.
After I ran out of the bottles, I never bought them again. Not because they were bad, but because I didn’t know what all the parabens, silicones, and sulfates did. I still don’t.
Now, years after steering away from my Love Beauty and Planet hair products, I finally want to know if they were better or not. To know that, I must first understand what sulfates, parabens, and silicones do for my hair.
According to Medical News Today, sulfates provide a foaming texture when the shampoo mixes with water. Sulfates are a chemical called surfactants that lower the surface tension of the liquid they are in, making it easier to work into a foam. The foaming action can help spread the shampoo and help the active ingredients work deeper to clean away dirt and excess oils.
The downside to sulfates is that they may be too good at cleaning and can strip away necessary oils for hair to stay healthy. Also, some types of sulfates may cause irritation. Other than that, sulfates don’t cause many issues.
Next, parabens. According to the FDA, parabens are used in cosmetics as a preservative. While the FDA doesn’t have regulations on just preservatives in cosmetics, but has no information showing parabens in cosmetics to be harmful to human health.
Silicones are used in shampoo to smooth hair and help with frizziness, according to Allure. While silicones are safe, they can make the hair feel heavy, dry, and have hard-to-remove buildup. However, they can instantly make the hair look shiny and feel softer. They also provide heat protection from blow-drying and other heat-styling.
Ultimately, these chemicals seem to have few issues overall. While certain ones may cause irritation for some, they may be good for others.
The major reason that I originally switched to the products from Love Beauty and Planet is because I assumed all of the chemicals that weren’t included must be bad for either my health or my hair’s health. But there seems to be no solid information to back that up.
Now, the other two things that Love Beauty and Planet say about their products are that they are cruelty-free and dye-free.
Dyes really just cause irritation for some, as they may do in any product, not just those for hair.
The one thing that I really care about is the cruelty-free aspect. Cruelty-free products are not really up for personal preference in my mind—animal testing is never okay.
Overall, these sulfate-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, and dye-free shampoos and conditioners are not better for hair. It’s up to personal preference, especially for those dealing with dryness and irritation.
