According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review , sulfates are actually relatively safe for ‘brief use followed by thorough rinsing from the surface of the skin’. The only harm it may pose is only when it gets into your eyes or if you have sensitive skin. There’s also no correlations between cancer and sulfates as well.
So, here’s where we explain a little bit on the grey area. While sulfates on its own may post more irritation to your skin, it all really depends on the formulation of the products itself. This is why most hairstylists still use shampoos that contains sulfates in salons despite the controversial media scare on it.
Sulfates can also be bad for your hair due to its drying nature but it still remains as the best ingredient to thoroughly and effectively cleanse your hair. This is where we often forget about the rest of the products in the formulation of the shampoo that will play their parts.
Remember, a good bottle of shampoo isn't just sulfate with fragrance. It also contains many other effective ingredients such as hydrolyzed silk, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed keratin; and/or various hydrating oil to maintain your scalp and tresses' health.
That's why most shampoos in salons tend to be pricier than what you can get from drugstores. It's mainly because of the time-consuming research and developments by the products' companies in developing something that isn't just to help you clean your scalps and hair, but also to make sure the pH balance is correct and it won't dry out or damage your hair as well.
We aren’t denying that sulfates may cause damage to your hair. If you have sensitive scalp and skin, we definitely recommend you can try out some non-sulfate products. For non-sulfate shampoo, you can look for sulfate’s alternative ingredients such as Cocamidopropyl Betaine , Disodium Laureth Sulfoccinate and Sodium Cocoamphoacetate.
However, unfortunately, sulfate-free shampoo can be stripping for your hair as well. These newly developed chemical ingredients are made to cleanse after all. The only way you can retain the natural oil in your hair is by completely stop washing your hair. But of course, we do not recommend you to do so!
Like we mentioned before, it all depends on the formulations and we truly believe in investing a good shampoo for your hair. If you’ve only been using poorly-formulated shampoos at home and realize that your hair is always much better after leaving the salon, you’ll understand why a good bottle of shampoo is worth the bang for your buck.
Overall, sulfate is an effective cleanser and isn’t completely harmful to your health at all. However, your miles may vary, so always look for what works best for you and not only listen to scaremongers in the media!
For more information, do not hesitate to ask our stylists for recommendations on which shampoo suits you the most!
1. Leaving your house with wet hair.
Our hair is most vulnerable when it's wet, as it opens our tresses to higher chances of breakage and damages. Putting your hair up or styling while it's still wet can cause a lot of stress on your locks.
76 How-To : Give your hair a quick blow-dry and always remember to use a heat protectant spray. If you are those who prefer air-drying, try to use a micro-fibre towel to speed up the process by tapping the towel on your strands gently.
2. Pollution. Pollution.
From the everyday hustling in a busy city lifestyle, pollution can be a great damage to not only just our skin, but also applies to our hair & scalp as well. Little grimmy pollutants like dusts, smoke can always settle on your hair which makes the hair rougher and drier. So, at anytime when you're outdoors, your hair is vulnerable!
76 How-To : Add weekly moisturizing masks or hair oil to your hair care routine. This can help keep your tresses moisture and scalp nourished at all times.
Recommended hair oils are:
3. Excessive use of heat when styling your hair.
Now, in order to save a few quick minutes from oversleeping and snoozing over your alarms, heat-styling your hair be it straightening or curling can definitely be a life saver. The UGLY truth is, this isn't going to make your hair too happy! Our hair shafts are very fragile especially for those with fine and hair thinning problems. The heat emitted from these little gadgets can reap your hair of moisture which ultimately cause you breakages and damages.
76 How-To : Pick a heat-protectant spray that suits your hair condition best and use it every time before applying any heat to your hair.
4. Over-teasing your hair.
We've all done it before! Whether it's playing with our hair when we've got nothing to do or teasing our hair to boost more volume to a flat hair structure. Did you know, backcombing causes unnecessary strain on your hair with tangles and this can lead to split ends and damages to the natural fibers that are in our cuticles.
76 How-To : Get yourself a volume hair spray to help create more volume and even better sprays with treatments element in it! If you can't kick off the habit of teasing your hair, try doing it gently with the right comb and not too frequently.
Best hair styling products just for you, click here.
5. 24/7 Top Knot.
Wearing a top knot is very common among those especially when you are having one of those lazy days where you don't know what to do with your hair. Highly loved as a hairstyle but this particular hairstyle makes your hair more prone to damages which leads to split ends and other not-so-pretty conditions The stress on your hair cuticles when wearing a top knot all the time, will eventually cause loss of hair follicles and affect natural hair growth.
76 How-To : Always remember to let your hair down every 2 hours and massage your scalp and roots to relief the strain from the top knot. Consult with our stylist on what other daily styles you can put on for your hair that will suit you the best.
6. Using the same shampoo after your hair changes.
This would be for all the hair adventurers out there! Changing your hairstyle can be fun be it, getting a perm or exploring different hair colors. Now, if you've recently changed your hair, you should also make a change in your hair care routine. When going through changes, your hair may need different nutrient or treatments to keep your hair healthy and longer lasting period.
76 How-To : Regularly keep yourself up to date with the latest hair care products for your tresses. Consult with your stylist today if you are unsure on which products suits you the most.
Click here to find our list of best hair care products.
7. Dirty hair brushes/combs.
Brushing your hair on a daily basis has been proven to have helped with hair growth aside from just keeping your tresses in check. However, brushes that are frequently used will be filled with germs, dandruff, and other little residue like dead skins, and you don't want them in your hair.
76 How-To : Make an effort to clean your brushes twice a month. You can soak your brushes and combs in either baking soda or normal hair shampoo and water for a minute or two.
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1.Wet Hair X Straightening Iron
Avoid applying a flat iron on your hair while it's still wet! One can never afford to be lazy as this will draw out your hair's elasticity and nutrients which leads to immense breakage and brittles.
76 Tip: Blow dry your hair before applying a flat iron.
2. The more you do it, the smoother it will get.
Well, you'd think by using the flat iron again and again on the same sections will keep your hair straighter and the effect will last longer. Think again. Overheating your hair, you'll be boiling the heat into your hair follicles which creates bubbles inside your hair shaft. Before you know it, you'll be having more split ends that you can tame.
76 Tip: Section your hair into smaller amount. Separate them using pins or hair clips to avoid running the iron on the same section more than once.
3.Don't use products with silicone after using the flat iron on your hair.
This is a commonly made mistake by most of us! Did you know that silicone acts as a protective layer which on the outside, it provides a shiny finish to your hair but on the inside, it actually keeps your hair from being able to absorb any nutrient.
76 Tip: Check the labels on your products before applying them to your hair! Consult with your stylist on which product suits your tresses the most.
4.Clean your styling tools regularly
Enjoying the privileges of these tools can be fun but that doesn’t mean you should ignore taking care of them! Constant use of your flat irons will collect dust and hair residues overtime. These naughty leftovers can gradually cause your hair and scalp to be dirty and give you an itch especially for those with sensitive scalp problems.
76 Tip: Take some alcohol swabs and wipe it over the plate and outer layer of your iron at least once a week. Avoid using the alcohol swabs on the cord area and adapter
5. Keep the hotness at 200 degrees Celsius.
Depending on the texture of your hair, usually it's best to keep the heat at nothing over 200 degree Celsius. One of the most obvious signs of overheated hair would be that your hair ends experiencing excessive split ends and breakages. You'd also feel that your hair is always dry and the touch is always rough.
76 Tip: Apply heat protectant products before applying heat on your hair. Alternatively, you an also use more moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to help balance and restore the hydration to your hair.
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