#81 Sulphate-free Shampoo Is Not For Me
Head & Shoulders BARE ? I prefer the regular one
I am not very fussy with shampoos. I know they are important and prevention is better than cure. That’s why I am always intrigued with any scalp products that could promote hair growth. Since I don’t have a specific concern, and have neither overly oily nor dry scalp, I don’t have issues with dandruff and my scalp seems to work well with most shampoos on the market. So, I am neither camp sulphate, nor sulphate-free. I know sulphate-free had been coined to be more superior by the clean movement, but at the end of the day, it’s all about formulation. I am more likely to purchase shampoos based on budget (how much I am willing to spend) and scent (the sensorial pleasure is everything in a shower) more than what it promises on the tub. Of course I love a Kerastase, but they cost a kidney if I go through them like water – I usually wash my hair twice a day), so its always what’s on offer. Also, to be fair, like most men, I’ve fairly short hair, fancy functionalities like ‘defrizz’ and ‘detangle’ are not very much applicable to me.
When I saw Head & Shoulders BARE hit the market, I was keen, so I got myself one during a half price offer in Boots when I was back in the UK. There’s some bold claims made by the brand. Like most consumers bought into ‘Sulphate-free is better’ – this shampoo was an experiment to substantiate that sulphate free is not any better for my scalp.
Brand says: Like all Head & Shoulders formulas, BARE is formulated with clinically proven anti-dandruff active that goes deep to the source to protect against dandruff and get the job done. Head & Shoulders scientists started from scratch to build a new dandruff shampoo made from BARE minimum, inside and out. It began with the formula, hardworking, high-quality ingredients were carefully selected to fill the 9 roles a dandruff shampoo needs. A single ingredient for each role, to ensure the formula delivers effective dandruff protection with the BARE minimum but still gets the job done.
There’s two shampoos in the range – Pure Clean (oil-prone scalp) and Soothing Hydration (I suppose the name is quite self-explanatory – sooth and hydrate). I got myself the Pure Clean one.
How is it different from a regular shampoo?
Regular is perhaps not the right word because regular means different to every hair and scalp needs. So in order to make a fairer comparison, I generally need a dollop more for BARE than any other Head & Shoulders in the regular range. It does not foam up to my liking and it requires more effort to get a lather. I’ve very little patience, just work please.
What was the effect?
Being sulphate-free, the scalp and hair appears to be less stripped, you can probably get away with lesser conditioner. I don’t use conditioner normally, so take my user-experience with a pinch of salt.
What I dislike about this shampoo?
My scalp was left almost with a film, though barely noticeable, but made my scalp very itchy. I initially thought it was me who did not cleanse or rinse properly. Until I switch back to a sulphate base shampoo (and in this case it was my trustworthy Christophe Robin Purifying Shampoo with Thermal Mud) and I started to notice a difference. I subsequently tried a couple more high street sulphate-free shampoo and the end result is more or less similar – itchy scalp.
My conclusion?
My experience and my scalp dislike sulphate free shampoos. BUT…!
As Dr Michele Wong from Lab Muffin Beauty Science quoted in her sulphate-free shampoo article:
Cleaning is about how it interacts with oil and dirt. Sulfate-free and sulfate-containing don’t really mean much. How well a shampoo cleans is too complicated to predict that easily.
I would opt back to my regular Head & Shoulders with sulphates in it. They are also cheaper and more reliable – think of how many consumers they’ve served over the years. How about you? Tell me your experience about sulphate-free shampoos and how they are working or not working for you?