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View Full Version : **INEXPENSIVE** SLS-free shampoo? (Lengthy- sorry)



shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 12:49 PM
I cannot stress enough the part about it being inexpensive. ;) I have two small children and my husbands job is not exactly reliable right now (he is developing a new virtual world and is in the stage where they are trying to gather investors), so we are tight with our money for the time being.

I have been searching for literally the past three hours. Scouring the internet, scouring the forums, reading articles, lists, you name it - i've been there. So far the most inexpensive one I can find would be a Trader Joes brand, which people claim is about $2.99. We have a Trader Joes, but it is a good 20 minute drive depending on traffic, so I was hoping to find something a little closer. If need be, I may have to make the trip out there and grab some, then stock up on it if it does end up solving the problems that I believe SLS shampoo is giving me.

But first - does anyone know of anything that I would be able to find at a drug store, or somewhere like Target? We also have an Earth Fare store, which is a natural grocery, and is a bit closer than Trader Joes. I have no idea what their prices are like for shampoos, though. I don't know what brands they carry either.

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Some history if you are interested, or if it might be able to help someone who stumbles upon this thread a year from now -

I have had sensitive skin since I was about 12 and I assume it was brought on by puberty. Lots of acne problems on my face, back, and chest. (you'll probably think this next bit is gross, but whatever) I eventually had to give up using body wash, and that seemed to help things because all my body acne went away.
BUT, I have still had some problems with my scalp. I get pimples and sore spots on my scalp, and I have always had a lot of shedding. It is not seasonal - it happens year round. Once I came to LHC and began reading, I thought my problem could be the alcohol in my shampoos, so I recently switched to VO5 Strawberries and Cream. My shedding is very very slightly better, but I am still getting the bumps on my scalp.

For my birthday at the beginning of august, my mom got me a natural soap bar to try. It contained no SLS/ALS ingredients, and I have been using it for about a month and have not had any body breakouts. Then I had one of these moments - :bigeyes: :idea: - I bet it is the SLS that is giving me troubles. And so my SLS-free shampoo hunt began. :)

Edit to add: Also adding - I dont believe it is my diet. I eat very well for the most part (I do indulge every so often. I think everyone should!) No caffeine. No coke. no coffee. lots of fruits and veggies and such. I do not think my diet is the cause of my problems. They have stuck around since I was 12 and all through different eating habits.


Suggestions, anyone? Should I just make the trip to Trader Joes?

kpzra
August 29th, 2012, 01:09 PM
http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/CVS-Baby-Shampoo-Tearless?skuId=217083

http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Disney-Daily-Renewal-Naturals-Winnie-the-Pooh-Baby-Shampoo-Fragrance-Free?skuId=875428

arelrios
August 29th, 2012, 01:12 PM
Sorry I cannot suggest anything in particular, but I am very interested on the responses you might get, since I am in a similar search. I don't beleive in spending a lot of money in a product that you don't know if is going to work or my hair and scalp would like. Good luck with your search ;)

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 01:15 PM
Interesting, kpzra! I never thought to look at baby shampoo!

MinderMutsig
August 29th, 2012, 01:16 PM
A 20 minute drive for a $3 bottle of shampoo sounds like it would be unreasonably expensive in gas unless you can combine it with other errands. If you have to make the trip just for the shampoo you might as well get something a little more expensive closer to home. :)

kpzra
August 29th, 2012, 01:17 PM
I was on the CVS site looking for something else which is why the links are to there, but I bet other tear free shampoos are sulfate free.

PinkyCat
August 29th, 2012, 01:17 PM
How about this:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/mint-julep-shampoo/SBS-675100,default,pd.html

Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo. It is under $5 and dilutes to 1 GALLON. I use this for every other clarifying wash and it works great. It does contain a bit of protein so if your hair is protein sensitive this may not work for you.

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 01:23 PM
A 20 minute drive for a $3 bottle of shampoo sounds like it would be unreasonably expensive in gas unless you can combine it with other errands. If you have to make the trip just for the shampoo you might as well get something a little more expensive closer to home. :)

Thats what I was thinking as well. But I have a feeling my husband would pitch a fit if I tried to buy anything over $5. Guess I will need to sit him down and try to get him to see the bigger picture.


How about this:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/mint-julep-shampoo/SBS-675100,default,pd.html

Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo. It is under $5 and dilutes to 1 GALLON. I use this for every other clarifying wash and it works great. It does contain a bit of protein so if your hair is protein sensitive this may not work for you.

Darn! My hair does have problems with protein. I figured that out during my time experimenting with Mane N Tail. Not to mention there is no Sallys in my town at all. :( Thank you for the suggestion, though!

bunnylake
August 29th, 2012, 03:18 PM
I find that shampoo that is in the $6-$10 range lasts me a very long time, and I don't even dilute it. You could try a popular drugstore brand SLS-free shampoo, like L'Oreal/Organix/Renpure etc and dilute it. It could last several months that way. You could try CO washing in between with cheap cone-free conditioners also. Good luck with your search!

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 03:21 PM
I find that shampoo that is in the $6-$10 range lasts me a very long time, and I don't even dilute it. You could try a popular drugstore brand SLS-free shampoo, like L'Oreal/Organix/Renpure etc and dilute it. It could last several months that way. You could try CO washing in between with cheap cone-free conditioners also. Good luck with your search!

Thank you, that is a good idea. I already CO every other day as it is, so I dont go through shampoo nearly as fast as conditioner.

truepeacenik
August 29th, 2012, 04:50 PM
Shutter pillar, have you considered amazon? By the time you factor gas, oil, wear and tear, a small shipping fee is nothing. If you have a family member with prime, you can use that account if they put in your address (physical and email. I believe)

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 04:59 PM
Yep, I looked through Amazon. It's just not worth it if you do not have a prime account (which we do not) and cannot get free shipping. :( Shipping + taxes really rack up the price enough to where it would be worth it just to drive the distance I need to drive.

Thank you for the suggestion, though! :)

daeana
August 29th, 2012, 05:10 PM
i know this may sound odd, but is there a whole foods nearby? their house brand shampoo (SLS and all sorts of other things-free) and conditioner (cone and all sorts of other things-free) are $6 for a liter.

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 05:24 PM
Whole Foods is a tiny bit closer than Trader Joes (about 5 - 7 miles closer). I'll have to check that out if we are in that area. Thanks! :)

Amber_Maiden
August 29th, 2012, 05:28 PM
I'm allergic to SLS, and had to change everything I had. Including my toothpaste. Check your toothpaste as well.

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 05:40 PM
Amber Maiden - I know! It is in pretty much everything! I was doing all sorts of research on it today and went around my house and it was very very hard to find a cleaning product that did not contain SLS ingredients. I did check our toothpaste earlier and it is SLS free. The kids toothpaste however, was not. Which I found strange... you would think childrens products would be a little gentler.

daeana
August 29th, 2012, 05:57 PM
while you're at whole foods, check out everyday shea (http://www.everydayshea.com/store/pc/showfeatured.asp). they're $10/liter at the whole foods near me, so a bit more, but still pretty inexpensive.

shutterpillar
August 29th, 2012, 06:22 PM
while you're at whole foods, check out everyday shea (http://www.everydayshea.com/store/pc/showfeatured.asp). they're $10/liter at the whole foods near me, so a bit more, but still pretty inexpensive.

Well even if it is $10/liter, that is still more shampoo that you generally get in a drugstore or grocery. Definitely seems worth it to me, especially if I can dilute it a bit.

Thank you everyone, so far! you have been a wealth of information. :)

brave
August 30th, 2012, 06:46 PM
At the trader joes I frequent at least, the 2.99 shampoo was the more expensive one I believe. I think they had some for a dollar or so less. And at least as fair as the TTT went, when I looked the body wash had the same ingredients -- sans water. So I bought that instead and occasionally use it as shampoo. I'm sure it could be diluted too.

shutterpillar
August 31st, 2012, 03:50 PM
Thank you, Brave! Very good info.

lastnite
August 31st, 2012, 04:06 PM
I started using a castile soap (I use the Dr. Bronnersr brand in the rose scented but most people don't like this brand, but there are other brands). Might seem pricey at first but a little goes a long way with it, just a shot or 2 and dilute it with water and it's enough to wash my hair and my whole body down in the shower. 1 bottle has lasted me a long time! you do have to use a vinegar rinse afterwards also... not sure how practical it would be for your family but it's cheap.

renia22
August 31st, 2012, 04:57 PM
Is online shopping an option for you? iherb.com has free shipping with $20, most items are discounted & they have a ton of choices, as well as product reviews. They also have household cleaners, supplements, etc so you can buy whatever else you need in one shot. My town is a little bubble & the nearest Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Targets, etc are all 30 minutes away and I have found that not only do some online sites have better prices & free shipping, but more of a selection. Good luck!

starlamelissa
August 31st, 2012, 09:30 PM
I would recommend baby shampoo. Its sulfate free. I would go for the classic gold baby shampoo if you have oily hair, or the light yellow baby wash (head to toe) if you have a dry scalp. They even have a coney version now, "johnsons no more tangles shampoo".

makeminea99
November 14th, 2012, 04:04 PM
Hi, I use this company's SLS free bananas & custard shampoo on my boys, who are eczema prone - http://www.nakedbodycare.co.uk/ a bottle I bought at the start of this year has lasted me ages, I'm only 2/3 of the way down the bottle now! I don't know if they ship internationally but they might be worth a try. I noticed you mentioned about toothpaste too. The aquafresh my boys use contains sulphates. I think I'm going to see if I can hunt down a sulphate free kids toothpaste for them.

Dolly
November 18th, 2012, 06:24 AM
You might check out CVS. They often run buy one get one free sales, and that is when I stock up. Makes the price of each one less, so it works for me! I like the Organix brand, but they are not cheap unless you get them one the BOGO sale. Also, I hae heard the CS has a store brand of SLS free shampoo that is pretty good, but I haven't tried it myself.

kidari
November 20th, 2012, 07:15 PM
By any chance if you have a Costco membership I have heard rave reviews about their Kirkland generic brand of SLS-free moisturizing shampoo. Someone says the ingredients list is nearly identical to that of a Pureology shampoo. I have too many bottles of shampoo and conditioner to use up right now but I plan on purchasing that next when I get to it.

DinaAG
November 20th, 2012, 07:40 PM
castile soap diluted with coconut milk and some oil drops?

tambalina
November 21st, 2012, 10:16 PM
I love vitacost.com!! You get $10 off your first order and shipping isn't too crazy. Also, I get my Organix Morrocan Oil shampoo at Wal-Mart for under $5.