Shampoo recommendations? Please help.

[KlutzyChy1]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a mild sulfate, silicone free shampoo? I've tried using a few sulfate free shampoos but it seems like they build up so quickly on my scalp and it leaves a residue if I don't wash twice, which makes me shed a lot of hair. I'm looking for something that's not too harsh but won't cause build up.

[Dark40]

I would recommend you try Loreal Evercreme sulfate free and silicone free shampoo. I use it all of the time, and it never leaves a build up on my hair.

[czech it out]

DermOrganic is the only sulfate-free shampoo that has ever worked for me. It actually does a decent job cleansing vs. the others I've tried.

[KlutzyChy1]

Thank you guys so much for responding.I'm sorry, I think I worded that wrong. I'm looking for a shampoo with no silicones/water soluble silicones and a sulfate shampoo but perhaps a sulfate that is more mild? I don't think sulfate free shampoos work for me. It seems I have to double wash with every one & it's a nightmare but I'd like to not use something too harsh.

[Frankenstein]

Herbal Essences Color Me Happy is a good one. You could also try diluting a harsher sulfate shampoo with water.

[lapushka]

Palmolive Naturals if you can get it where you are (which I don't know where you are).

[The-Young-Maid]

Herbal Essences Smooth shampoo is lovely. It contains no silicones but it leaves my hair soft and manageable. My hair is very prone to buildup and this shampoo always works to eliminate it. It also keeps my scalp clean and happy - definitely HG status

[KlutzyChy1]

Thank you guys so much. ❤ I'm a bit afraid to try Herbal Essences as I think it irritated my scalp before, but do you think this was because I was using it every day? I'm washing every 2-3 days now so do you think I should give it another go? I washed today with Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle & I lost soo much hair & when it dried, it felt like sticky residue. Ugh! I'm having so much trouble finding a shampoo.

[sumidha]

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle. :)

ETA: Whoops, I missed your last post!

[Jo Ann]

I recently switched from SLS to non-SLS shampoo...the one thing I find hard to get used to is NOT having oodles of lather, because non-SLS shampoos foam.

Maybe try a clarifying shampoo before you take the plunge? Usually, that makes a difference in how your hair/scalp reacts to a change in shampoo formula. I'm also keeping my old shampoo on hand to do a once a month WCC to keep my scalp itchies down.

[paulownia]

Thank you guys so much for responding.I'm sorry, I think I worded that wrong. I'm looking for a shampoo with no silicones/water soluble silicones and a sulfate shampoo but perhaps a sulfate that is more mild? I don't think sulfate free shampoos work for me. It seems I have to double wash with every one & it's a nightmare but I'd like to not use something too harsh.
Johnsons Baby, if it's available for you ;) my favourite is lavender version. No silicones, SLES on fourth place on ingredients list. Also Urtekram shampoos are sulfate-based but slightly milder.

[Obsidian]

I've mixed sulfate free and sulfate poo together in equal amount when I wanted a gentler poo but one with more oomph then regular sulfate free.

[lapushka]

Where in the world are you; it might be easier to recommend products to you then! :flower:

Schwarzkopf shampoos and Garnier Ultra Doux / Loving Blends / Ultimate Blends / Whole Blends is a bit milder too than say Pantene or Herbal Essences. I've tried it just about all with my SD. ;)

[KlutzyChy1]

I recently switched from SLS to non-SLS shampoo...the one thing I find hard to get used to is NOT having oodles of lather, because non-SLS shampoos foam.

Maybe try a clarifying shampoo before you take the plunge? Usually, that makes a difference in how your hair/scalp reacts to a change in shampoo formula. I'm also keeping my old shampoo on hand to do a once a month WCC to keep my scalp itchies down.

Thank you so much for responding. ❤ I've been dealing with scalp issues for a while now, trying to figure out what products agree with my scalp. I've been trying to use sulfate free for a while now and a few different brands (shea moisture, ogx, trader joes) but it seems after just one wash my scalp is sticky & feels like it has a layer of residue, a few washes later & it's a got a layer of gunk. The clarifying shampoos are the only thing that seems to get rid of it but if I try to use a sulfate free shampoo again, the same thing happens. For whatever reason I think sulfate free shampoos just build up on my scalp or maybe I'm allergic to an ingredient?

[KlutzyChy1]

Where in the world are you; it might be easier to recommend products to you then! :flower:

Schwarzkopf shampoos and Garnier Ultra Doux / Loving Blends / Ultimate Blends / Whole Blends is a bit milder too than say Pantene or Herbal Essences. I've tried it just about all with my SD. ;)

Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I'm in Ohio!
I was looking at Garnier or Suave as a drugstore option. Pantene frightens me after all the awful things I've read about it on here haha. Does the Whole Blends have silicones in it?

[KlutzyChy1]

Johnsons Baby, if it's available for you ;) my favourite is lavender version. No silicones, SLES on fourth place on ingredients list. Also Urtekram shampoos are sulfate-based but slightly milder.

Thank you so much for responding❤ I get a bit confused by the sulfates, is SLES more mild than SLS or ALS? I feel like it's so much to try and figure out! & I've never heard of Urtekram. Is that available in the U.S?

[lapushka]

Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I'm in Ohio!
I was looking at Garnier or Suave as a drugstore option. Pantene frightens me after all the awful things I've read about it on here haha. Does the Whole Blends have silicones in it?

That will depend shampoo to shampoo. You'll have to look at the ingredients yourself a bit.

[lapushka]

Thank you so much for responding❤ I get a bit confused by the sulfates, is SLES more mild than SLS or ALS? I feel like it's so much to try and figure out! & I've never heard of Urtekram. Is that available in the U.S?

SLS (lauryl) is harsher than SLES (laureth). For sure. ALS might be milder. Also. I know that with the Schwarzkopf, and Garnier ones it is SLES and CB, and that is "better" aka milder than the formula's Pantene and HE have.

[MusicalSpoons]

Just to add to what Lapushka said, ALS is definitely less of an irritant than SLS. I don't know how they compare in terms of stripping the hair of natural oils, though.

[renia22]

I've always had good luck with Prell shampoo. It uses ALS and SLES as the main cleansing agents. The water and other ingredients used in a shampoo help make the overall formula, which is what matters. Some people dilute their shampoo to make it more mild, but I prefer to use a little on my scalp and let it get diluted by the rinsing, rather than washing the length. It's like $3 or $4 a bottle, and doesn't contain anything that will build up. I always have a bottle around, and they've tweaked the formula over the years so it's not as drying as it once was. I personally don't find it drying, and appreciate that it doesn't cause build up. Sometimes it's nice to just go back to basic products.

[KlutzyChy1]

I've always had good luck with Prell shampoo. It uses ALS and SLES as the main cleansing agents. The water and other ingredients used in a shampoo help make the overall formula, which is what matters. Some people dilute their shampoo to make it more mild, but I prefer to use a little on my scalp and let it get diluted by the rinsing, rather than washing the length. It's like $3 or $4 a bottle, and doesn't contain anything that will build up. I always have a bottle around, and they've tweaked the formula over the years so it's not as drying as it once was. I personally don't find it drying, and appreciate that it doesn't cause build up. Sometimes it's nice to just go back to basic products.

Thank you so much for responding ❤ I feel like my problem has to be build up or something in sulfate free shampoos irritate my scalp (like oils or plant extracts). The days I don't wash and just rinse, my scalp is clear, after I clarify, it's clear but the second I go to use a sulfate free shampoo, it gets sticky & feels like there's a layer of residue. Not to mention I feel like they make me shed soo much. I was scared to use a sulfate shampoo because I used to use Herbal Essences & Mane & Tail & they irritated my scalp, but I feel like maybe this was because I was using them daily. I was looking at Garnier or Suave. Do you know if they sell Prell at the drugstore or Walmart?

[renia22]

Thank you so much for responding ❤ I feel like my problem has to be build up or something in sulfate free shampoos irritate my scalp (like oils or plant extracts). The days I don't wash and just rinse, my scalp is clear, after I clarify, it's clear but the second I go to use a sulfate free shampoo, it gets sticky & feels like there's a layer of residue. Not to mention I feel like they make me shed soo much. I was scared to use a sulfate shampoo because I used to use Herbal Essences & Mane & Tail & they irritated my scalp, but I feel like maybe this was because I was using them daily. I was looking at Garnier or Suave. Do you know if they sell Prell at the drugstore or Walmart?

Same here, I was sulfate free for a while (starting 2008/ 2009 or so? Went back to regular shampoos a few years ago) and I had the same issues. Plant extracts, essential oils and "sulfate free" cleansers can be irritating too, and I personally found that so many companies jumping on the "sulfate free" and "natural" bandwagon really don't know what they are doing, and a lot of the products I tried really were awful on my scalp and hair.

Prell is sold all over, but usually on the bottom shelf somewhere. Walmart has it for the best price usually. Good luck, hope you get it all sorted out.

[KlutzyChy1]

Same here, I was sulfate free for a while (starting 2008/ 2009 or so? Went back to regular shampoos a few years ago) and I had the same issues. Plant extracts, essential oils and "sulfate free" cleansers can be irritating too, and I personally found that so many companies jumping on the "sulfate free" and "natural" bandwagon really don't know what they are doing, and a lot of the products I tried really were awful on my scalp and hair.

Prell is sold all over, but usually on the bottom shelf somewhere. Walmart has it for the best price usually. Good luck, hope you get it all sorted out.

Not to mention I feel like it would be so hard to pinpoint what ingredient in the sulfate free shampoos is irritating. There are so many oils & butters & plant extracts. I don't know how you would even begin to try and figure out if one of those was causing any allergic reaction or something. This has been so frustrating trying to find a shampoo that agrees with my scalp. Every time my scalp acts up I end up spending an hour or more in the shower trying to clarify or get rid of the sticky buildup and I shed so much. It's exhausting and a nightmare! I hope going back to sulfate shampoos but every few days will work. Thank you again ❤

[MusicalSpoons]

Shampooing every few days should be much less irritating than washing daily :agree:

On my quest for milder shampoo (then onto sulphate-free) I did use Timotei 0% for greasy? hair, I think. It didn't contain SLS, and did a good job of cleansing without stripping. I did have to make sure to use a good conditioner - the companion Timotei conditioner smelled lovely but my hair still felt quite dry - but I'm sure that will be easier to find than a shampoo that works for you, if you don't already have a favourite conditioner. The shampoo was sold in £1-shops over here so you might be able to find it at a local equivalent.

Actually, if you have some time to spend looking, it might be worth going to a dollar-store/cheapie bargain store and just looking at the ingredients in the shampoos there. Generally things marketed for volumising are a good place to start on the hunt for silicone-free, and it might be worth trying things with a shorter ingredients list at first. If you can familiarise yourself with how to identify silicones and other build up-forming ingredients, it will probably turn out to be much less daunting than it might at first seem :) It can be so easy to do loads of research and then find that your shortlist of potential shampoos consists of many that are either too expensive or difficult to get hold of, and if you try a few cheapie ones at first then you won't be losing too much if they don't work for you.

I wish you all the best in your quest for a shampoo that works for you - from this and your other thread, it sounds terribly frustrating! Hopefully you'll find something soon :flower:

[lapushka]

The Timotei (more natural, sulfate-free) shampoo didn't work for me at all! Oh gosh no. They had it at my local Action. At first I didn't even want to purchase it. But later I did, and I think that was the *worst* experience out of any sulfate-free shampoo (Urtekram, Avalon Organics, Jessicurl) I have tried.

[renia22]

Not to mention I feel like it would be so hard to pinpoint what ingredient in the sulfate free shampoos is irritating. There are so many oils & butters & plant extracts. I don't know how you would even begin to try and figure out if one of those was causing any allergic reaction or something. This has been so frustrating trying to find a shampoo that agrees with my scalp. Every time my scalp acts up I end up spending an hour or more in the shower trying to clarify or get rid of the sticky buildup and I shed so much. It's exhausting and a nightmare! I hope going back to sulfate shampoos but every few days will work. Thank you again ❤

Totally! Very hard to pinpoint. I've been much happier since I went back to drugstore products, there's so many good ones out there now. Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.



The Timotei (more natural, sulfate-free) shampoo didn't work for me at all! Oh gosh no. They had it at my local Action. At first I didn't even want to purchase it. But later I did, and I think that was the *worst* experience out of any sulfate-free shampoo (Urtekram, Avalon Organics, Jessicurl) I have tried.

Really? Oh no! I would think you would like it based on other ones you like (Pantene, Herbal Essences). Which one did you use? I thought Timotei used advertising similar to Herbal Essences, where they will say "0% parabens and silicones", but really they are just regular drugstore shampoos with SLES? It's been a while since I have been able to find it, most stores in the US don't carry this brand, so I have to look for it in European grocers. But the last Timotei Pure shampoo I had contained this ingredient list, it was few years ago that I had it:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Cocamidpropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Maltodextrin, Disodium EDTA, PPG-12, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool

[KlutzyChy1]

So I went out today & purchased the Prell & Garnier Whole Blends shampoos. I did notice however that the Garnier shampoo contained silicones. Does this matter as much if the shampoo is formulated with sulfates or do you think it would still cause build up quickly?

[KlutzyChy1]

Shampooing every few days should be much less irritating than washing daily :agree:

On my quest for milder shampoo (then onto sulphate-free) I did use Timotei 0% for greasy? hair, I think. It didn't contain SLS, and did a good job of cleansing without stripping. I did have to make sure to use a good conditioner - the companion Timotei conditioner smelled lovely but my hair still felt quite dry - but I'm sure that will be easier to find than a shampoo that works for you, if you don't already have a favourite conditioner. The shampoo was sold in £1-shops over here so you might be able to find it at a local equivalent.

Actually, if you have some time to spend looking, it might be worth going to a dollar-store/cheapie bargain store and just looking at the ingredients in the shampoos there. Generally things marketed for volumising are a good place to start on the hunt for silicone-free, and it might be worth trying things with a shorter ingredients list at first. If you can familiarise yourself with how to identify silicones and other build up-forming ingredients, it will probably turn out to be much less daunting than it might at first seem :) It can be so easy to do loads of research and then find that your shortlist of potential shampoos consists of many that are either too expensive or difficult to get hold of, and if you try a few cheapie ones at first then you won't be losing too much if they don't work for you.

I wish you all the best in your quest for a shampoo that works for you - from this and your other thread, it sounds terribly frustrating! Hopefully you'll find something soon :flower:

I actually don't have a favorite conditioner either. I don't have much of a hair routine at all to be honest because I've spent so much time dealing with my scalp issues & trying to find a shampoo that agrees with it. Right now I use a diluted acv rinse as my conditioner which actually seems to work quite well.

Oh my goodness, you have no idea. I felt so overwhelmed yesterday. My boyfriend and I spent half the day scouring the internet trying to find silicone free shampoos. Half of what came up was sulfate free, or it was some obscure brand I've never heard of or some brand that was crazy expensive. & Then we were reading about all the different kinds of silicones and sulfates and that some are better than others but I couldn't find one place that just listed silicone free shampoos. I gave up and decided to ask on here. It was much too frustrating and confusing!

Our next plan was to try some drugstore sulfate shampoos. We picked up Prell & Garnier Whole Blends today. I did notice the Garnier contained silicones but does this matter if the shampoo is formulated with sulfates? Does it still cause build up?

Thank you so much! It has been a very exhausting nightmare. Every time I use a shampoo that doesn't agree with my scalp, I end up losing handfuls of hair. I end up spending an hour in the shower trying to wash my hair, sectioning it, washing twice with the sulfate free, rinsing with vinegar, rinsing with bottled water to try and make sure there is no build up and all I get for it is handfuls of hair down the drain and still a sticky scalp. I'm just very desperate to find a product that will agree with my scalp so I can finally focus on other things. It takes up so much of my time and effort.

[renia22]

So I went out today & purchased the Prell & Garnier Whole Blends shampoos. I did notice however that the Garnier shampoo contained silicones. Does this matter as much if the shampoo is formulated with sulfates or do you think it would still cause build up quickly?


I think it depends on you and your hair and scalp, and how the formula is for you. Some people are okay with them and don't have an issue. I'm pretty sensitive to silicones in shampoo, too much for my fine hair. Also polyquats, some people have no issue, others still need to clarify (found in many "clear" shampoos; they help with conditioning and detangling. I don't think they feel quite as heavy as silicones though, but they can still build up).

[Cherriezzzzz]

I got fed up with commercial shampoos... I started shedding hair too using Garnier! But I've never had issues with anything Suave. Herbal essence had left build up on my hair a lot!

I.m into shampoo bars (which are soap) because they leave no residue and never irritated my scalp. But I have to order them online (Chagrin Valley, Apple Valley Naturals.) Also I like Calia, but it's a Canadian store so shipping takes awhile.

Pantene hasn't ever bothered me... But I see why LHC stays away. I've recommend it to remove hair colour with clients. By about the end of the bottle hair colour seems to wash away haha

[Jo Ann]

Thank you so much for responding. ❤ I've been dealing with scalp issues for a while now, trying to figure out what products agree with my scalp. I've been trying to use sulfate free for a while now and a few different brands (shea moisture, ogx, trader joes) but it seems after just one wash my scalp is sticky & feels like it has a layer of residue, a few washes later & it's a got a layer of gunk. The clarifying shampoos are the only thing that seems to get rid of it but if I try to use a sulfate free shampoo again, the same thing happens. For whatever reason I think sulfate free shampoos just build up on my scalp or maybe I'm allergic to an ingredient?
Maybe you're not getting the cleansing your scalp needs. Some here have some tricks that might help. Maybe an ACV rinse would help your scalp?

[Cherriezzzzz]

Oh I really liked Morrocainoil! But they are $$. But they smell like heaven and leave my hair amazing! My husband I think secretly wishes I'd go back to it haha

[lapushka]

Totally! Very hard to pinpoint. I've been much happier since I went back to drugstore products, there's so many good ones out there now. Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.




Really? Oh no! I would think you would like it based on other ones you like (Pantene, Herbal Essences). Which one did you use? I thought Timotei used advertising similar to Herbal Essences, where they will say "0% parabens and silicones", but really they are just regular drugstore shampoos with SLES? It's been a while since I have been able to find it, most stores in the US don't carry this brand, so I have to look for it in European grocers. But the last Timotei Pure shampoo I had contained this ingredient list, it was few years ago that I had it:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Cocamidpropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Maltodextrin, Disodium EDTA, PPG-12, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool

No the Timotei I used had no sulfates in it. It was a natural... wait let me see if I can find it! The one I used was this:
https://malouverweij.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/dsc_0222-e1394030631383.jpg

It has these ingredients, according to the site below:
Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbid Acid, Glycerin, Parfum, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, Limonene.

http://www.beauty-review.nl/review-timotei-organic-delight-health-shine-shampoo-voor-normaal-haar

[renia22]

^ Oh okay, that's definitely not the one I had, and from that ingredient list, I'll bet I'd have the same issues you had..

[Nnaime]

I recently switched my shampoo and conditioner because the other products was too heavy for my waves. I would definitely try Maui Moisture no SLS no cones and the 1st ingredient is pure coconut water. It's stretched my wash days out drastically and my hair hasn't looked better while being hydrated! I believe it's only at CVS Pharmacy though

[Nnaime]

Also if you have fine hair, a clarifying shampoo could do wonders and they can be cheap. I have the suave clarifying and I got it for under a $ and it works like a charm

[Cherriezzzzz]

Maui can be found at target and ulta beauty! It sounds a lot like Shea Moisture! (Another good one!)

Editing my post...

https://www.mauimoisture.com/where-to-buy/

Apparently it may even be at your local grocery, Wal-Mart etc. Hooray! It looks good! I know I can get Shea Moisture at my local grocery.

[KlutzyChy1]

Maybe you're not getting the cleansing your scalp needs. Some here have some tricks that might help. Maybe an ACV rinse would help your scalp?

Thank you so much for responding ❤. I actually use a diluted ACV rinse after every wash on my scalp & length. It works great as a conditioner for me, but doesn't seem to help with the stickyness & build up the shampoos seem to cause.

[KlutzyChy1]

Thank you guys so much for responding. ❤ I'd be a bit afraid to try the Maui Moisture shampoo if it's anything like Shea moisture as that shampoo irritated my scalp and left an awful, sticky build up. I have medium hair& so far using a clarifying shampoo is the only thing that seems to get rid of the sticky layer of gunk on my scalp, which makes me think it has to be build up or that sulfate free shampoos just don't agree with my scalp. The days I skip washes & just rinse, my scalp is clear & I barely lose hair. Wash days are a nightmare. I lose handfuls of hair and my scalp is a sticky gunky mess. Do you use the Suave Clarifying every wash?

[KlutzyChy1]

Oh I really liked Morrocainoil! But they are $$. But they smell like heaven and leave my hair amazing! My husband I think secretly wishes I'd go back to it haha

Thank you so much for the suggestion ❤ I bought a couple drugstore shampoos to try first but perhaps if they don't work out (which I hope they do haha), I will try that one. We are beyond broke so $26 for a shampoo is a bit much atm. Do you know if there are silicones in that shampoo?

[lapushka]

^ Oh okay, that's definitely not the one I had, and from that ingredient list, I'll bet I'd have the same issues you had..

I remember Timotei being chock full of sulfates, that definitely was a different one all right! :lol:

[lapushka]

Thank you guys so much for responding. ❤ I'd be a bit afraid to try the Maui Moisture shampoo if it's anything like Shea moisture as that shampoo irritated my scalp and left an awful, sticky build up. I have medium hair& so far using a clarifying shampoo is the only thing that seems to get rid of the sticky layer of gunk on my scalp, which makes me think it has to be build up or that sulfate free shampoos just don't agree with my scalp. The days I skip washes & just rinse, my scalp is clear & I barely lose hair. Wash days are a nightmare. I lose handfuls of hair and my scalp is a sticky gunky mess. Do you use the Suave Clarifying every wash?

I too lose a lot of hair washing the hair, I think that's normal. We all lose more hair when washing, well, most of us do in some way. After a week, my scalp is pretty gunky as well. But a good sulfate wash (preferably without silicones in my shampoo) will take care of that.

[KlutzyChy1]

I too lose a lot of hair washing the hair, I think that's normal. We all lose more hair when washing, well, most of us do in some way. After a week, my scalp is pretty gunky as well. But a good sulfate wash (preferably without silicones in my shampoo) will take care of that.

It always freaks me out. I know I'm going to lose more on a wash day, but the last time I washed (with the Trader Joes shampoo) I lost 100 hairs in the shower& well over 200 that day, which is much more than normal for me. My scalp is never sticky or gunky until after I've washed with the sulfate free shampoos. Rinse days, no stickiness, no gunk. Before I hop in the shower on wash days, it's fine & clear. Once I get out of the shower, it's a mess. Maybe I'm just one of those people who can't use sulfate free shampoos. I was afraid to try sulfate shampoos again because they irritated my scalp, but I was washing every day, so I'm hoping it'll be better now that I stretch my washes.

[Dark40]

Or, you can try baby shampoo. It has the mildest sulfates in it. It only has 2 sulfates in it, and it is gentle enough for everyday use.