Sulfate and Silicone

[Leseratte]

Ok, I have been looking all over the forum, and couldn't find the answer to these 3 questions that I have. :confused: So, here I go!

Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo with sulfate?

Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo and Conditioner with silicone?

Is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate considered a 'bad' sulfate? I have only ever seen Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as being the 'bad' sulfates. So I guess I am asking are there good sulfates? And a list of the good or bad. :eyebrows:

[HintOfMint]

Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo with sulfate?

Some people have sensitive scalps that react with sulfates. Some find that it is too harsh to use on their length and find that it is stripping. Some object for environmental reasons or want something "natural."
I personally use sulfates because it cleans my scalp well and my scalp reacts badly to the sulfate free stuff. It is also good for clarifying product or conditioner buildup.

Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo and Conditioner with silicone?

Silicone is a detangling agent and it makes hair slippery and easy comb and keep tangle free. This is not a universal though, and some find that it dries their hair out or interferes with various deep treatments as it coats the hair shaft. Also, some people with sulfate sensitivity prefer to use silicone free conditioners as sulfate free shampoos tend to not remove silicones very well and this leads to buildup.

Is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate considered a 'bad' sulfate? I have only ever seen Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as being the 'bad' sulfates. So I guess I am asking are there good sulfates? And a list of the good or bad

Ammonium laureth and lauryl sulfates are supposed to be just as strong detergents as sodium lauryl sulfates, in that they clean off silicone. Some find that it doesn't react with their scalp and some find that it does.

There is no good and bad, it is just what your hair and scalp agrees with. Cheers!

[Miss Catrina]

Sulfates are often too harsh and cleanse too much of the natural oils of the scalp away, which causes the scalp to overcompensate and produce even more oil in response - a vicious cycle that causes most people (non-LHCers) to need to wash their hair every day.

Silicones coat the hair, which some people find makes their hair flat and lifeless, and can also lock moisture out.

ALS is the harshest of the sulfates, if I recall correctly.

[maborosi]

It depends on what works for you. My hair can tolerate sulfates and silicones just fine, in fact, sometimes I do switch over to silicones when I find my hair needs a bit of extra help in detangling. However, I recently moved to an area with harder water, and so I decided not to use silicones all the time, otherwise it would build up very quickly. Sulfates are good for occasionally clarifying my hair, since my hair does buildup from the water I use here. I would think that using a sulfate shampoo everyday, though, might be a bit much for some people, and it would cause them to begin to produce excess oil, but your mileage may vary.

Some people cannot use sulfates because they have sensitive scalps, or the silicones can weigh down their hair and make it greasy, or it builds up quickly for them. (However, there are different kinds of silicones, just like there are different kinds of oils- some build up quickly, and some are water-soluble, etc)

They aren't necessarily bad, but personally, I wouldn't shampoo every single day (I used to, but now I don't). What works for some people, or what irritates some people's skin may not be the same for you.

~maborosi~

[coneyisland]

"Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo with sulfate?"

One would want a sulfate shampoo to wash out buildup that can come from using other hair products.
If one has sensitivity to sulfates, or if one's hair dye fades readily between uses, one would want to use sulfate-free products.

"Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo and Conditioner with silicone?"

Cones tend to make hair more slippery and shiny, and some users find that consistent use of cones gives them longer times without their hair ends splitting.
Some find that cones seal out moisture from their hair shafts, and that clarifying (stripping buildup with sulfate shampoo) to remove the cones can reveal hair damage that was not apparent to them while using cones.
Some forego use of coney products so they can have thicker looking, bouncier hair.

[Lamb]

Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo with sulfate?
Some people have hard water where they live, and sulfate-free shampoo or shampoo bars do not rinse well in that. I use sulfates for that reason.


Why would you or why would you not want Shampoo and Conditioner with silicone?
To prevent winter static, to make my hair easier to manage and to give it some additional protection.


Is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate considered a 'bad' sulfate? I have only ever seen Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as being the 'bad' sulfates. So I guess I am asking are there good sulfates? And a list of the good or bad. :eyebrows:
I've heard about ALS being more damaging than Sodium Laureth Sulfate (which is considered to be the least damaging). My hair certainly does not like being washed with ALS on a daily basis (I wash my hair every day).