With growing consumer awareness, more and more cosmetic ingredients seem to be under fire. An example of such a controversial ingredient is sulphates. However, are these sulphates as bad as they say?
What are sulphates?
Sulfates are detergents, or cleaners, that have a degreasing effect. On the one hand they consist of a water-soluble part and on the other hand of an oil-soluble part; the oil-soluble part adheres to dirt and grease, while the water-soluble part ensures that this dirt and grease can dissolve in water and can therefore be easily removed. In addition, sulfates are often used in cosmetics because they generally foam well.
Different types of sulphates
Sulfates come in different shapes and sizes, and can range from very aggressive to very mild. The more aggressive the sulphate, the more degreasing and cleaning it works; However, the risk of skin irritation also increases.Commonly used sulfates in cosmetics include:
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- TEA Lauryl Sulfate
- TEA Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Coco Sulfate
The sulfates are ranked by mildness. Ammonia m Lauryl Sulfate is the most aggressive in this list, Sodium Coco-Sulfate the mildest. In addition to these sulphates, there are of course countless other sulphates that are used in the cosmetic industry.
Effect on skin and hair
The most important function of sulphates is to cleanse or degrease the skin and hair. This in itself is a good thing, because it makes it easy to remove all the dirt. However, by removing the dirt and grease on the hair and skin, an aggressive cleaner also runs the risk that the skin and hair are stripped of their natural layer of oil. This causes the skin and hair to dry out over time, which can lead to skin irritations and flakes. However, a side effect can also be that the skin produces extra sebum and other oils to compensate for this deficiency. The result? Oily hair and oily skin.Is it necessary to eliminate all sulphates immediately? No, definitely not. Although it may be advisable in many cases to avoid the very aggressive sulphates (such as Ammonium Lauryl and Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), the milder sulphates generally pose few problems. However, this also depends on your skin and hair; While some people tolerate even the strongest sulphates well, there are also people who react poorly to the milder variants, such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate. They are therefore advised to use products without sulphates or with the mildest possible sulphates. Most natural cosmetics contain little or no these substances.