Sulfates are surfactants that are added to most cleaning products because of their emulsifying, wetting, foaming, and detergent power.
Today we want to make a more specific post about this topic since many of you write to us because you end up confusing or misinterpreting sulfates with other surfactants. Surfactants provide us with cleanliness and foam, and sharing a word is not synonymous with being the same ingredient. All sulfates end with SULFATE.
Today we want to make a more specific post about this topic since many of you write to us because you end up confusing or misinterpreting sulfates with other surfactants. Surfactants provide us with cleanliness and foam, and sharing a word is not synonymous with being the same ingredient. All sulfates end with SULFATE.
For example:
- Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate shares the word Sodium with the sulfate Sodium Laureth Sulfate and they have nothing to do with each other since Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is NOT a sulfate.
- Sodium C14 Olefin Sulfonate shares the word Sodium and sulfonate starts with SULF like sulfate, but they are not the same molecule, they are not from the same family, and they are not a sulfate.
Let's go!
Are sulfates toxic?
No! The American Cancer Society, the FDA, the European Commission, and the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS) allow the use of sulfates SLS and SLES in cosmetic products, and there are no studies linking cancer to their use. At GOA ORGANICS we do not use them and we will never tire of saying it, not because of their toxicity but because all our shampoos are formulated to maintain the professional treatment Keratin Infusion and because we opt for a gentler cleansing.
So, we should not assume the aggressiveness of a shampoo based on the surfactants it contains, because THE IMPORTANT THING IS ALWAYS THE COMPLETE FORMULATION.
Advantages of sulfates
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They effectively remove dirt from our body and hair.
- They are cheap and effective.
Disadvantages of sulfates
- They can cause dryness and dandruff, especially on sensitive skin.
- They cause a faster loss of dyes and hair treatments such as straightening.
- They make hair much more brittle.
How to identify them in cosmetics
They are easy to find because in the ingredient list (INCI) they have names ending in -sulfate. They are usually among the first three ingredients, after water.
There are many sulfates but the most common in shampoos are:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | Sodium Laureth Sulfate | Sodium Coco Sulfate | Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
Alternatives to sulfates
Sulfonates or Sulfosuccinates
These two components ARE NOT SULFATES. They have similar qualities, but they are not the same. The most used are C14-16 olefin sulfonate or disodium laureth sulfosuccinate. They remove dirt, but more gently than a sulfate, so they do not cause irritation and are gentler on the scalp.
How to recognize them in shampoos and shower gels?
Sodium C14 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxylpropylsulfonate, and Sodium Decylglucosides Hydroxylpropylsulfonate.
Taurates
They have medium detergency. It is a good option if you are looking for low detergency and low irritability. You will find them in the ingredient list like this: Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate.
Sarcosinates, Sorbitan, and Glutamates
They provide medium-low detergency and do not cause irritation and produce very little foam. In the INCI: Sodium acyl Sarcosinate/ Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate/ Polysorbate-20/ Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate.
Amphoacetates, Glucosides and Isethionates
All three have medium detergency and do not cause irritation. Their presence in the product makes the price higher. In the INCI: Sodium lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocopolyglucose Tartrate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate.
