Switching to Sulfate Free Hair Products

Switching to Sulfate Free hair products has been a popular recommendation for a few years now. But, as usual, I’m always late to the trends. I liked the products I was using before and didn’t see any need to go in a new direction. The last time I got my hair cut, the stylist recommended a specific product for me to try. Since then, I decided to experiment with using only sulfate free products in my hair. This is what happened...

The product I was recommended to try was the As I Am Coconut Cowash. Cowashing is basically washing your hair with a conditioner, rather than a shampoo. I love the thought of only using one product, but I was extremely skeptical about it because I have super oily hair. I thought that using a cowash would weigh my hair down and make it even more oily. So I did some research, bought the cowash, and started working it into my routine.

Thankfully, this specific cowash has a cleanser ingredient in it which helps it feel more like the hair is actually getting clean. The first time I used it, I was pleasantly surprised to find my hair feeling squeaky clean in the water. Any time I’ve ever used coconut oil based products in the past, my hair was left looking flat and dirty. I’m happy to report that is not the case with this cowash!

In the process of adding this cowash into my routine, I’ve also switched up a few other products. In place of the Pantene shampoo and conditioner I was using before, I’ve been trying some Derma E sulfate free shampoos and conditioners instead. The SheaMoisture Detangler I was previously using is already sulfate free, but I also added in the As I Am leave-in conditioner because I was so impressed with that brand’s cowash.

I do wash my hair every night before bed and currently I’m switching between the cowash and the Derma E products. The Derma E shampoo and conditioner can make combing the hair a little difficult, which is when I apply the leave-in conditioner. A leave-in conditioner isn’t necessary with the cowash because that makes the hair soft enough on its own.

I don’t typically style my hair very often, so it’s very rare that I use any kind of heat protectant, dry shampoo, hairspray, mousse, gel, etc. However, I still do the same detox method I used before to deeply cleanse the scalp of any built up product.

The Derma E shampoo actually lathers incredibly well for a sulfate free product, but the cowash doesn’t lather at all. I really don’t like the way that feels in my fingers, so I started using a scalp massager in combination with the cowash and that has helped a lot - and it prevents my nail polish from chipping. Double win!

As far as transitioning to sulfate free products, it actually wasn’t as dramatic as I was expecting. There was a gradual shift in oil production and texture, but it was pretty manageable. After almost three months, I’ve noticed my hair is much softer, stronger, less frizzy, and (my favorite) more shiny.

My goal is to eventually eliminate the shampoo and conditioner and just use the cowash to cleanse my hair. I’m slowly working my way towards that and I’m not exactly sure yet whether my hair will be able to handle it or not. Although I was extremely hesitant about this transition to sulfate free products, I’m glad I finally made the switch. Trying to find the right products can be annoying, but it’s worth it for more healthy hair.

If you found this post helpful, please feel free to share it using one of the buttons below. If you have any questions, leave them for me in the comments. Have you made the sulfate free switch? What are some of your favorite sulfate free hair products?

XO ♥ Christina ♥

 

Don’t forget to follow me on all of my social media!

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’