Much Ado About Shampoo

Most people don't realize that there's very little difference between over-the-counter shampoos, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, body wash, car wash, floor cleaners etc.  Seriously, go get a bottle of a variety of foaming cleansers and you'll find that most all contain the same primary cleansing agents known as Laureth/Lauryl Sulfates.   The concentration of these agents as well as the addition of other ingredients (you won't find Panthenol (a protein) in floor cleaner for example but you will find it in shampoos) determine the product's end usage.  So what does this mean?

It means that manufacturing companies are getting rich off of the same basic formula.  But more importantly it means that many of the problems that we have with our hair and skin are attributed to sulfates.  After all, an ingredient that strong enough to cleanse your tub, may not be what you'd ideally choose for use on your hair and body.  But this doesn't mean that all sulfates are bad.  Well they technically are but some are worse than others.

Look for sodium laureth sulfates.  They're effective cleansers and are considered "mild" in comparison to other chemical sulfates.  Finding an over the counter shampoo that contains sodium laureth sulfate is like looking for a needle in a haystack.  You could spend hours in Walmart before you find one and to my knowledge, there are currently only two on the market.  And believe it or not, the two that are available aren't even manufactured specifically for curly/coily hair types AND one of them actually ranked number 1 in a Consumer Reports study of shampoos. 

I'm sure you're wondering why I won't tell you the name of the shampoos.  DUH!, we're a commercial entity and would prefer that you order naani's naturals products.  In addition, sodium laureth sulfates shampoos are a third-tier option...they're not the best choices.  But I'm not sure if I fully explained why they're ranked number 3...

In laymen's terms, lauryl sulfates (most over-the-counter [OTC] shampoos) strip hair of oils...natural ones and those manually applied.  OTC shampoos remove the elements that cau se Build-up but they also remove those things that keep our hair healthy, protect it from damage and breakage and ultimately that cause it to grow. 

Ironically, this stripping of oils may not be a problem if your hair is particularly oily or naturally straight and as a result, the problems associated with OTC shampoos tend to go unnoticed amongst people with certain hair types and racial backgrounds.  So for example, many people will naturally straight hair distribute hairs' natural oil (Sebum) fairly readily so their hair can appear to be oily within 2 days of shampooing.  Thus a shampoo that strips your hair will technically damage it but before the damage can take hold, your hair and scalp have already reproduced a new protective coating.

African hair types on the other hand do not readily distribute sebum.  In fact, post shampoo we have to put oils BACK on our hair in the form of moisturizers, greases, hair sheens, etc...   Ask any woman of African descent with chemically treated hair when her hair has the most body and looks its best.  It's generally 7-10 days after shampoo.  Meaning, our hair "holds a curl" better when it's slightly dirty (or has built up a sufficient amount of oil such that it's not heavy or smelly and is protected). 

So where using OTC Shampoos may go unnoticed on those with straight hair, those with African/curly/coily/dry hair have to ask themselves a question.  Why would you use a shampoo that strips your hair to it's bare bones?  Wouldn't it be better to use a product that leaves your hair hygenically and maintains your moisture/oil balance rather than stripping it?

If you must choose an OTC shampoo, laureth sulfates are the way to go but a better alternative...

For more information on proper hair care and for a salon quality products for all hair types, textures and ethnicities, visit http://www.naani.com.