SLS Free Shampoos...

I've been trying to avoid SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) in shampoos after I used a product that irritated my scalp, and I was later informed that the fact the product was laden with SLS might have something to do with it!

Picture Sourced HERE

SLS is a commonly used foaming agent which is in a lot of shampoos, conditioners, shower gels etc which are on the market. It's also found in a lot of detergents and household cleaners. A lot of people don't have any problems with SLS, but others find that the ingredient can strip their skin of natural oils leavng their scalp/skin dry and flaky.

Irritation from SLS can also build up over time, and that seems to be what happened to me. I decided to skip SLS in shampoo and conditioner for a while, just to see if my scalp improved. I'm unlikely to never use hair products with SLS in again, because I like trying different things. But I definitely think it did me good to take a break from the SLS. My scalp is much less itchy and flaky, andd feels a lot calmer. I've also noticed that the skin at the top of my back is a lot less blemished. So if that sounds likes something that might apply to you, then looking for SLS free haircare might help!

The first shampoo and conditioning duo I tried were from the Body Shop's recently launched rainforest haircare range, which are free of silicones, sulphates, colourants and parabens. They are also formulated to respect the aquatic environment, ie are biodegradable and impact less on the aquatic environment once they disappear down the plughole. I used the Rainforest Radiance version for coloured hair, which I purchased myself, I was also sent the Rainforest Shine version but felt that the one I had purchased suited my hair better.

The lack of foaming ingredients means that the instructions for the products recommend mixing the products with a little water in the palm of your hand before applying. Theoretically this is meant to make the product easier to spread through the hair, and foam better, although in practice, I found no difference between doing this or not to the performance of the shampoo.

I always shampoo my hair twice - if I don't I feel like my hair is not really clean. This shampoo foamed much better on the second wash, but this was actually true of all three SLS free ranges I tried. You get the feeling that the first wash is all about cutting through grease, but the second wash is when you feel like you have a good scrub and massage the scalp with lots of foam.

The conditioner seems quite thick and rich when applied, however didn't over condition or weigh down my fine hair. I usually leave conditioner on while I get on with the rest of my shower and then rinse out last, so I followed the same rule with this - no issues there.

I was actually initially pretty impressed with these products, however I did notice after a couple of weeks that my hair seemed to be getting a little oilier at the roots and drier at the ends. Sadly the shaampoo seemed a little too harsh for me, and the conditioner not quite moisturising enough.

This range would possibly work better for those with thicker oilier hair.

The products in Body Shop range have a great price point - at £4 for each 250ml bottle these are very good value in my opinion, considering their credentials.

The next range I tried were from Melvita, which is a Certified Organic French brand. Melvita are apparently the premier organic brand in France, and their range is formulated to be gentle yet effective, and packed with natural ingredients. The range carries the Ecocert label which means;
-At least 95% of the total ingredients are from natural origin (water included).

- At least 10% of the total ingredients are from organic farming (water included).
-At least 95% of the total plant-based ingredients are organic
I was sent the shampoo and conditioner for "Tired Hair" which retail at £9 each for 200ml. These are formulated to revitalise heat treated and chemically processed hair, and are Melvita's best selling duo for hair.

These both have a lovely floral scent - geranium is the main note, however they also contain sage to prevent them from being totally OTT. The scent really lingers in your hair too, which I loved - the mister also noticed that and asked me if I was wearing a new perfume the next day. I really liked that, but obviously if you are not a fan of floral whiffs you might not!

Again this shampoo foamed a lot better on the second wash, and rinsed easily. No problems there. I also liked the conditioner - this one recommends leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing. Again the conditioner has a lovely scent, which stays in the hair after drying.

I really liked this duo, and felt it left my hair looking shiny and smoother. The one drawback was that I felt my hair needed washing more often when using this range. I also loved the smell that this left in my hair, but obviously this might not suit everyone!

Melvita's full range is available HERE.

I also tested the Morrocan Oil shampoo and conditioner. I've heard a lot about the properties of Moroccan Oil on other blogs so was excited to try this for myself. The range apparently contains Argan Oil, which I am a fan of, so I was interested to see whether this would benefit the dry ends of my hair without making the roots greasy.

These products had more of a "salon product" scent about them - which is probably a good thing, as Argan oil can smell a bit "goat" like due to the way it is extracted (the only exception  to this I have found here in the UK is the MIR argan oil which you can buy HERE).

The shampoo itself feels really rich and creamy - my hair felt semi-conditioned after shampooing alone, but I did condition anyway, as my hair turns into a frizzball if any humidity comes my way, so conditioner always helps with this for me. 

To be honest, I had pretty mixed expectations about the moroccan oil products - I'd heard a lot about them, but I wasn't sure if they might be suffering from overhype, if that makes sense?

I'm pleased to say though that they actually worked really well for me - I was worried that they might weigh my hair down and mean it needed more frequent washing but my hair felt fresh and light afterwards, and looked a lot more smooth and shiny.

The only downside with this range was that my hair felt slightly "flat" so needed a decent blowdry to prevent it from looking like it had no body at all.  It's also the priciest of the three ranges I tried, retailing at almost £16 per bottle and are available HERE.

Have you tried any SLS free shampoos and conditioners? How did you get on? Any more suggestions welcomed!

Disclaimer - as mentioned in the post, many items were sent for consideration for review. Reviews are always honest and based on my own experiences. I was not paid for this post, and neither am I under any obligation to give a positive review for anything mentioned on this site.