Sulphates are now an integral part of our lives and are used unconsciously on a daily basis by many people. Most of us are not aware of what "the bad" and "the ugly" are, but only focus on "the good". Namely, the beautiful, fresh and shiny washed hair. But after a while, the nice shiny hair turns into a greasy pile of hair...

Greasy hair quickly, why?

The purpose of these sulphates is to cleanse the scalp, but they also take away the natural fats. Our scalp needs these fats to stay healthy and supple. These natural fats, also called sebum, form a protective layer on our scalps. When you wash your hair, it often produces a lot of foam. This is because sulphates such as SLS or others are aggressive foam makers.

Because we just strip away that layer through the various sulphates, an excess of sebum is produced to protect your scalp. If you then wash your hair every day with shampoo rich in sulphates, your hair will become greasy faster because it will want to produce more and more sebum. Our sebaceous glands then have too little time to deal with this. As a result, your scalp can become dry and irritated, making it dull and dry.

Where are sulphates still used?

Sulphates are used extensively in shower gels. Excessive and/or long-term use leads to a damaged skin barrier. This damaged skin barrier leads to a dehydrated skin, which is no longer able to absorb moisture. You get a taut and dry feeling.

It is even found in toothpaste! Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is the ingredient that makes toothpaste foamy. SLS is present in almost all toothpastes. It feels nice in the mouth, but it has some disadvantages. It is irritating and can quickly cause wounds and ulcers in the mouth.

What are sulphates made of?

Sulphates consist of salts or esters of sulphuric acid, an oil-soluble fraction and a water-soluble fraction. The oil-soluble part attaches itself to dirt in the hair. Through the water-soluble part, the dirt dissolves in the water and is rinsed away. The more aggressive the sulphate, the more it degreases and cleans, but the risk of skin irritation is the highest.

Not only bad for the hair, but also for the environment!

Palm oil is an essential component in the production of sulphates, but it is anything but good for the environment! Read more about palm oil here.

Top 10 sulphates from aggressive to mild

Ammomium Lauryl Sulfate - ALS
Ammomium Laureth Sulfate - AS
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - SLS
Sodium Laureth Sulfate - SLES
Sodium Myreth Sulfate - SMES
TEA Lauryl Sulphate - TLS
TEA Laureth Sulfate - TLES
Sodium Coco Sulphate - SCS

WONDR is sulphate-free, how is that possible?

We replace sulphates with SCI, sodium cocoyl isethionate. An ingredient of plant origin (coconut). It has a high foaming capacity and produces a stable, rich and velvety foam that does not dry out the skin. When using WONDR shampoo bars, your hair may need a little getting used to because the sebum production is disturbed. But it feels better afterwards!