“Sulfate-free” is written on more and more bottles. Marketing, or real benefit? Here is a clear answer.
What are sulfates?
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are the surfactants that make a shampoo foam a lot and clean very strongly. They are cheap and effective – and that is exactly the problem for fragile hair: they also remove the natural lipids of the fibre and the scalp.
Who should switch?
- Coloured or bleached hair: colour fades faster with sulfates.
- Smoothed hair: a smoothing treatment is washed out faster.
- Dry, curly or frizzy hair: the fibre needs its lipids.
- Sensitive scalps: less irritation.
What to expect in the first two weeks
A sulfate-free shampoo foams less. Wet the hair thoroughly, apply a small amount, massage the scalp and rinse; repeat if needed. After one or two weeks the hair is usually softer and the scalp less tight.
How Therapy Shampoo is formulated
NOVELLISS Therapy Shampoo is a sulfate-free repair shampoo made in France. It carries the four NOVELLISS patents (Restart Pro for strength, Corum 5118 for split ends, Fermentoil for hydration, Pro Shine for shine) and four oils: sweet almond, tea seed, camellia and argan. It is the daily shampoo of the salon protocol and exists in 250 ml and 1 litre salon size.
Complete the routine
Pair it with Therapy Mask once a week and Therapy Serum before heat styling. The three together form the Complete Therapy Routine.