If you've coloured your hair, you already know it's an investment. Hours at the salon, money spent, and the commitment to keep it gorgeous. That's why it deserves extra care to stay vibrant, looking and feeling its best. Once you walk out of that salon, the last thing you want is for it to fade quickly. This is why conversations around sulphates exist and are important, especially for those with coloured hair.
There are plenty of ways you can stretch the life of your colour—but here's the big question: is sodium laureth sulphate bad for coloured hair? Absolutely. Let's see how and why it matters, plus better alternatives you should try.
What Is Sodium Laureth Sulphate and What Does It Do?
Sodium laureth sulphate might sound like something big and a complication scientific term but you’ve definitely seen it listed before as “sulphates”. That rich, bubbly lather in your shampoo or body wash? Yeah, that's sulphate right there. Its work is to remove dirt, oil and products that may have stuck on your scalp. While it's great at cleaning, sulphates continue to remove some part of the dye along with the grime until the colour is all gone.
For other hair types, the issues are dryness and irritation, but for coloured hair, the concerns are more. When you colour your hair, the structure is altered to allow the colour to get deposited effectively. This opening makes the hair more susceptible to fading. In fact, according to science, most colour fade happens because of stripping by sulphates.
They can also remove moisture and nutrients, invariably making the hair brittle. However, brittle hair is your hand showing signs of fading.
Are Shampoos With Sodium Laureth Sulphates Bad for Colour-Treated Hair?
Sulphates are in shampoos basically for two reasons. One, to cleanse the hair, removing grime, dirt and oil effectively. Two, to form lather—that sudsy texture that gives the clean feeling. Sulphates can be harsh on the scalp, especially on sensitive scalps or those with pre-existing skin conditions. On colour-treated hair, sulphates can cause colour to become dull.
When your colour fades too fast, your shampoo is mostly to blame. Coloured hair is fragile and highly porous because of the chemical that lifts the cuticle. Sodium laureth sulphate for hair in your shampoo can worsen this situation by causing the strands to become weak, leading to breakage.
Besides, if you're in the UAE, your hair has even more to battle with. The intense heat, long hours of air conditioning, and minerals from hard water together can take a toll on coloured hair, leaving it looking lifeless way too soon. Instead of smooth and shiny hair, you're left with frizz. Living in the UAE isn't the bad luck here; it's the effect of sodium laureth sulphate for hair.
Why Choose a Sodium Laureth Sulphate Free Shampoo?
Whether you colour your hair at a high-end salon or with a DIY kit at home, the goal is the same: keeping that colour fresh and vibrant for as long as possible. This is because colour treatments aren't permanent and can get washed off by chemicals. Here's why choosing a sulphate free shampoo matters:
Your Colour Lasts Longer
You've probably noticed that each time you wash your hair, it is never the same. Try sodium laureth sulphate free shampoo like GK Hair's Silver Bombshell Shampoo. This one works for coloured hair and helps to even out brassy tones and brighten hair, and your hair stays coloured for weeks, not days.
Your Hair Retains Natural Moisture
Sulphates don't just strip colour; they also dry the scalp. This drying makes the keratin layer weak and vulnerable to damage. This is another reason why sodium laureth sulphate for keratin treated hair is a bad idea.
Your Scalp Stays Calmer with Less Irritation
There's no debate about this one here. If sulphates are tough on the scalp and cause irritation, then sulphate-free ones should be milder. Sulphates aren't the only harsh chemical you'll find in shampoo bottles. Ensure that you are picking a shampoo that is sulphate free as well as other chemicals that are harsh on the scalp and texture. GK Hair's product line is made with a gentle formulation of safer ingredients that makes them unique and a great choice for colour-treated hair.
How to Take Care of Coloured Hair
Tending to coloured hair isn't just about shampoo—it’s a whole lifestyle thing. If you colour your hair, then the products you pick and how often you style your hair add up to how long your colour lasts. This boils down also to your choice of products, as this drives you closer to your hair goal by helping you keep your colour vibrant for much longer.
Choose the Right Cream Colour
First things first, your colour choice must be decided and chosen carefully. If you get it wrong from the beginning, there's hardly much you can do to save your hair from fading. Regardless of whether you are having it done at the salon or opting for a DIY, you need a high-end cream colour that is quality and semi-permanent. This will mean you'll need to retouch or change to another highlight or lighten it, but not so soon after it was first done.
You wear silver blonde hair? Learn its Colour, Care, and Styling Guide in UAE’s climate.
Stay Hydrated
Even though that is the mantra to stay healthy, both your body and hair deserve moisture. Coloured hair drinks up moisture, and the more you feed it, the softer and shinier it will be. While regular conditioners may suffice, deep conditioning makes “soft and shiny” easier to achieve.
Deep condition your hair weekly whether or not it looks damaged. We recommend GK Hair's Deep Hair Conditioner once a week. Its powerful moisturising and reparative formula helps to repair hair from the inside out, leaving it strong and healthy.
Choose the Best Sulphate free Shampoo
We can't talk about sulphates enough. With coloured hair, brassy tones are a norm, but you can nip it in the bud with a purple shampoo like GK Hair's Silver Bombshell Shampoo. Alternate the Silver Bombshell Shampoo with a Moisturising Shampoo for a few weeks until you are sure your tone is back.
Don't Wash Your Hair Every Day
Even if you have a colour-safe shampoo, daily washes are the fastest way your coloured hair can fade. You should step away from the shampoo bottle at least for a day or two in between, as washing your hair daily leaves it feeling drier than you would like. Instead of washing your hair daily, aim at 2-3 times a week with a Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner, and let your dry shampoo be the in-between lifesaver that takes care of grease.
Tune Down Heat-styling
We know how hot tools can be a best friend in some weather, thus making it a struggle to ditch them completely. However, too much heat is your colour’s worst enemy, which is why we advise you to limit the use of these tools. If you need to use one, ensure it is set at a low heat and that you have worn a heat protectant. Otherwise, save hot tools for when you really need them. For maximum protection, use GK Hair's ThermalStyleHer Cream on your mane before styling and minimise heat up to 450°F.
