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2 ‘Harmful’ Ingredients In Your Shampoo That Will Lead To A ‘Dry, Flaky Scalp’

January 23, 2025 by Lisa Cupido

 
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When you’re deciding on a great, quality shampoo to keep your hair healthy, what you avoid is important as the ingredients that you choose.

A shampoo may boast any number of hydrating essential oils, collagen, and other ingredients that promise to make your hair shiny and bouncy, but if it contains any one of two ingredients that experts say to avoid, you could be setting yourself up to deal with a “dry, flaky scalp” — yep, dandruff. We often think of shampoos as warriors against dandruff, and some certainly are, but others can also wreak havoc on your scalp’s natural balance of oils.

Here’s more information about why you need to avoid sulfates and fragrance in your shampoo.

1. Sulfates


Sulfates are one of the most common, difficult-to-avoid ingredients in hair products, including shampoos. They are surfactants that create a rich lather, which helps cleanse the scalp of dirt and oil and provides that feeling of clean — since we associate soapy suds with cleanliness. But sulfates can strip your scalp of its natural oils, leaving it parched, itchy, and prone to dandruff. If you have color-treated hair, they will fade your color faster, and if your hair is curly, wavy, or textured, they tend to dry out strands and make hair look less shiny and healthy.


Sulfates for by the names sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Check shampoo labels and avoid them when possible.

2. Fragrance


We love a beautiful-smelling shampoo as much as the next person, but those heavily fragranced hair products don’t always love your scalp and hair back. Whether fragrance is natural or synthetic, it can cause scalp irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin and are prone to eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Like sulfates, fragrance can dry out textured hair and cause color-treated hair to fade faster.


If you must have a shampoo that smells delicious, look for those with essential oils like chamomile and peppermint, which tend to be gentler on hair.

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