What is a colour protecting shampoo?

 

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A colour protecting shampoo is a mild shampoo that nourishes and protects the hair and helps prolong the hair colour. “Usually, it is a sulphate-free shampoo, so, you feel like it is safe. But sulphate-free does not mean that it actually has a gentle detergent,” said Dr Kiran Sethi, a dermatologist. Sulphate-free shampoos are, however, free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), the most controversial ingredients used in personal care products.

Dr Jaishree Sharad, cosmetic dermatologist and founder, Skinfinitii Aesthetic Skin and Laser Clinic said that one should look for shampoos with mild cleansing agents and lots of conditioning ingredients such as argan oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, coconut oil, and olive oil that will help nourish and rehydrate hair and prevent too much colour from getting washed off at a time.

“The truth is, water itself will take some of the colour off from your hair every time you wash it. To add to this, if you use a shampoo that contains more surfactants chances of them making the hair dry and rip off more colour are higher. So, it is better to opt for shampoos that are meant for colour treated hair as they contain fewer surfactants such as SLS or SLES,” Dr Jaishree told indianexpress.com.

Should you go for sulphate-free products?

According to Dr Kiran, there’s no real proof that a sulphate-free shampoo will be gentler than a sulphate shampoo. “The reality is, there are tons of surfactants that can be just as harsh and irritating as a sulphate-based shampoo. So, the whole sulphate-free concept is actually completely erroneous. If you are looking for something sulphate-free, you might actually be looking for something that is gentle non-foaming, safer, and healthier for skin and hair,” she explained.

 

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She added that there are alternatives to sulphate-free shampoos that can have as strong of a detergent effect as a sulphate-based shampoo. However, even a sulphate-based shampoo can be gentle if formulated in the right way. So, sulphate-free does not mean colour safe.

“Colour-safe actually should mean gentler surfactants, less foam, gentler on your hair, and more moisturising,” Dr Kiran concurred.

According to Dr Jaishree, such shampoos may not be 100 per cent foolproof but they are certainly better than using shampoos that lather too much and rip the moisture away from your hair shaft. “You may even use a mild shampoo, such as a baby shampoo, instead of a colour protect shampoo. It is advisable to use conditioners for colour treated hair and wash them less often (2 to 3 times per week only) in order to allow the colour to stay longer. The sun, too, can make the colour fade. Wear a wide-brimmed hat when you step outdoors,” suggested Dr Jaishree.

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