Q. What are sulfates? Are they damaging to hair? I have noticed sulfate-free and paraben-free shampoos. What are the differences in these shampoos? Cindi Stice; Villa Rica, GA

A. Sulfates (aka Sodium Laureth Sulfate on your shampoo’s ingredient list) are added to cleansing products to create foam. This sudsing agent is not harmful to the hair, but recent studies suggest that using a sulfate-free product will help your hair maintain a healthier moisture balance. Also, we find these shampoos help your hair color last longer, because salts (another name for sulfates) tend to reduce the vibrancy of your color over a shorter period of time. Parabens, on the other hand, are helpful bactericidal and fungicidal preserving agents. When found in cosmetics, they aid in combating bacterial growth in the finished product. It’s a low cost preservative, but not the only one available. Many companies now use natural ingredients, like coconut and grapefruit seed extract, to keep a product fresh. Alas, these ingredients cost more, which translates into a slightly more expensive price tag for your haircare.

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