Are Your Hair Products Lying To You?

Sulfate-free shampoo claims are kind of bogus.
"There are really no studies out there that say sulfate-free shampoos help with the preservation of color or keratin treatments," she states. In other words, there is no real scientific evidence that says that a lack of sulfates makes a shampoo more gentle than those that contain them. Furthermore, the good doctor says sulfate-free shampoos have their own host of issues. "Shampoos that contain sodium laurel sulfate work in both hard and soft water; they have good lathering consistency and are considered 'free rinsing,' which means they're easy to get out of your hair. Sulfate-free shampoos aren't free rinsing, which means you may use more product or use more water to get them out of your hair, which can cause excessive dryness over time."

Keratin treatments aren't as healthy as you think.
Dr. Rodgers was particularly focused on the myths surrounding the newer, “healthier” keratin treatments. “Consumers are told that hydrolyzed keratin is being infused into the hair shaft and that it's safe and formaldehyde-free," she says. "The keratin moniker is just window dressing for the active ingredient, which is methalyne glycol. It's a sister molecule to formaldehyde, and when you apply heat, it turns into formaldehyde. Anyone who knows anything about chemistry knows that means these products aren’t actually formaldehyde-free because when you apply the high heat, it turns that particular molecule into the very thing they say they’re trying to avoid.”

There’s no such thing as a thickening shampoo.
We know, we were bummed to hear this one, too. “There's no way to change the actual density of hair,” she cautions. “Products that make those claims contain things like wheat and hydrolyzed proteins, which coat the hair and temporarily makes the consistency of your hair thicker. But, once you shampoo, that artificial coating is gone.”