Sulfates Explained: Why the Curly Girl Method Avoids SLS and SLES

Sulfates are the other half of the Curly Girl Method's "absolutely not" list. If silicones are the lockout, sulfates are the sledgehammer — and together they cause 80 % of the dryness, frizz, and breakage that pushes people to try CGM in the first place.

What are sulfates?

Sulfates are surfactants — detergents that bind to oil and let water wash it away. They're used in everything from dish soap to engine degreasers. In shampoo, they're responsible for that rich, squeaky-clean foam.

Problem is, they don't discriminate. They strip grease from a frying pan and the natural sebum protecting your hair cuticle with equal efficiency.

The sulfates to avoid on CGM

These are the harsh sulfates the Curly Girl Method flags every time:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) — the worst offender; extremely drying.
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) — slightly milder but still stripping.
• Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
• Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALES)
• Sodium Myreth Sulfate
• TEA Lauryl Sulfate / TEA Laureth Sulfate

What about "sulfate" ingredients that are actually safe?

Not every ingredient with "sulfate" in the name is bad. These are CG-friendly:

• Behentrimonium Methosulfate — a mild conditioner, not a detergent.
• Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate — gentle cleanser often used in co-washes.
• Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate

What to use instead

Sulfates are usually paired with silicones like dimethicone in drugstore shampoos — the silicone coats your hair, then the sulfate has to be harsh enough to strip it off. Removing both together is the whole point of CGM.

CGM-friendly cleansers use gentler surfactants that clean without stripping:

• Cocamidopropyl betaine
• Decyl glucoside
• Coco-glucoside
• Lauryl glucoside
• Sodium cocoyl isethionate

Co-washes (conditioner-only washing) work for some curl types but not all — if your scalp feels oily or itchy after a week of co-washing, reintroduce a low-poo (sulfate-free shampoo) once a week.

How to check your current shampoo in 10 seconds

Don't squint at the tiny ingredient list. Snap a photo of the back of the bottle with CurlyGirlChecker and we'll flag every sulfate (and every alternative) so you know exactly what's in there.

Bottom line: avoid anything labeled lauryl sulfate, laureth sulfate, or myreth sulfate. Reach for glucoside- or betaine-based cleansers, and expect your hair to feel less "squeaky" — that squeak is your natural oils being ripped off.