I Tried Sulfate-Free Shampoo for a Month and Here’s What Happened

You’ve been extra protective of your hair since your little brother cut it with his blunt-end scissors in the fourth grade and made you look like one of your experimental Barbies. So why, pray tell, are you still washing your locks with sulfate-ridden products? Enter L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Shampoo. With claims that it’s gentle on color-treated and fine hair, doesn’t strip your strands and still keeps the satisfying suds (and even more satisfying price), the shampoo seems like a worthy contender for your tried-and-true formula. In the name of healthy hair, I volunteered my locks for the cause for a whole month to find out for sure. Here’s what I learned.

My Ends Looked a Little Less Like Straw
Full disclosure: It’s been about seven months since I’ve had a haircut. Needless to say, my ends have seen better days. Which is funny because I am actually obsessed with having super-soft, fluffy hair. Hair masks and serums are only a temporary fix, though, which is why I was genuinely excited when, after a month of using L’Oréal Paris EverPure, my hair just felt…better. It certainly didn’t reverse my split ends, but it did make them a lot less brittle. How did I first realize this? Within a few days of making the switch, someone at work asked if I had gotten a fresh blowout. (I may have cried a little.)

I’m Planning to Push My Hair Color Appointment
Fun fact about me: My natural hair color is a flat, mousy shade of brown, so I dye it to get that extra dimension and general oomph. Normally, I get it touched up every six weeks. (I should actually do it at four, but I stretch it as far as I can because professional dye jobs ain’t cheap, y’all.) That said, I got my hair done a week before going sulfate-free. That was five and a half weeks ago. And I don’t feel like I need to go back anytime soon. Of course, the color is not as vivid as day one, but holy highlights, it is brighter than it usually is by this time. This is probably a good time to mention I’ve also been using the coordinating sulfate-free conditioner, which has an anti-fade formula. Double whammy, I guess.

Shocker: I Didn’t Miss the Suds
Mostly because when I lathered up, it produced the same level of froth I know and love from regular shampoo. The first time I used it, I loaded up because I thought I’d need the extra amount to feel clean. (I’ve tried cleansing conditioners in the past, and even though I knew they weren’t supposed to lather much, I always felt like they weren’t really working.) Not the case here. I had suds for days. The next time I washed my hair, a couple nights later, I used a normal amount and still had the same soapy results.

So You’re Probably Wondering If I Live a Sulfate-Free Life Now
The answer is yes—mostly. I’ve always kept a nice, full shower rack, so I still have some other shampoos in there that I’d feel guilty throwing out. But once they’re gone, I’m planning to make the official swap for good. L’Oréal Paris EverPure smells good (it has a rosemary scent,and I got another herb-smelling body wash to match) and it’s not salon expensive. So, yeah—see ya later, sulfates.
This article first appeared on PureWow