As we all know, hair comes in all different lengths, textures, and colors. Certain hair types are much more manageable than others, but it is safe to say that everyone (males and females) will do just about anything to make sure it maintains a healthy and attractive look. Aside from styling our hair with gels, mousses, and lotions, we have to keep it clean. Shampooing and conditioning our hair plays a vital role in the appearance and state of it, which means picking the best brand for our type of hair is important.

Have you ever taken a second to look at the ingredients in your favorite shampoo and conditioner?

Unfortunately, most people do not. They will simply see the words "shampoo" and "conditioner" on the outside of the bottle and assume the benefits outweigh the effects of the actual contents inside of those bottles. More often than not, sulfates will be one of the main ingredients listed.

Sulfates are the reason why that shampoo and conditioner you are so fond of lathers and creates suds.They act as surfactants, water and oil-soluble compounds that, when combined with water, foam and emulsify greasy substances.

This sounds like a winning solution to transforming messy, filthy hair, right? Wrong. These sulfates do such an amazing job at removing dirt and oil that they sometimes remove the natural oils and proteins our hair produces on its own in order to keep it healthy.

As mentioned before, an individual's texture, length and color of hair will vary due to a variety of reasons. However, there are some similarities. Starting with the basics, our hair is made of a strong protein, called keratin. Each of our hair follicles contain the dermal papilla, the sebaceous gland, and the arrector pili. The dermal papilla feeds blood (nutrients) to the hair bulb, the sebaceous gland lubricates the hair, and the arrector pili responds to stimulus. Therefore, utilizing shampoos and conditioners containing sulfates can potentially damage the hard work your hair does on its own.

Sulfates do not come in one form; there are a variety, so don't be fooled. However, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are the most common ones that present themselves inside of popular shampoo and conditioner brands, such as Garnier Fructis, TRESemme, Pantene, and Suave.

Sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners are the best option if you're looking to maintain healthy hair. Sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners do not harshly strip the hair of essential oils, and for those who color their hair, it helps maintain that color. Shampoos containing sulfate can potentially damage and strip color-treated hair, and if you are someone who likes a change every now and then, then you will notice your fiery red hair beginning to fade quickly.

We often associate bubbles and suds with being squeaky clean. You will notice that sulfate-free shampoo doesn't lather like shampoos containing sulfates and will assume this means their hair is not being thoroughly cleaned. It is working, however, it uses a more beneficial, gentle approach.

Make the switch to sulfate-free shampoo; stop torturing your hair.