The Sulphate-Free Shampoos and Conditioners I Actually Use

I do not lose sleep over sulphate-free shampoo.

Unlike deodorants, where I switched to aluminium-free and never looked back, sulphate-free shampoo was not such a big life decision. I just realised that most of the shampoos and conditioners I like — and keep buying — happen to be sulphate-free.

I now have my roots done every three weeks, which I hate, but needs must. Add Spanish sun, swimming pools and hard water, and the colour situation can change wildly.

I also use hair SPF in summer, because Spain has taught me that hair colour and sunshine are not always friends.

For me, the key is rotation. I am convinced my hair gets used to things after a while, so I change shampoos and conditioners depending on what it needs.

I am very low maintenance — and quite lazy — with hair. I want to try the Abbey Yung method because her hair looks incredible, but I feel confused before even beginning.

So this is my realistic version: a few good shampoos and conditioners I rotate, depending on colour, dryness, frizz, summer, travel and general hair drama.

Why I Like Sulphate-Free Shampoos

I do not think every shampoo needs to be sulphate-free. I just know what my hair seems to prefer.

For my hair — coloured, prone to dry ends, exposed to a lot of sun, and washed often enough — I do find that sulphate-free shampoos tend to feel a little gentler.

They do not always give that very foamy, squeaky-clean feeling, but I have come to prefer that. My hair feels better when it is not stripped completely, especially in summer or after travel.

And honestly, if I am paying to have my colour done every three weeks, I would quite like it not to disappear, turn brassy or become a completely different colour before the next appointment.

OUAI Shampoo and Conditioner

OUAI is one of the haircare brands I keep coming back to.

I have used both the Thick Hair range and the Smooth range, and I like that the products feel good without making haircare feel complicated. They smell lovely, the packaging looks nice in the shower, and the products are easy to use.

This is important to me because I am not someone who wants to spend hours styling my hair. I want to wash it, condition it, and have it behave slightly better than it would otherwise.

OUAI is a good one for everyday use, and I tend to rotate it in when my hair feels normal but needs a little polish.

Best for: easy everyday hair, smoothing and a slightly more luxurious shower moment.

Shop OUAI shampoo and conditioner:
Amazon | Cult Beauty

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner

Pureology Hydrate is one I come back to when my hair feels dry or a little overworked.

It is especially good after summer, after too much sun, too much pool time, or when my colour has been done and my hair needs a bit more moisture.

The conditioner is excellent and a little goes a long way. It feels richer than some of the others, so I tend to use this when my hair actually needs it rather than all the time.

The scent is quite distinctive, but I like it. It also feels like one of those proper hairdresser-recommended products, which sometimes is exactly what one needs.

Best for: coloured hair, dry ends, post-summer hair and when your hair needs a reset.

Shop Pureology Hydrate:
Amazon |

Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

Living Proof No Frizz is a very useful one if humidity is involved.

And living in Spain, or travelling somewhere warm, humidity is often involved.

It does not make my hair magically perfect, because nothing does, but it does help make it feel smoother and easier to manage. I especially like this when my hair is doing that annoying thing where it looks fine indoors and then changes personality the minute I leave the house.

I also still rate the Living Proof dry shampoo, which is one of the better ones I have tried.

Best for: frizz, humidity, warmer climates and travel.

Shop Living Proof No Frizz:
Amazon | Cult Beauty

Kérastase Discipline Bain Fluidealiste Sulphate-Free Shampoo

Kérastase is one of those brands I always seem to return to.

The Discipline range is good when my hair needs smoothing, softening and a little more control. It feels like a proper salon product at home, which I like, especially when my hair has been through too much sun, colour or travel.

I also really rate Kérastase hair masks, so this is a brand I tend to trust when my hair needs rescuing a little.

It is not the cheapest, but I do find the products last well and feel like they are actually doing something.

Best for: smoothing, control and hair that needs to behave.

Shop Kérastase Discipline:
Amazon

Davines Shampoo, Conditioner and Hair Mask

Davines is another brand I really like, and it feels a little different from the others.

I first tried Davines because they sell their hair masks in small travel pouches, which is exactly the sort of thing I am more likely to buy and actually use. They are easy to pack, do not take up much space, and are very useful when travelling somewhere sunny, humid or generally unkind to hair.

After trying the mask, I then bought the travel-sized shampoo and conditioner from the NouNou range, which is always a good sign.

This is very much my kind of haircare: a good product, in a sensible size, that makes sense for travel and does not require a huge commitment before you know whether your hair likes it.

Best for: travel, dry ends and trying the brand without buying full sizes straight away.

Shop Davines:
Amazon 

Other Hair Products Worth Mentioning

Not everything I use fits neatly into the sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner category, but these are worth mentioning because they have stayed in my bathroom or travel bag.

Kitsch Air Dry Cream

I also need to mention the Kitsch Air Dry Cream, which is one of the best air-dry products I have tried.

These products always promise a lot — effortless hair, no styling, perfect waves, less frizz — and they rarely deliver all of it. This one is not perfect either, but it is better than most I have tried.

I use it when I want to wash my hair and not really do much else, which is often. It helps my hair dry a little more nicely, with less of the usual chaos, especially in summer or when I am travelling.

Best for: lazy hair days, air drying, summer and travel.

Shop Kitsch Air Dry Cream:
Amazon 

OUAI Scalp and Body Scrub

The first time I used a scalp scrub, I was not entirely convinced. It felt a little strange at first, but I ended up really liking this one.

I use it as an occasional treatment rather than every wash, and I like that it doubles up as a body scrub. It has enough grit to feel effective, but it does not feel too harsh.

Shop OUAI Scalp and Body Scrub

Amazon | Cult Beauty

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo

Living Proof dry shampoo is still one of the best dry shampoos I have tried.

It is not the cheapest, but it works well, smells good and does not leave my hair feeling quite as powdery as some others.

It is also very useful for travel, long weekends, summer holidays or those mornings when I should have washed my hair and simply did not.

Shop Living Proof Dry Shampoo on
Amazon | Cult Beauty

Final Thoughts

I do not think sulphate-free shampoo needs to be complicated. For me, it is simply about finding products my hair likes, then rotating them when they stop feeling quite as effective.

My hair behaves differently in Spain, in summer, after colouring, after travel and after swimming. So I change things around a little rather than expecting one shampoo and conditioner to work perfectly all year.

These are the ones I keep coming back to — and that, for me, is usually the best sign.

Mrs. O

PS. You may also enjoy my long-haul flight beauty essentials or summer beauty essentials.