Hey check this out.  It's my April progress pic:

My hair is kind of straight in this pic (damp bunned it and then let it air dry) and I think it looks ALOT like Special Kitty's sig pic.  SK...you there??

Actually, I like the way my ends look like this, they don't stick out as much like they do when my hair is wavier.  I will have to look at this pic when I get the urge to cut my ends off

Missrini I had to post to tell you that your hair looks ABSOLUTELY DROP DEAD GORGEOUS especially your really gorgeous henna red hair color it makes your hair look shinier and really absolutely healthy too

Hotwheels

Gorgeous Rini!

(now, where did I leave my henna-ing gloves.....)

Oh thank you all so much!!!!  You're all so lovely.

But where is Special Kitty?????  Maybe she is henna-ing and can't come to the keyboard right now?

Hey Rini, Here I am!!

Wow, your hair is beautiful!!! Lovely color, shine and so thick and healthy. I am honored to be compared to your hair We really do have the same wave pattern don't we - hehe. 

Your ends look very even and blunt - I think waiting for the layers to catch up really worked for you. You've got a lot of length and should be very proud of how well you have cared for your hair.

I was going to ask you about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.....can you tell me what is bad about it? My favorite conditioner has that as an ingredient, but it is listed as the last ingredient. All the other ones are very good herbs, etc. Should I be concerned?

Thanks, Rini. I love your hair!!!! (I guess that mean by default that I love my own hair, since we are hair twins!)

Hi SK :)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a very harsh detergent. There have been alot of bad things written about it, in fact if you just Google it, you will see a tonne of articles.   If you read enough about it, you get the impression that it can do everything from sensitising your scalp to stealing your boyfriend!  As my husband would say "it causes Cancer in lab rats" (which means everything is bad for you in some way)....however, there have been reports amongst long-haired ppl that it increased their shedding, caused dandruff, stripped hair, made it harder to not wash everyday...etc.etc. 

Personally, I prefer to avoid this ingredient.  I once bought a wonderful pre-mixed powder full of beneficial Indian hair herbs, but got rid of it when I discovered the last ingredient was SLS.  I'm just trying to avoid any potential problems, so I stick to "safe" ingredients in all of my products.

I guess if you are not having any problems, then go ahead and use it, but maybe do some reading on it in the meantime.

Hi Rini,

I am so jelous! Your hair looks beautiful, and your ends definatelly look more even when you style your hair that way. It will be BSL in no time! Most people notice that when their hair reaches past their shoulders that it starts growing quicker, so I guess we will all see in your next progress pic.

Noey

Thanks Rini for the info on SLS. I think I will do some experimentation and leave it out of my routine for now. I will post and let you know if I see any difference. As for shampoos without it, I think maybe Aubrey Organics doesn't use SLS, and maybe Avalon as well?

horselover_1625 wrote: Is SLS good or bad for your hair? Or would it depend on hair type?

Okay, sorry...I forgot to go up further and read what Rini wrote!

Thanks Samsara and Noey

Products of the more "natural" type would be SLS free I would imagine. Always read the ingredients before you buy it though. Alchemy, Aubrey Organics and Avalon are SLS free, as is "Natural Instincts" which is an Australian brand.  Most of the products that don't have SLS would boast about that fact on their label somewhere, so it should be pretty easy to spot

Here in the country of overprocessed hair and such, only a few people seem to worry about what's in shampoos.

Even Lush put SLS is their shampoos and conditioners.