Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Body Wash

Happy Cappy cleansers are made without SLS or SLES

Dr. Eddie Valenzuela and Happy Cappy chose to formulate for sensitive skin without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). All Happy Cappy shampoo and body wash products are sulfate-free. This is a formulation choice; the complete formula matters when choosing a cleanser.

SLS and SLES are cleansing surfactants

Shampoos and body washes are associated with lather. Two common cleansing ingredients are the surfactants sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). A surfactant is an ingredient that helps a cleanser remove oil and dirt so they can be rinsed away. Surfactants can also help create foam. SLS and SLES have similar names, but they are different ingredients.²

Irritation depends on the ingredient and formula

SLS and SLES are not automatically dangerous because they appear on an ingredient label. Health Canada summarizes safety reviews supporting SLS use in rinse-off products such as shampoos. A Cosmetic Ingredient Review assessment of SLES and related ingredients emphasizes that they should be formulated to avoid irritation.²³

For sensitive skin, the practical concern is whether a cleanser causes dryness, stinging, or irritation. Concentration, the other ingredients in the formula, and how the product is used all matter. Our choice to leave out SLS and SLES should not be read as a claim that shampoos containing them cause cancer.

Choosing a cleanser for your scalp and hair

People with sensitive scalps or hair that feels dry after washing may prefer a different cleansing formula. However, “sulfate-free” alone does not guarantee that a shampoo will be gentler, better for curls, or better for color-treated hair. Cleansing strength and conditioning depend on the finished formula. Choose based on your scalp and hair’s response, not the amount of foam.¹

Lather does not measure cleansing strength

A sulfate-free shampoo can still lather. Foam depends on the blend of cleansing ingredients. More bubbles do not establish that a cleanser works better or is gentler.¹

Environmental claims need separate evidence

The words “sulfate-free” also do not establish that a product is environmentally preferable. That requires evidence about the particular ingredients, how they are made, and the finished product. We do not use this label as a blanket environmental claim.

Skin and eye comfort depend on the whole formula

At Happy Cappy, we select alternative cleansing ingredients for our sensitive-skin formulas. Still, an ingredient-level irritation test does not by itself establish how an entire shampoo will perform. The formulation and how it is used are important.³

People with sensitive skin conditions benefit from a routine that their skin tolerates. For dry, sensitive, eczema-prone skin, our non-medicated Daily Shampoo & Body Wash provides gentle cleansing. Our Medicated Shampoo & Body Wash has a different job: its 0.95% pyrithione zinc helps control flaking, scaling, and itching associated with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.

“Sulfate-free” does not, by itself, mean “tear-free.” Follow the directions and eye-contact precautions on the product label.

The cleansing ingredients in Happy Cappy

Happy Cappy makes sulfate-free shampoo in two varieties: medicated and non-medicated. Both contain Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate and Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate. The Daily formula also contains Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Coco-Glucoside; the Medicated formula also contains Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine. These are different cleansing ingredients from SLS and SLES.

See the Daily formula, Medicated formula and Drug Facts, and what we leave out for the complete picture.