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Which ingredient is least harse on the hair is it ammonium laural sulfate or sudium laural sulfate? Or does it matter?
Both ingredients are detergents and are supposed to "lift" the dirt out. Soaps are (at least originally) lye-based products, which are very harsh. Lye is the main ingredient in Draino, which dissolve hair in high concentrations.
Lye is sodium hydroxide (a very strong base) and is found in ashes. The ashes were cooked together with animal tallow to make soap. There you have it. Long ago, a couple guys in Cincinnati owned separate soap-making businesses. They used the pork fat from the downtown warehouses (that's where Cincinnati got the nickname "Porkopolis") to make their soap. In 1837 they decided to merge rather than compete and with that, Mr. Proctor and Mr. Gamble made one of the best business decisions of all-time.
OK back to the topic. I don't know of any significant differences in the ammonium versus the sodium compounds. Someone else might know differently.
Hope that was fun to read.
ToddB
Skip all of the "Laurels", which are harsh. Instead, go for the "Laureths", which are gentle.
I've been using Vive Smooth Intense shampoo and conditioner. Great stuff!
What kind of a comment was that?
What is your source of information for this?
Honestly, I can't remember exactly where I read that. But, I do remember reading an extensive article on shampoo ingredients and that bit about the Laurels vs Laureths stuck in my head for some reason. BTW, I believe that this is the reason that many people right here on this board stopped using Aussie Moist shampoo. Because they changed the formulation from Laureth to Laurel. Anyway, that's why I switched from Aussie to Vive.
I've heard this too... I think I got it from from hairboutique.com
That said I think i also heard that "ammonium laurel" was worst than "sodium laurel"...
The shampoo I use: Clairol Herbal Essences... (bit girly I know) contains both sodium laurel sulfate & soduim laureth... but it was the only high-street brand I found, to contain the laureth variety...Hence I went with it!
Loreal Vive Smooth Intense shampoo contains only sodium laureth sulfate. No laurels at all.
Hey, thanks for the info. I use a couple different types of products. I'll have to check them out.
ToddB
Both are cleansing and wetting agents derived from lauryl alcohol, the principal alcohol of coconut oil. The "laureths" are further modified to give them "water-loving" character.