SURFACTANT CHEMISTRY: To Shampoo or Not to Shampoo...

As part of our promise to lift the bonnet on curl science (no gate‑keeping here), it’s time to spill the suds on one of the curly world’s most divisive topics: cleansing.

Since I ditched my straighteners in 2017, no word has sparked more controversy in online curl forums than “shampoo.” One week the curl police have banned you from a Curly Girl Method group for uttering it (do not pass go, do not collect $200); the next, everyone’s suddenly hunting for a “clarifying” fix.   As a qualified cosmetic formulator, I’ve watched myths be regurgitated as if they're facts and misinformation seems to spread faster than frizz on a humid day, while the real chemistry is often left out of the chat.  

Today we’ll unpack the science behind curl cleansers and why CABELA’s first two cleansers deliver a genuine clean before the conditioning magic happens (read: they’re not conditioners in disguise and that’s a very good thing).

LET'S LOOK BACK IN HISTORY; HOW 'SHAMPOO' BEACAME A DIRTY WORD

The stigma began with Lorraine Massey’s, Curly Girl Method (CGM) in the late ’90s. Back then, industry workhorses like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) dominated shampoo formulas. Most shampoos relied on strong sulfates like SLS. They stripped natural lipids, leaving curls parched and straw-like, so “co-washing” (washing with conditioner) felt like a revelation to many.

I tried it as I entered “curl rehab” and decided to give up straightening my hair.  The first month or so was sensational! My wavy curls were coming back in a way that I never thought possible.  Fast forward 6 months later and a 'conditioning only' routine left my hair limp, lifeless, with a substance on my scalp that ultimately blocked my follicles leading to hair loss.  It took me another 18 months after that to give up on the "rules." 

What the CGM resurgence often overlooks is that surfactant science has moved on; offering far milder options with nuanced clarifying power, yet blanket “no-poo” rules still linger. For the record, we’re not anti-co-wash; we’re pro-choice. A successful curl routine should be curated around the individual - lifestyle, hair type, scalp health and aesthetic goals rather than a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach.  Education trumps dogma, because there’s more than one way to care for your curls.

SURFACTANT ARCHITECTURE 101

Think of surfactants as tiny double‑agents: one end loves oil, the other loves water. Once they meet water, they self‑assemble into micelles, surround the grime, and rinse away. Their electrical charge dictates both cleaning muscle and sensory feel;  I'm going to use a magnet analogy to help explain the differences in charge.  

ANIONIC (‒) The hair fibre has a negative charge and so do anionic surfactants.  Anionics do the heavy lifting in cleansing products and excel at lifting sebum, dirt, build-up and styling resins via electrostatic repulsion.  Historically they've earned a “drying” rap because early options (e.g., SLS) also stole inter‑cellular lipids leaving the hair feeling dehydrated.  I like to think of this as two fridge magnets with the same coloured face trying to be pressed together; they push apart and slide away from each other. Your hair and anionic surfactants show the same face, so the shampoo magnet “slides away,” taking oil and grime off with it.  Basically, it cleans by repelling debris off the hair surface thanks to the electrostatic repulsion.  E.g. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate.

CATIONIC (+) Has a positive charge and therefore loves clinging to the negatively charged fibre, creating that slippery “seaweed” feel we associate with conditioners.  We're going to imagine that we flip one magnet over so opposite sides meet; they snap together and stick to the fridge door. A cationic conditioner shows the “other” face, so it grabs onto the hair and stays put, leaving that deliciously silky coating by clinging to the fibre for slip and smoothness.  E.g. Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride.  

AMPHOTERIC (±) Acts as a flexible middleman, if you will.  They dial down irritation potential from the primary anionic surfactant, boost foam, add a slither of conditioning OR assist in cleaning - they can change charge depending on the pH of a product.  Now picture a novelty fridge magnet on a swivel hinge.  Depending on how you flip it, it will either hug the door or push it away.  E.g. Cocamidopropyl Betaine.    

NON-IONIC (0)  Non-ionics help clean by disjointing pressure rather than charge repulsion. They're ultra‑gentle, though you’ll need more manual friction for your scalp to feel truly clean.  Think of a cute plastic fridge letter with no magnet at all, maybe a slightly sticky surface instead.  It just sits there when you press it against the door, relying on your hand to keep it in place.  There are further subcategories in here including Superfatting Agents and Solubilisers - but let's leave that for a future blog. 

Modern curl cleanser (like CABELA'S) blends these families so you get effective soil lift and without the post-cleanse dryness.  

 

INSIDE CABELA'S CLEANSERS

Both our CURL CLEANSING SHAMPOO BAR and CURLSSENTIAL CLEANSERS follow three non‑negotiables:

1)  Lift oily soils, oxidised sebum and resin build‑up.

2)  Leave enough natural lipid to keep strands plush, not squeaky.

3)  Love the scalp microbiome -because healthy roots grow better curls.

Here’s the ingredient line‑up that makes it possible:

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) – A coconut‑derived anionic famed for its creamy, dense foam. Its micelles are large enough to carry away dirt yet too bulky to wedge into the stratum corneum, so barrier disruption is minimal compared with classical sulfates.

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate – An amino‑acid‑based anionic. It lends silky, cushiony lather, adds antistatic benefits (hello, frizz reduction) and performs beautifully in hard water -important if you’re washing in much of Aotearoa.

Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate – Super mild skin profile! Its larger micelles fatten the foam, giving that luxurious cleanse you feel in salon shampoos, (minus the post‑wash straw).

Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB) – Our amphoteric buffer. At bottle pH it behaves cationic, in rinse water it swaps to anionic, boosting foam and pushing down irritation potential by as much as 50 % in published patch‑test data.

Coco‑Glucoside/Glyceryl Oleate  – Our non-ionic superfatting agents. Coco glucoside provides gentle secondary cleansing while glyceryl oleate physically deposits a micro‑lipid veil along the cuticle. In lab comb‑tests on chemically treated hair, this combo slashed wet‑comb forces by up to 40 %, meaning fewer snaps, less breakage.

CABELA CLEANSING SYNERGY: Anionics do the heavy lifting, amphoterics cushion the charge, and our non-ionics leaves a whisper‑thin conditioning film as the foam drains away. The result? A genuinely clean scalp, bouncy curls, and zero “bar‑soap” squeak.

CO-WASH, CLEANSING CONDITIONERS - Useful tool or slippery slope? 

Cleansing conditioners are built around cationic emulsifiers -essentially a regular conditioner with a dash of amphoteric surfactant for token cleansing. They feel glorious on day one: tangles melt, slip abounds. But after weeks of environmental pollution, oxidised sebum and styling polymer build‑up, many scalps rebel. Dermatology journals increasingly link low‑detergent routines to follicular plugging and dermatitis flares in textured‑hair communities.

Conditioner itself isn’t the villain here, the real issue is marketing. Too many brands in our niche sell what is basically a conditioner but label it a “cleanser,” skipping the words "cleansing conditioner". The average curl-lover buys it, convinced they’re getting a bona-fide shampoo, and then wonders why their scalp feels gummy and their curls fall flat. Conditioner is meant for the lengths, not the roots, so using it as your only wash step invites build-up and scalp grumbles.

That said, if conditioner-only washing keeps your scalp calm and your curls buoyant, go for it!  One day I hope to add a high-performing cleansing conditioner to our range - there truly is room for every wash style in our diverse curl community. Still, curl-consumers should know what they’re buying, right? The point is choice, not a one-track rulebook. Just keep an eye (and a fingertip) on your roots: flakes, itch or limp lift are SOS signals that you’re due for a deeper cleanse. Whether that’s every wash day, once a fortnight or once a month depends on your hair’s porosity, styling load, climate and preferences.  

IN CURL-CLUSION... 

Curl care isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all; it’s a spectrum. Modern surfactant chemistry lets us slide from lipid‑rich co‑wash days to a thorough yet gentle anionic reset. Our job at CABELA is to perfect the latter so you never fear the word “shampoo” again. Cleanse wisely, listen to your scalp, and let your curls call the shots.

Nic
CABELA Founder
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