L’Oréal Professionnel Xtenso Care Sulfate-free Shampoo 250 ml

Product Overview

Xtenso Care is the aftercare range for hair that has been through L’Oréal Professionnel’s X-Tenso straightening system, and it is sulfate-free for a specific reason rather than a fashionable one. Harsh detergents lift and shorten a chemical straightening treatment, and they leave already-processed hair dry and rough.

This one cleans gently, controls frizz and adds shine. L’Oréal designs it to be used with the matching Xtenso Care masque, and their shine claim is measured on the pair.

What “Sulfate-Free” Means

Sulfates are the detergents that make a shampoo foam hard. They clean extremely well, which is the problem for some hair: they also strip colour, lift chemical treatments and leave already-dry hair squeaky and rough.

A sulfate-free shampoo uses milder surfactants. It lathers less — that is expected, not a fault — and it cleans a little more gently. It is the sensible choice for coloured hair, chemically straightened or relaxed hair, and very dry or curly hair. If your hair is oily and you wash daily, an ordinary shampoo may suit you better.

Key Benefits

• Cleans gently without stripping a straightening treatment
• Controls frizz on chemically straightened hair
• Adds softness and natural shine
• Suitable for men and women
• Salon-grade formula in a 250ml bottle

Key Features

• 250ml bottle
• Sulfate-free (no sulfate surfactants)
• Xtenso Care aftercare range
• Professional salon product
• Designed to be used with Xtenso Care Sulfate Free Masque

How to Use

1. Apply to wet hair.
2. Emulsify and massage into the scalp.
3. Rinse thoroughly. Repeat if needed.
4. Follow with the Xtenso Care masque, or another conditioner, on the mid-lengths and ends.
5. In case of contact with the eyes, rinse immediately with water.

Aftercare for Straightened Hair

• Do not wash for 48 to 72 hours after the treatment. The bonds are still settling.
• Sulfate-free from then on. This is the single most useful habit for making a straightening treatment last.
• A weekly mask. Straightened hair is drier hair and stays that way.
• Keep heat styling down. The hair has already been through a chemical process; adding daily heat on top of it is how it breaks.
• Touch up the new growth only. Re-processing the whole length is the classic route to hair snapping off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it not lather much?

Because it has no sulfates. Lather is not what cleans hair — it is what makes cleaning feel like it is happening. A sulfate-free shampoo cleans perfectly well with much less foam.

Can I use it if my hair is not straightened?

Yes. It suits coloured, dry and curly hair for the same reasons it suits straightened hair. If your hair is oily and you wash daily, an ordinary shampoo may suit you better.

How often should I wash my hair?

There is no universal answer. Oily scalps and dusty commutes suit daily or alternate-day washing; dry, curly or chemically treated hair usually does better with two or three washes a week. Medicated shampoos are the exception — follow the course on the pack rather than your habit.

How should I store it?

Somewhere cool and dry with the cap closed. A shelf away from the shower spray is better than one in it — constant heat and steam shorten the life of any formula.