Dear CurlySuzy: I was looking at the ingredients for some of the shampoos, and I noticed that AG Re:coil Curl Activating Shampoo has sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Is this a sulfate?

Dear Robyn: The sulfate thing is a little confusing. That ingredient is not one of the super-harsh ones. Here is an explanation of how we categorize sulfates:

Sulfate-free

This designation refers specifically to the anionic surfactants sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl ether sulfate. These cleansers are very strong and can be quite harsh for delicate, curly hair. This is especially true for those with chemically processed or dry, damaged hair. (This does not apply to any of the sulfosuccinate cleansers, which are much more gentle detergents, and which are not sulfates, strictly speaking”>.

I hope this is helpful. Please email me if you have any more concerns.