I searched a lot and went to various stores in the US to find a shampoo that doesn't irritate my skin, and I came across the ALAFFIA brand at WHOLE FOODS. - Ingredients: I'm not sure about the unregistered ingredients (like vanilla extract), but so far I haven't felt any skin irritation while using it. - Usage: It lathers up well. Just shampooing makes my hair feel very stiff, like washing with soap and rinsing, but after using the conditioner and drying, my hair feels soft and nice. - Scent: I'm sensitive to scents. Since it's summer, I wanted a cooling shampoo, so I chose the 'Vanilla Mint' scent. It's not a menthol-like feeling, but more like the spearmint(?) flavor in Korean gum. There's a lavender scent in their product line, and I found it to be very strong when I smelled it in the store. I prefer a less intense scent, so I went with the vanilla mint. - Price: Compared to other sulfate-free shampoo brands, the price is reasonable, so I don't feel burdened using it generously. - Other: I feel like my hair is shedding less. I've been taking biotin/collagen supplements along with switching the shampoo, so I'm not sure if it's from the supplements or the shampoo, but either way, I'm satisfied that my hair is shedding less. Also, since my hair is permed, I was hoping it would help maintain the curls, and I'm satisfied with that as well.

When rinsing, my hair felt as stiff as if I had washed it with soap, and my fingers had a hard time reaching all the way to my scalp. If I didn't rinse it thoroughly enough, that part would itch and get dandruff. But when I rinsed it as thoroughly as possible, it was fine.

The shampoo lathers up well, but if you want an even richer lather, you can do a light first shampoo and then a second shampoo for better foaming.