Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)Updated 10 months ago

Category: Surfactant, Cleansing 
Sourced from: Plant-derived 
Country of Origin: Philippines
Certified to: Nothing yet! 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is made by combining a sulfate group from a fatty alcohol (lauryl alcohol) derived from non-GMO coconut or palm fatty acids, then attaching sodium. SLS is a surfactant that helps improve cleaning performance and is also clean rinsing in hard water. 

Many people confuse SLS with SLES. The two chemicals are often mistaken to be equally toxic, but that is not the case. SLS is sodium lauryl sulfate, and SLES is sodium laureth sulfate. SLES is ethoxylated with ethylene oxide and is thus contaminated with trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a documented carcinogen. SLS is not. 

The EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database gives SLS a safety rating of 1, indicating that it is a very low risk ingredient. Studies have also consistently shown that SLS is safe to use in low concentrations and in products that are meant to be rinsed off (both are true of Sal Suds). Additionally, no risk of cancer has been found, as some websites purport. Research conducted by reputable sources, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the American Cancer Society, supports that SLS is not a carcinogen.

The biggest risk associated with SLS for some people is that it can be a skin irritant. We have done our best to minimize this risk by combining it with lauryl glucoside in a well-balanced formula.

For truly tough grease-cutting jobs, we have found that nothing is quite as effective as the combination of surfactants in Sal Suds (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium coco sulfate, and lauryl glucoside). These surfactants are all made using simple chemistry and come from agricultural (not petrochemical) feedstock that we believe are very safe.

Found in: Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner*

*Sal Suds cleaner shows >60% biodegradation after 28 days per ISO 14593.