Characteristics
- INCI
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Ru.
- SLS
- CAS
-
151-21-3
This is the substance number in the Chemical Abstracts Service registry. The CAS number uniquely identifies a substance regardless of language, trade name, or synonyms.
- EC
-
205-788-1
This is the substance number in the European chemical identification system (EC number), used in European regulatory databases including ECHA/CosIng.
- IUPAC
- Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate
- Functions
- cleansing, denaturant, emulsifying, foaming, surfactant
- Comedogen.
-
0 / 5
Comedogenicity index: 0–5. A non-comedogenic ingredient (0–1) is unlikely to cause cosmetic acne.
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Who it's for
Description
The famous or rather infamous SLS (not to be confused with SLES). It is a cleansing agent known for being too good at the job and potentially irritating the skin. But, on the positive side, it can produce copious, creamy and luxurious foam compared to the more gentle and thus nowadays much more commonly used Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
In fact, SLS is so good at irritating the skin that it is very commonly used in dermatological studies just for that. It is a so-called "primary irritant", a substance that irritates the skin in one go (without prior sensitization) but doesn't do any other big harm (such as being carcinogenic or systematically toxic - those claims are not true). Also, the formula can greatly influence the irritating potential of SLS, and mixing it with other cleaning agents makes it milder.
If it's not in a cleanser, it works as anemulsifieror even as a penetration enhancer for active materials.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
What does sodium lauryl sulfate do in shampoo and cleanser formulas?
Is sodium lauryl sulfate bad for your hair or scalp?
Can sodium lauryl sulfate irritate the skin?
Why is sodium lauryl sulfate used in toothpaste?
Should I choose an SLS-free shampoo or toothpaste if I get irritation?
Evidence & Research on Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
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1
Lee, Cheol Heon, and Howard I. Maibach. "The sodium lauryl sulfate model: an overview." Contact Dermatitis 33.1 (1995): 1-7.Find in PubMed
Products with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (1 548 total)
Most often found in Head & Shoulders products (43 items)
![MAC Lustreglass Sheer Shine Lipstick in shade Hug Me [new formula]](/images/products/thumbs/MAC-Lustreglass-Sheer-Shine-Lipstick-in-shade-Hug-Me-new-formula.webp)
