Commonly known as SLS, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a chemical used in all sorts of cosmetics and cleaning products.
It works by turning liquids into a foam and you’ll usually find it in things like toothpaste, body wash, soaps and detergents. It’s also an ingredient in industrial strength cleaners, bath salts and even make-up.
In a nutshell, the frothy lather your shampoo produces is thanks to SLS.
Should I avoid SLS?
There has been a lot of bad press about SLS and its properties that may, or may not irritate your skin.
Many people who live with sensitive skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis choose to use products that do not contain SLS or other synthetic ingredients as they believe that they are kinder to their skin.
Many people also choose to use natural products as they are just as effective as those that contain those ‘nasty’ ingredients and don’t tend to strip away any essential oils.
Although there has been many tests and experiments, there has been no solid evidence that confirms or denies that SLS is a cause of concern, so it’s over to you.
Will you say no to SLS?
If you do choose to shun SLS and opt for natural, clean beauty products, there are many soaps and toiletries out there that use milder alternatives to provide the same bubbles.
Ingredients like sugar, glucosides like decyl glucoside or coco glucoside are all just as effective. Next time you run out of shampoo or toothpaste, look out for SLS on the ingredients label or its other counterparts;
- Lauryl sodium sulphate
- Lauryl sulphate sodium salt
- Sodium dodecyl sulphate
- Sodium n-dodecyl sulphate
We think it’s better to use natural alternatives to make those bubbles, therefore, all of our beauty products no longer contain SLS. (No need to check our labels!)
Are there any other synthetic ingredients I should avoid?
Microbeads have been a hot topic in the press with the ban of them in all toiletries for 2018 due to the concern of them entering our oceans and harming the environment. We banned them from all our products for this exact reason.
Handpicked content: What are microbeads?
Parabens, a preservative to increase the shelf life of products, has also been under scrutiny due to health concerns.
Handpicked content: What are parabens and are they bad for you?
