Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a strong anionic surfactant used for cleansing, foaming, and emulsifying oils in rinse-off products such as shampoos, body washes, and toothpastes.
What does Sodium Lauryl Sulfate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a strong anionic surfactant used for cleansing, foaming, and emulsifying oils in rinse-off products such as shampoos, body washes, and toothpastes.
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks often flag it for higher skin and eye irritation potential, especially at higher levels or in formulas with long contact time. Its clean-standard friction is mostly about tolerance, not systemic health concerns or restricted-list persistence.
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate sustainable?
This material can be made from coconut, palm, or petroleum-derived feedstocks, so sourcing quality varies by supplier. It is readily biodegradable, but palm-linked supply chains may need certification or traceability.
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally permitted under COSMOS-natural when made through allowed processing routes and compliant feedstocks, while finished organic certification depends on the full formula and sourcing documentation. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores well on biodegradability and possible renewable sourcing, but less well on irritation profile and chemical processing intensity.
How does Sodium Lauryl Sulfate work chemically?
The molecule has a 12-carbon hydrophobic tail and a strongly anionic ester head group with a sodium counterion, which gives high foam and strong detergency. It is typically used at a few percent active matter in rinse-off systems, performs across a broad pH range, and is often blended with milder amphoteric or nonionic surfactants to reduce harshness.
Last updated 2026-05-13