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Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

This inexpensive detergent is commonly used in cosmetic cleansers, hair shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble baths, etc. It is probably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and hair-care products. In the cleaning industry SLS is used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, car-wash soaps, etc. It is very corrosvie and readily attacks greasy surfaces.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is used throughout the world for clinical testing as a primary skin irritant. Laboratories use it to irritate skin on test animals and humans so that they may then test healing agents to see how effective they are on the irritated skin.

A recent study at the University of Georgia Medical College indicated that SLS penetrated into the eyes as well as brain, heart, liver, etc., and showed long-term retention in the tissues. The study also indicated that SLS prevented young children's eyes from developing properly and caused cataracts to develop in adults.

SLS may also cause hair loss by attacking the follicle. It is classified as a drug in bubble baths because it eats away skin protection and causes rashes and infection to occur. It is also potentially harmful to skin and hair because it cleans by corrosion. It dries the skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can't effectively regulate moisture.

Another extremely serious problem is the connection of SLS with nitrate contamination. SLS reacts with many types of ingredients used in skin products and forms nitrosomines (nitrates). Nitrates are potential cancer-causing carcinogenics.

Because of the alarming penetrating power of SLS, large amounts of these known carcinogens are absorbed through the skin into the body. A variation of SLS is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate -- SLES). It exhibits many of the same characteristics and is a higher foaming variation of SLS.