Healthy Skin Care Series - What are Sodium Lauryl Sulfates and Why Should I Avoid Them

Continuing our look at various chemicals in skin care products in our Healthy Skin Care Series, beYOUmag.com looks this week at sodium lauryl sulfates and their impact in your skin care products and some healthy alternatives.

What are Sodium Lauryl Sulfates:
Quite simply, sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS) are an inexpensive detergent commonly used in cosmetic cleansers, hair shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble baths, etc. It’s what puts the suds in sudsy - it’s main goal is to create lather. For non-personal care products, SLS as it is commonly referred to, is also used in the cleaning industry for industrial cleaners, engine degreasers, car-wash soaps, etc.

Why should I avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfates:
Well anything that is powerful enough to degrease an engine, probably isn’t something I want in my personal care products. Let’s face it, Americans like suds. We like that squeaky clean feeling achieved by wildly lathering up and then rinsing all the grime away. Unless you work in a ditch, one doesn’t usually produce that much grime in a day, and the use of heavy lathering SLS containing products strips the body of all the vital oils that keep our skin naturally moist.

According to the Journal of the American College of Toxicology: SLS notes has a “degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties.” Also the journal adds, “high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration.” Further research does not show SLS as carcinogenic, but really as a known skin irritant, hence, perhaps, the itchy feeling you have after doing a heavy sudsing.

With SLS’ being so widely used (look at any shampoo, cleanser, etc that’s not natural or organic and its there) let’s look at some really healthy and highly effective alternatives.

SLS Free Alternatives:

• Weleda has been around for 80 years leading the organic personal care product movement. This brand is a great all-purpose family brand selling everything from chemical free deodorants to tooth pastes.
• For SLS free facial cleansers, really key for anyone with dry skin, Sevi is a wonderful pure and healing line.
• For cosmetics and body care that’s also really affordable, Beauty without Cruelty (BWC) is an accessible and multi-purpose line. BWC would make a nice chemical free intro kit for a teenager; they also have great travel sizes.
• Since the hardest thing to find on the market SLS free is shampoo, and people are really wedded to their shampoos, finding Nature Girl was a full-on coup. Their graffiti-esque labeling matched with heavenly scents makes lathering up with this product a joy.
• For the hygienic minimalist and spa aesthete, there is only one line for you: 4mula.

Next week, we’ll review propylene glycol, its effects and product alternatives.

Written by: Michelle Barge