On the list of controversial beauty ingredients, sodium lauryl sulfate sits right near the top, but does it deserve its bad reputation? Sure, you try to avoid it in your hair care products to protect it from stripping your color, but how sodium lauryl sulfate functions in your skincare and the effect it could have on your face and body might not be as clear. To help settle the confusion, we reached out to NYC-based dermatologists Rachel Nazarian, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group and Debra Jaliman, MD, along with chemists Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu of Chemist Confessions. Keep scrolling to learn everything you need to know about sodium lauryl sulfate and find out whether you should be avoiding the ingredient in your skincare products.
Meet the Expert
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Type of ingredient: Foaming agent.
Main benefits: Creates a lather, encourages a deep clean, and emulsifies.
Who should use it: Those who don't have an allergy or sensitivity to it.
How often can you use it: Can be used every day if you only apply it to areas that harbor bacteria and limit the amount of time on your skin.
Works well with: Moisturizers to counteract the dryness from sodium lauryl sulfate.
Don't use with: Physical and chemical exfoliants, as doing so may further irritate the skin.
What is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
According to Jaliman, sodium lauryl sulfate (aka SLS) is a surfactant that has many different functions, but it acts as a cleansing agent in skincare. It's a type of sulfate and is derived from coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or petroleum oil. Jaliman describes the form as a crystal-like powder, which can be found most commonly in soaps, cleansers, body washes, makeup removers, toothpaste, and shampoos. As a foaming agent, sodium lauryl sulfate can help a product cleanse better or more thoroughly by sudsing up and creating a foamy lather.
Benefits of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate for Skin
A relatively inexpensive ingredient, sodium lauryl sulfate is included in a wide variety of products with a wide range of uses. In skincare, it's predominantly used as a detergent to remove oils.
- Lathers up: The foamy lather is not only used for its sensory properties (some people simply like the feel of a rich lather), but Nazarian says the suds also contribute to cleaning the area by attracting the oils.
- Cleans efficiently: Nazarian says by stripping the oils, sodium lauryl sulfate is responsible for giving you that squeaky clean feeling. Thanks to the foamy lather, a little bit of the product goes a long way and in a sense, makes your products a little bit more efficient. "You don’t need much and you feel like you’re getting a bigger clean," she says.
- Removes makeup: If you wear a lot of oil-based or long-wear makeup, Nazarian says you might find that a sudsy cleanser allows you to break it down and remove it more effectively.
- Emulsifies: According to Jaliman, sodium lauryl sulfate can help to bind two ingredients together, such as oil and water, to prevent separation in the formula.
- Fights bacteria: Jaliman says it also has some antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
