Ingredient glossary
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
On your shelf ✓What Sodium Lauryl Sulfate does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate · Also: SLS
In short: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate delivers cleansing and oil removal, suits oily skin best, and the evidence behind it is strong. One thing to know: not for pregnancy or breastfeeding; can irritate, ease in slowly.
- What it does
- Cleansing, oil removal
- Best for
- Oily skin
- Watch out
- Not for pregnancy or breastfeeding; can irritate, ease in slowly
- Evidence
- Strong
- How long
- Straight away
The molecule
The two pieces are meant to be apart. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a salt, and its parts are held to each other by opposite charges rather than by a bond.
The Glow take
Nice to have, and nothing to overthink.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate plays a quiet supporting role, rounding out a formula rather than being the reason you buy it.
— Maya
What it does
- cleansing
- oil removal
strong evidenceHuman and animal studies show sodium lauryl sulfate causes dose related increases in transepidermal water loss erythema and proliferative responses and is widely used as a model irritant in dermatology.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- oily
- acne prone
Approach with care
- inflamed
- very sensitive
- compromised barrier
- rosacea
- eczema
- Clogs poresModerate
- Irritation riskHigh
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationNeutral
- OilySuits
- SensitiveTake care
Often chosen for acne prone. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: inflamed, compromised barrier, rosacea, eczema.
Where it fits in your routine
This one works on contact — there is nothing to wait for.
What that covers, and what it does not
Measured on: Removal of surface sebum and soil during the wash (casual sebum drops measurably straight after cleansing).
Cleansing is a physical event: the C12 sulfate amphiphile solubilises skin surface lipid into micelles that rinse away, so the outcome is complete when the rinse is, with nothing being remodelled. Not-applicable would be wrong here because the job is on skin, not in the bottle. The separate, unwanted effect SLS is famous for - a dose-dependent rise in TEWL and erythema - is also fast, measurable in 24-hour patch models, but that is a harm timeline rather than the benefit this row scores.
Surfactant cleansing mechanism; standard 24-hour SLS patch irritation models used throughout dermatology as the reference irritant
Plays well with
- amphoteric surfactants
- nonionic surfactants
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, answered
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate safe during pregnancy?
No. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or trying, leave this one out and ask your doctor about a safe alternative.
Who should avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Approach Sodium Lauryl Sulfate with care if any of these apply to you: inflamed, very sensitive, compromised barrier, rosacea, and eczema. Its irritation risk is high, so introduce it slowly and patch test first. It carries a moderate risk of clogging pores, so acne-prone skin should go carefully.
What concentration of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
During pregnancy
Leave Sodium Lauryl Sulfate out while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It sits on the list of ingredients usually held back during this time.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
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