Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa) - Selwa Luke

1 Sodium Lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are chemical compounds used in many common household and personal care products, including shampoo, toothpaste, hand soap and dish soap. Both of these ingredients are surfactants, often preferred by consumers for their foaming properties. There is much debate over the safety of these ingredients in household products. This report will focus specifically on consumer concerns and misconceptions, competitor stances, product recalls and market trends surrounding the use of SLS and SLES in dish soap and other common household products. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) vs. Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) Sodium Lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a known skin irritant.

2 Some say it also causes cancer but several reports have indicated that this is a common misconception and that there is no evidence to support a link between SLS and cancer. The American Cancer Society affirms this. SLS may also cause permanent damage to the immune system, especially within the skin. Its protein denaturing properties may cause the skin layers to separate and inflame even at low concentrations. The manufacturing process of SLS may cause carcinogenic nitrates to form. According to some sources, this compound penetrates the skin and maintains harmful residual levels in the body s organs, including the liver, the lungs, the heart and the brain.

3 Furthermore, SLS interferes with the body s natural ability to lose dead skin cells which is why it s irritating. SLS is used mostly for its thickening and lathering properties. It sometimes appears on product labels as an all-natural coconut-derived surfactant, which, for many consumer activists, is about as misleading as changing the name of high fructose corn syrup to corn sugar. Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is far less irritating, because it s made by ethoxylating SLS. But the process of ethoxylation creates small amounts of 1,4-dioxane, which is known to be carcinogenic. SLES is used mostly for its foaming properties. Both SLS and SLES are coconut derived, and so are used by many companies that claim their products are all-natural.

4 Skin Deep, a well-known site created by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) gives SLS a low hazard rating, despite the fact that animal tests have shown positive results for cancer, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, and skin irritation. SLES is given a moderate hazard rating, slightly higher than that of SLS. While there are no studies to support the idea that it is toxic, SLES does contain toxic byproducts (ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane) that are known to be carcinogenic both of which are rated a high hazard by Skin Deep. Consumer opinion statements seem to suggest no preference between SLS and SLES. SLS is probably less toxic and is not a known carcinogen, but those who prefer natural products are leading away from both ingredients and toward a safer alternative, in general.

5 Alternatives to SLS, SLES and Similar Ingredients: Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS) This surfactant is often used instead of SLS or SLES. Skin Deep rates ALS a low hazard for skin irritation and organ system toxicity in low doses. The degreasing action of most surfactants comes from the Lauryl or laureth chain, but because it looks different on the label, ( , it s not SLS or SLES) many consumers might prefer the ammonium-based compound. No one refutes the fact that SLS, SLES and ALS are skin and eye irritants. Diethanolamine (DEA) This surfactant is also used as a foaming agent in many household products, and the USDA believes it to be a carcinogen.

6 Skin Deep lists it as a moderate hazard for skin irritation and toxicity. Lauryl Glucoside This is a mild surfactant is used in Ecoleaf hand soap, which is made in the UK. It is also coconut derived. Lauramine Oxide This surfactant is used in several products including Clorox Green Works. It is a known skin irritant and has been given a moderate hazard rating by Skin Deep. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa) This surfactant is also derived from coconut and palm oils. It has a larger molecular size so it doesn t penetrate the skin like SLS and SLES and does not cause irritation, but it still produces a rich lather and removes surface oil, dirt and bacteria.

7 Because it is a gentle cleansing product, it may not remove grease as well as SLS or SLES and may not be a great alternative for dish soaps but is worth researching. Alkyl Polyglucoside This is a 100 percent natural, renewable, plant-derived surfactant and is rated a minimal hazard (0) by Skin Deep. Alkyl polyglucoside has been compared to other comparable surfactants and shows higher performance in various tests including soil removal, foaming and emulsifying potential, filming, and anti-streaking, and is very mild to human skin. Consumer Concerns and Misconceptions Thickness Many consumers use thickness to determine the effectiveness of a soap or cleaning product.

8 Normally, the thicker, the better it is able to clean, but this is not necessarily true. This perception associates thickness with soapiness, and many consumers perceive that they will need to use less soap because it is thicker, and therefore more concentrated. Foam Many consumers also perceive that the foamier soap is, the less you will need to use and the better it will be at cleaning and removing grease. This is also not always true. Removal of oils Most consumers assume that the more oils are removed, the better a cleaning product is. However, the removal of oils often results in skin dryness, which is not optimal. When it comes to personal care products like shampoo and body wash, the removal of all skin oils is not necessarily a good thing.

9 However, most people want to remove grease from dishes, so a degreasing surfactant may be better used as an ingredient in dish soap, and won t affect the skin if rubber gloves are used while washing. Bubbles Many consumers perceive that the more bubbles are produced, the better a cleaning product will be. However, a rich lather does not necessarily indicate more cleaning power. Animal Cruelty Both SLS and SLES are lab tested as a skin irritant on animals, so animal cruelty is a large concern for many consumer activists. Some people will take fewer bubbles over knowing that the products they use are needlessly causing harm to lab rats. Competitor Stances on the use of SLS and SLES in Household Products Seventh Generation This company claims that it only uses the natural version of SLS derived from palm, coconut or corn oil and listed as Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) on its product labels.

10 The company says that there are synthetic versions of SLS used by other manufacturers. Indeed, if you visit Seventh Generation s website, it says they won t use synthetic surfactants which are derived from petroleum and natural gas and can cause hormonal disruption and other illnesses in animals and possibly humans. Seventh Generation claims to only use plant-based surfactants, which are derived from vegetable oil. However, the process of ethoxylation, which converts SLS to SLES, requires petrochemicals, so this natural formula is most likely a hybrid between coconut oil and petroleum. Again, from a marketing standpoint, this is similar to changing the name of high fructose corn syrup to corn sugar.