Misunderstood: SLS and SLES

With the rise of the green movement came the demand for natural products. Among the main considerations of skin care product consumers is the absence of sulfates, hence the label "sulfate free", which comes almost always with "paraben-free" (related blog post here).

Image from http://www.shielo.com

There are many types of sulfates but I would like to focus on sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS  is commonly found in shampoos and body wash and is a "stronger" cousin of SLES. Both are surfactants - compounds which help the products "lather up". I've seen SLES on the ingredient list of some Korean skin care products I use, especially in cleansers. I used to wonder why there is a need for "sulfate free" products when Koreans don't seem to mind this ingredient. 

According to internet rumors, SLS and SLES can cause irritations and worse, cancer. Try too look up "SLS free" and you'll see a lot of articles, even from supposed reputable sites citing the dangers of the said ingredients. But worry not, my fellow Korean skin care junkies! The American Cancer Society dismisses the link between SLS/SLES to cancer, hence the SLS/SLES issue is yet another marketing generated myth (link). Even the US FDA and EPA considers these components non-carcinogenic. 

However, let it be known that SLS/SLES may be irritants for some people very sensitive skin (like many other skin care ingredients), so it is always best to test patch a product first - even if it does not have "unnatural" components. Also, us consumers must always have a keen eye for marketing gimmicks especially those employing fear-mongering. 

For me, if a product is SLS-free and it can compete with its SLS laden counterpart in both performance and price, there is no harm in trying SLS-free products. But the common misinformation floating about the internet regarding SLS and SLES, especially from organic skin care marketers, will not stop me from using my fun foaming products.