SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE

📋 Quick facts

Description: SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE — cleansing, foaming (milder than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate).

All Functions: cleansing, foaming (milder than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate)

Quick Facts:

• Category: surfactant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) causes milder skin irritation than its chemical cousin sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
• SLES is classified as a dermal and ocular irritant, but not a skin sensitizer
• Skin recovers faster from SLES irritation compared to SLS in research testing
• The irritation potential depends on concentration and how long the ingredient stays on skin
• In actual consumer products, SLES is typically formulated to minimize irritation

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is a detergent—a cleaning ingredient that helps remove dirt and oils. Here’s what the research shows about how it affects skin:

#1: Milder irritation than related chemicals. When researchers tested SLES against sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS, an older detergent), they found SLES caused “a far milder” skin reaction across multiple concentrations. They measured this using two techniques: transepidermal water loss (TEWL—essentially how much water escapes through the skin barrier) and laser Doppler flowmetry (a tool measuring blood flow changes). Even at the highest test concentration, SLES irritation was noticeably less severe than SLS (Contact Dermatitis, 2003).

#2: Faster skin recovery. In the same study, skin irritation from SLES faded by day 7, whereas SLS continued showing increased water loss even at day 10, suggesting SLES allows faster barrier repair (Contact Dermatitis, 2003). #3: Not a sensitizer. A comprehensive review by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel concluded that SLES “has not evoked adverse responses in any toxicological testing” for sensitization—meaning it doesn’t typically trigger allergic reactions (Int J Toxicol, 2010). It does qualify as a dermal and ocular irritant, however. #4: Detectable irritation from normal use. In a real-world-like test using just three hand washes, SLES produced measurable skin surface changes that researchers could detect, showing it does affect skin even in typical consumer scenarios (Food Chem Toxicol, 2001).

#5: Formulation matters. The Expert Panel noted that while SLES *can* irritate skin in isolation, “in practice they are not regularly seen to be irritating because of the formulations in which they are used.” This means manufacturers typically dilute or balance SLES with other ingredients to minimize irritation (Int J Toxicol, 2010). The sources note data gaps exist regarding exact safe concentrations, and emphasize these ingredients should be formulated carefully to avoid irritation.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Löffler H et al. (2003). Profile of irritant patch testing with detergents: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and alkyl polyglucoside. Contact Dermatitis.
• Charbonnier V et al. (2001). Subclinical, non-erythematous irritation with an open assay model (washing): sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) versus sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Food Chem Toxicol.
• Robinson VC et al. (2010). Final report of the amended safety assessment of sodium laureth sulfate and related salts of sulfated ethoxylated alcohols. Int J Toxicol.

🧴 Products Containing SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE

• BRYNILD GRUPPEN AS NIVEA Creme Soft Douchecrème
• Nivea Intimate Gel de toilette intime Apaisant Extrait de camomille, Panthenol & Acide lactique
• Nivea Intimate gel de toilette intime Douceur Huile de jojoba bio, Extrait de camomille & Acide lactique
• Nivea Men Sensitive Shower Gel Soothing + Bamboo Extract
• Beiersdorf, Nivea Nivea for men doccia gel energy
• Nivea, Nivea Men Cavani 9 – Gel douche hydratant originale édition limitée
• Nivea, Nivea Men NIVEA MEN sensitive peau sensible
• Nivea, Nivea Men Power Shampoo Anti-pelliculaire
• Nivea Perles de Q10 sérum concentré
• Beiersdorf, Nivea Douche soin crème veloutée, au beurre de karité
• Nivea Care Shower Rose & Almond Oil
• Nivea NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Reinigingsgel
• Kneipp 2 in 1 Dusche Lemongras Guarana
• Rituals Serenity Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil
• hhh
• herbal essences champu
• Alcina hair & body shampoo
• shampoo
• Balea Men Arctic Fresh Duschgel
• Balea Creme Seife Sensitive
• Balea, dm Jeden Tag Shampoo Mango
• Balea Duschgel Jamaica Vibes
• Balea Professional, dm Blond Shampoo
• Gehwol, Gehwol med Fußbad
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Brillance Hårfarge 872 Intense Red
• Henkel, Schauma Sports Power-Shampoo
• Henkel, Schauma, Schwarzkopf & Henkel Frucht & Vitamin Shampoo
• Henkel, Schauma, Schwarzkopf & Henkel Himmlisch Lang, Langhaar Shampoo
• Fa men, Schwarzkopf & Henkel Duschgel Fan edition
• Henkel, Schauma Repair & Pflege Shampoo mit Kokos-Extrakt
• Henkel,Syoss Power Shampoo for Men
• Schwarzkopf & Henkel Fa MEN Sport
• AgeDefy, P&G, Pantène, Pantène Pro-V, Pantène Pro-V Expert, Pantène Pro-V Expert Collection, Procter & Gamble AgeDefy Shampooing
• Head & shoulders 2 in 1 Classic
• Head & Shoulders Shampooing antipelliculaire + après-shampooing 2 in 1 Sensitive
• Procter & gamble as Head&Shoulders Shampoo Classic Clean 400ml
• neutro derma Sapone latte di cocco
• Palmolive Reinigende Tonerde
• Cien Cien Gel de baño Zero
• Nivea Gel de Limpeza Facial Nivea Controle do Brilho