Sulphates are a natural occurring salt which are are produced in the earth. They’re produced by the combination of sulfuric acid and other substances. Sulphate is a surfactant meaning that it attracts both oil and water. This is why it is regularly used in cleaning detergents and haircare as it is largely responsible for the foaming action. The most common sulphates found in haircare is sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES).
Although chemically they sound similar, there are some notable differences between SLS and SLES. I will go into detail further below.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is found in a lot of everyday products from cleaning to health and beauty. Including soaps, shampoos and even toothpaste but admittedly in lower concentrations. Sulphates are regularly used in these kind of products because sulphates are known for creating a foam. They are also recognised as one of the best ingredients for creating a large amount of foam which is also ‘safe’ for these kind of products.
Although for the last 27 years of my life I have been using products which include sulphates. Without any noticeable problems, might I add. I do have naturally dry, sensitive and eczema prone skin. SLS has the capability to bind to proteins on the skin surface (more so than SLES). And can ultimately lead to irritation if left on the skin for prolonged periods. So in my opinion if you have skin conditions I would advise staying away from SLS where possible. I have recently made the change myself to remove SLS from my products.
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
Now that you have an understanding of SLS, I can talk to you more about SLES. SLES is derived from SLS through a process called ethoxylation
Fun fact: any ingredients ending in -eth have also been through ethoxylation
This process now means that SLES is a lot safer to use in bath and body products than SLS. It is less likely to aggravate skin and strip skin of moisture. Skincare products which include SLES are generally cleansers. They still foam and emulsify almost as much as SLS but they leave the skin feeling softer and more nourished.
Sulphates in haircare and skincare
Sulphates are often included in products such as body wash and shampoo as the create a large amount of foam. People love the foam as it helps them feel like their hair is being ‘cleaned’ however it should be noted it is not necessary for haircare or skincare to be foaming to be able to cleanse.
Usually the sign of foam is that all product and natural oils have been removed and you are now ‘squeaky clean’ this might feel good in the moment but it can be very drying and stripping to both hair and skin. If you have dry skin or skin conditions. Or you have textured naturally curly or wavy hair I would recommend avoiding both SLS and SLES although it should be noted they are ‘safe’ for use.
I have in the last couple of months switched to using the curly girl method for my hair care. Which excludes the use of silicones and sulphates in haircare. If you want to know more about this I have a blog post here.
Some of my favourite SLS and SLES free body products are:
Some of my Favourite SLS and SLES free hair products are:
