Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) VS Sodium Lauryl Sulfoaccetate (SLSa)

SLS VS. SLSa

Hi all! Recently, we had two or three customers asking what’s the difference between SLS(Sodium Laureth Sulphate) and SLSa (Sodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate). 

When it comes to cosmetics, it is very important that you understand what is going into your skin and hair. Do these products cause irritations? Do they strip away the natural moisture? 

Is it harmful for your skin and scalp? Just reading a little more and understanding ingredients will go a long way and help you make better choices. 

So let’s break it down so it’s easy to know the difference between SLS and SLSa: 

1. Is it a Sulphate?: SLSa is NOT a sulphate! Sulphates are a well known skin irritant, and SLSa is actually not a sulphate because when it is being produced, its is not “sulphated”. If you look closely at its name its a “sulfosuccinate” and there is no sulphate involved.
2. Harshness :  SLS is harsher on skin as it is commonly used in detergents. It removes the grease from pots and pans. As for your skin and scalp, there is absolutely no need for this! A much gentler SLES cleanses and other ingredients in the shampoo can help to detoxify, gently exfoliate and moisturize. When you use an SLS based shampoo, all natural oils from the scalp that protect and moisturize hair will be stripped away. 
3. Can DLS penetrate skin? : SLSa molecules are larger than SLS molecules, and are not able to penetrate skin. It is considered gentle and even suitable for sensitive skin. SLS is more chemically modified than SLSa and contains smaller molecules that can penetrate skin.  However, no matter what product you use, do a allergic test before using especially if you have extremely sensitive skin. 

Now as you can see, SLSa is definitely safer and better for your hair, scalp and skin. This is why at SoapLab Malaysia too we use SLSa.  In most natural products you should find that sulphates are not used, but this is not a compulsory practice. Do check all your labels before purchase if you want to avoid using this harsh chemicals on your skin.