Why Surfactants are not our Friends
When researching information for my next post I became distracted with all the information I was finding on the evil Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a known surfactant. When I inspect labels this ingredient always ignites hatred within and I’ve never understood why.
According to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is not a carcinogen. It is however a skin irritant. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is found in products that need foaming action like your toothpastes, shampoos, hand soaps, shower gels…the list goes on.
The irritation comes from the Sulfates job of removing oils from the skin when cleaning. Removal of these oils strips a layer of protection from our skin that leaves us susceptible to irritation and pollutants.
So where’s the threat? This is where 1, 4- Dioxane enters stage left. According to the Environmental Working Group this creepy little chemical cramps Sodium Lauryl Sulfates style in a big way. There are other types of Dioxane but specifically the 1, 4- Dioxane is seriously toxic and linked to causing cancer, reproductive toxicity and organ system toxicity.
It seems that when Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is being produced the 1, 4-Dioxane can creep in just from the manufacturing process. Wikipedia stated it as being “an accidental byproduct of the ethoxylation process in cosmetics manufacturing.” Ethoxylation is when ethylene oxide (funky chemical) is added to fatty acids to make them more water soluble. I wonder how many of those “accidental byproducts” take place throughout the chemical creating galaxy. I would say it’s quite a big Ooops!
My problem with this whole process is having to do so much research about products I’ve been using since I was little. I suppose research can only benefit us in this situation but it’s the blind eye that most manufacturers take that has me fuming.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfates or Sodium Laureth Sulfates may only be skin irritants and have a very low toxicity score but it doesn’t take much for them to be harmful chemicals that are absorbed into our skin every day. I hope this clears the air, thankfully organizations like the Environmental Working Group help keep us informed on what most would like us to be oblivious to.
CindyC Said,
October 8, 2007 @ 11:46 pm
I totally agree. Until I had to deal with my daughter’s eczema, I didn’t pay much attention to ingredients in health and beauty products. But after baby shampoos made her rashes worse, I realized how important it was to pay attention and how many suspect chemicals go into these bottles. My new rule is if I can’t pronounce it and there’s no common term (next to the chemical name), it’s probably not good for me. I also use EWG’s Skin Deep Tool when I’m curious about the full ingredient list and the safety ratings of the ingredients.