Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) but before we start talking about what SLS is, you need to know what a surfactant is.

A surfactant is something that is used in skincare products to create that creamy foam and clean the skin. These can be made from Coconut Oil, Palm Oil and even vegetables. You can have more gentle surfactants such as SCI (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate) to more stripping surfactants such as SLS.

SLS is short for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Its a coconut based surfactant commonly used in human shampoo and body wash. Many brands are starting to avoid using SLS in their products as it has been found to be an irritant. ⁠

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The safety assessment study of SLS in the International Journal of Toxicology (the most recent assessment), found that it’s not harmful if used briefly and rinsed from the skin, as with shampoos and soaps for humans. However, some tests found that continuous skin exposure to SLS could cause mild to moderate irritation in animals.

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Dogs and cats both have naturally sensitive skin and nothing pains me more than when someone suggests baby shampoo or human shampoo which contains SLS in it as suitable for dogs with sensitive skin. SLS is safe in most cases however there are much better alternatives such as SLES which is a much milder surfactant.⁠