Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Surfactant · INCI: Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Clogs pores for some people. Fine for many, worth watching if you're mid-breakout.
Is Sodium Laureth Sulfate comedogenic?
Sometimes. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is potentially pore-clogging, so we read it as one to use with caution. Plenty of people use it without trouble; if you're actively treating acne, it's worth watching.
Why we read it this way
Listed as pore-clogging across multiple acne-safe references.
The nuance
Most relevant in leave-on products on oily, breakout-prone skin; effect can depend on the amount used.
Names we read the same way
- SLES
- Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, the pore-clogging ingredients list has the rest of what we flag, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.