Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Surfactant · INCI: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Known to clog pores. If you break out easily, this is the one to skip.
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate comedogenic?
Yes. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a known pore-clogging ingredient, and we read it as highly comedogenic. If you're acne-prone, it's worth avoiding, especially when it sits near the top of an ingredient list.
Why we read it this way
Sodium lauryl sulfate is a strong foaming cleanser, the detergent behind the lather in many shampoos, body washes and toothpastes. It lifts oil very effectively, which is also why skin can feel stripped afterward. We flag it for acne-prone skin.
The nuance
Most people know it as an irritant rather than a pore-clogger, and we flag it for pores as well. A wash that rinses off in seconds is a smaller concern than a cream left on. Sodium laureth sulfate is a separate, milder ingredient.
Where it shows up
Shampoos, body washes, foaming face cleansers, bubble baths, shaving foams and toothpastes. Small amounts also work as an emulsifier in some creams and lotions.
Names we read the same way
- SLS
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.