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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Limited

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

  • This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products intended for use around the eyes due to increased risk of absorption.
  • Products with this ingredient are allowed for use in EWG VERIFIED but must meet use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
  • This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns.
  • Products with the EWG VERIFIED mark have met the program’s impurity and use restrictions based on EWG's review of the company's data.

IMAGE SOURCE: PubChem

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Other Concerns

Use restrictions (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate), and Contamination concerns (high)

SYNONYMS

● ALPHA-SULFO-OMEGA-(DODECYLOXY)POLY(OXY-1,2-ETHANEDIYL), SODIUM SALT
● DODECYL SODIUM SULFATE
● PEG-(1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE, SODIUM SALT
● POLY(OXY-1,2-ETHANEDIYL), .ALPHA.-SULFO-.OMEGA.-(DODECYLOXY)-, SODIUM SALT
● POLY(OXY-1,2-ETHANEDIYL),A -SULFO-W (DODECYLOXY)-, SODIUM SALT
● POLY(OXY1,2ETHANEDIYL), αSULFOω(DODECYLOXY), SODIUM SALT
● POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE, SODIUM SALT
● POLYOXYETHYLENE (1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE , SODIUM SALT
● SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE
● SODIUM PEG LAURYL ETHER SULFATE
● SODIUM POLYOXYETHYLENE LAURYL ETHER SULFATE
● SODIUM POLYOXYETHYLENE LAURYL SULFATE
● SODIUM SALT PEG-(1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE
● SODIUM SALT POLY(OXY-1,2-ETHANEDIYL),A -SULFO-W (DODECYLOXY)-
● SODIUM SALT POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE
● SODIUM SALT POLYOXYETHYLENE (1-4) LAURYL ETHER SULFATE

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is and ingredient derived from ethoxylated lauryl alcohol and used as a surfactant; may be contaminated with potentially toxic manufacturing impurities such as 1,4-dioxane.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • LOW
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
shampoo639 products
body wash/cleanser518 products
liquid hand soap358 products
facial cleanser122 products
conditioner117 products
bubble bath72 products
mascara72 products
exfoliant/scrub56 products
bath oil/salts/soak38 products
eye liner32 products
bar soap29 products
hair color and bleaching27 products
shaving cream11 products
baby shampoo10 products
baby soap9 products
brow liner9 products
hair treatment/serum7 products
moisturizer7 products
bronzer/highlighter6 products
beard cleanser6 products
baby bubble bath6 products
makeup primer4 products
mask4 products
anti-aging3 products
styling mousse/foam3 products
shaving cream (men's)2 products
eyelash glue2 products
2 products
eye makeup remover2 products
beard care1 products
lip gloss1 products
vapor rubs1 products
serums & essences1 products
facial moisturizer/treatment1 products
antiperspirant/deodorant (men's)1 products
daily use with SPF1 products
makeup removing wipes1 products
hair relaxer1 products
detangler1 products
nail glue1 products
foot cleansing1 products

Contamination concerns

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Chemical
ETHYLENE OXIDE
1,4-DIOXANE

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Human any irritant - strong evidenceCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Use restrictions

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualificationsCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
54 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemicalNLM PubMed

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
  • CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
  • EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

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