SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
Cancer 

Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity 

Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity 

Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
toothpaste | 332 products |
shampoo | 290 products |
liquid hand soap | 203 products |
body wash/cleanser | 162 products |
hair color and bleaching | 60 products |
conditioner | 52 products |
bath oil/salts/soak | 44 products |
facial cleanser | 33 products |
bubble bath | 31 products |
lipstick | 30 products |
eye liner | 27 products |
shaving cream | 26 products |
mouthwash | 23 products |
tooth whitening | 22 products |
bar soap | 22 products |
lip gloss | 21 products |
brow liner | 16 products |
exfoliant/scrub | 15 products |
facial moisturizer/treatment | 11 products |
lip balm | 11 products |
skin fading/lightener | 8 products |
shaving cream (men's) | 8 products |
baby toothpaste | 7 products |
hair styling aide | 6 products |
foundation | 6 products |
styling gel/lotion | 6 products |
eye shadow | 5 products |
moisturizer | 3 products |
hair treatment/serum | 3 products |
foot cleansing | 2 products |
beard cleanser | 2 products |
2 products | |
makeup remover | 2 products |
mascara | 2 products |
hand cream | 1 products |
eyelash glue | 1 products |
beard care | 1 products |
damaged skin treatment | 1 products |
body firming lotion | 1 products |
anti-aging | 1 products |
mask | 1 products |
styling mousse/foam | 1 products |
after sun product | 1 products |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Human any irritant - strong evidence | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Use restrictions
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Ecotoxicology
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
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 product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
90333 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Data Sources
- 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.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
- This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products intended for use around the eyes due to increased risk of absorption.
- 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 use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
ABOUT THE SKIN DEEP® RATINGS
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
ABOUT EWG VERIFIED™
Beyond providing Skin Deep® as an educational tool for consumers, EWG offers its EWG VERIFIED™ mark as a quick and easily identifiable way of conveying personal care products that meet EWG's strict health criteria. Before a company can use EWG VERIFIED™ on such products, the company must show that it fully discloses the products' ingredients on their labels or packaging, they do not contain EWG ingredients of concern, and are made with good manufacturing practices, among other criteria. Note that EWG receives licensing fees from all EWG VERIFIED™ member companies that help to support the important work we do. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer