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SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE
Score:
Data: Fair
- 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
| shampoo | 103 products |
| liquid hand soap | 69 products |
| toothpaste | 61 products |
| body wash/cleanser | 56 products |
| hair color and bleaching | 33 products |
| lipstick | 30 products |
| lip gloss | 21 products |
| conditioner | 15 products |
| facial cleanser | 12 products |
| bath oil/salts/soak | 12 products |
| lip balm | 11 products |
| shaving cream | 9 products |
| hair treatment/serum | 8 products |
| bar soap | 7 products |
| tooth whitening | 6 products |
| mouthwash | 5 products |
| bubble bath | 5 products |
| eye liner | 5 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 4 products |
| moisturizer | 3 products |
| styling gel/lotion | 3 products |
| hair styling aide | 2 products |
| hand cream | 1 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 1 products |
| toners/astringents | 1 products |
| foot moisturizer | 1 products |
| mascara | 1 products |
| moisturizer with SPF | 1 products |
| makeup remover | 1 products |
| serums & essences | 1 products |
| beard cleanser | 1 products |
| shaving cream (men's) | 1 products |
| mask | 1 products |
| baby toothpaste | 1 products |
| styling mousse/foam | 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 |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
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 |
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) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
- 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.
- 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
