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Facts about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

You will find a lot of conflicting information regarding this chemical if you google it.  Some alarmists say it causes cancer (which is mostly unfounded).  Some say it is perfectly harmless.  The truth is somewhere in between, as is often the case.  Nearly every cleanser you buy commercially contains SLS.  Here are the facts:

FACT:  SLS was first introduced to the public during the 1940s and ‘50s when western civilization had a love affair with chemicals, and believed in better living through artificial means. 

The oils needed to make natural soaps were hard to come by during the war, so they turned to chemicals instead.  This was the period when baby formula was touted as better than breast milk.  We now know that chemicals are not better than their natural alternatives and in most cases they are worse rather than equal.  SLS is so much cheaper than the oils needed to make natural soap, that no one wanted to go back to the old way when the war was over, and there is no legislation governing the cosmetics industry to force them to do so. 

FACT:  SLS is absorbed through the skin when given time. 

When laboratories want to test a new chemical to see if it can be absorbed through the skin, they usually suspend it in a solution of SLS.  Then they can test the blood for SLS as well as the other chemical.  While the time you are usually in contact with your soap is not that long, what do you think happens when you soak in a bubble bath?  Do you think your children are rinsing themselves thoroughly every time they wash?  Do YOU rinse thoroughly every single time?  SLS is in EVERY commercial product that foams:  soap of all kinds (bars, liquid, even dish soap), shampoo, bubble bath, toothpaste, even cleaners designed to strip oil from engine parts.

FACT: SLS acts like estrogen once it has been absorbed through the skin. 

It recently made the headlines that American girls are starting puberty as early as 7 years old but they have no idea why.  Looks like an obvious answer to me.  Excess estrogen can lead to all kinds of other hormonal issues as well, and some may argue cancer.

FACT: SLS is an ester of sulfuric acid. 

An ester is a combination of alcohol and acid.  I don’t want to wash with alcohol and acid – do you?

FACT:  SLS is what is known as a surfactant – it dissolves oils, such as the natural oils your skin needs to be healthy. 

Many soaps will talk about their custom additives like “nutrium” for softer skin, but if they didn’t strip the oils to begin with, they wouldn’t need to put them back.

FACT:  SLS is often found in products claiming to be “natural”, including every single one of the soaps offered by the company LUSH. 

Go to their website and look in their ingredient book.  They state it so themselves. Again, there are no laws about cosmetics, so companies are free to claim whatever they want on their packaging.

FACT: Using our natural lye soap costs you less than 30 cents a day. 

Try any of our soaps and see if you don’t notice the difference in the way your skin feels.  You’ll never go back.  All of our soaps are free of SLS and always will be.