Ingredient glossary / Cleansing agent
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
On the label: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate · Cleansing agent
What it is
A strong, high-foaming cleansing agent. Effective and cheap; a known skin irritant at high concentration or long contact, which is why many face washes use milder relatives.
Cleansing agents: Surfactants lift oil and dirt so water can carry them off; the cleaning part of any wash, and what makes it foam.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q422241 →
In the research
565 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Evaluation of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz Extract as a Multi-Functional Natural Ingredient for Skin Barrier Repair · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2026
- Stratum Corneum Biomarkers for Differentiating Irritant and Allergic Contact Dermatitis · Contact dermatitis, 2026
- Female hormones enhance skin T cell expansion and suppress IFN-γ production · Frontiers in immunology, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other cleansing agents
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.