We all are so weary about sulfates. We care so much about harmful makeup ingredients like sulfates, phthalates, and parabens. But do we even understand what they are and what they do? There has to be a reason why they were first introduced into makeup and beauty products in the first place. Cosmetics and beauty manufacturing companies wouldn’t put dangerous chemicals in the items we put on our skin, right? Or would they….
What are sulfates?
First let’s dig into what sulfates actually are to see if they are harmful makeup ingredients or not. We worry so much about things being sulfate free but besides the notion that they are considered harmful makeup ingredients, not too many really know what exactly they are.
Sulfates were first introduced in the 1930s, when they were added to household products….household cleaning products.
The many types of sulfates:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate also known as SLS
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Ether Sulfate / Sodium Laureth Sulfate also known as SLES
The two most popular sulfates are SLS and SLES. Sulfates are extremely strong, deep cleaning detergents. One of the most common is SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which is an extremely popular and common chemical lather. The purpose of sulfates is bubbles! Sulfates are added to products so that when used with can lather up and create the bubbles which “clean” or remove the dirt and oil that is on our skin and hair.
We associate things being clean with the lather…the bubbles!
If a product like a shampoo doesn’t lather up, we immediately assume our hair is not clean. Same thing with the product we wash our faces with. We expect bubble, the lather…without that we don’t feel like the product works.
Sulfates were not originally meant to be placed in our cosmetics and beauty products. As stated earlier, Sulfates were introduced for cleaning products. They were first introduced to beauty and cosmetics industry in the 1950s.
They were not meant for the usages we have now like:
- Body Care products
- Soaps
- Lotions
- Toothpaste
- Facial Cleansers
- Shampoo and other hair care products
Sulfates were not meant to be exposed to our skin on a daily basis. SLS or sodium Lauryl sulfate is a degreaser. It is most commonly found in toothpaste products, leaving us with the “clean” sensation that we crave. We brush our teeth or wash our faces until we have the foam or bubbles that we are aiming for. Again, because we associate bubbles, the lather, the foam with being clean and getting clean. Yet our original question remains unanswered…are sulfates considered harmful makeup ingredients?
Why would makeup brands use sulfates if they may be harmful makeup ingredients?
First off, sulfate are cheap! Who doesn’t like to save a buck? Sulfates are abundantly available and companies have easy access to them. Sulfates are one of the most widely used chemical products in the USA. They are used for the bubbles!! People want to see the lather…doesn’t matter if they are washing their faces, their bodies, the dishes, or their car…if there’s no bubbles it must not be clean.
That’s the mentality that most have at least…and this mentality could be dangerous…
Are sulfates considered harmful makeup ingredients?
Sulfates are skin irritants. They are a major skin irritant. Not to mention eye irritation! This is the biggest issue with Sulfates…they are skin and eye irritants While we think these bubbles are cleaning our faces and we are doing such a great job washing ourselves with these glorious, fluffy bubbles, we actually are doing a lot of harm.
By using these products with sulfates, we are breaking down the protective barriers that our skin and hair have in place. The sulfates strips our hair and skin down, causing damage the balance and health of our skin and hair. Both the skin and hair have natural oils and natural moisture. Sulfates breaks these natural occurring moisture so, causing skin and hair to dry out. Sulfates also can cause acne in the areas that they have frequent contact with.
For example, a face wash you use daily could end up causing you acne and acne scars.
SLS easily is able to enter the blood stream through the dermal layers, destroying everything that makes the skin have a natural glow. Sulfates not only dry out the skin and hair, but makes them dull and unnatural. Sulfates are simply pulling out too many natural oils, leaving you behind dry, brittle, and irritated. Even makeup removers can contain this toxic chemical and leach into your skin and cause potentially long term damage.
What are the negative effects to the body when using harmful makeup ingredients?
It is not just our exteriors that are damaged when we use sulfates. Our hair and skin are damaged on the exterior but what is happening inside our bodies is even more frightening. SLS penetrates the body through the bloodstream which is basically a super airport to every organ in the human body. Over time, SLS is found in the tissues of many vital organs like the brain, heart, liver. The chemicals also have been known to cause irritation in the eyes and mouth. Cases have reported with long term use and exposure, can cause hair loss, vision problems, and issues with the mouth and gums.
Debunking the Myths about Sulfates – Are they Good or Bad?
We do not know if products without Sulfates are better cleansers or cleaning products. No research has shown that one is better than the other. There is no theoretical proof showing one has more harmful makeup ingredients than the other does. It is important to remember, that if a product is claiming it is sulfate-free, there will be other detergents or cleaning agents added. Many of these sulfate-free products do have their cleaning agents derived from natural products and essential oils. However, some are produced by synthetic materials. It is still very much a consumer beware industry, as many things are not regulated in the cosmetics and beauty industry. It is true that sulfates can be very drying to the face and hair. Also, many develop sensitivities like sensitive skin for example.
Do Hair Care Products With Sulfates Hurt Hair Coloring?
That is a myth. It is a complete myth that using a shampoo product with Sulfates will strip the hair color. In fact, it does no more harm than any other shampoo product.
But are they dangerous? Are sulfates harmful makeup ingredients?
Beside skin and eye irritation and perhaps some acne…no they are not dangerous. Sulfates do not cause cancer, that was proven in 1998 by the American Cancer Society. They were able to debunk the myth that Sulfates caused cancer. Sulfates are okay to use on the skin for brief periods of time only. This could be like a cleanser that you would rinse off shortly after application. It is not recommended for Sulfates to be left on the skin for extended periods of time as studies showed the irritation came after prolonged contact to skin.
But…yes of course there is always a but. The way that SLES is manufactured can potentially contaminate the ingredient with something called 1,4-dioxane. The Environmental Protection Agency advise that 1,4-dioxane is carcinogenic. Carcinogenic means cancer causing. SLS is not manufactured the same way however. So not all Sulfates are created equal.
Are there more types of sulfates?
There are other Sulfates that exist..just because a product states that it is sulfate free…doesn’t mean that it is completely free of sulfates. When a brand states that their product is free of sulfates, they usually mean alkyl Sulfates like SLS and SLES. Like was stated earlier, not all Sulfates are created equal. Sulfates are still used inn shampoos and conditioners and other like products, but they are not the alkyl sulfate like SLS and SLES. Sulfates are needed in products and can actually help reduce breaking and make the skin/hair softer. Often if a company claims they are sulfate free, they are usually talking about SLS or SLES. Some companies swap those two with sodium coco sulfate which at the end of the day is still a sulfate.
Products That Contain Sulfates:
I have discovered a wide variety of products that contain sulfates that you should aware to prevent further exposure. Some of our most common everyday skin and beauty products that contain sulfates are:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body Wash
- Hand Soap
- Face Wash
- Toothpaste
- Moisturizer
Sulfates act a wonderful inexpensive foaming and oil cutting agent that many beauty manufacturer use to enhance the performance of their product. Unfortunately, the studies are beginning to show the negative affects that sulfates have on humans with long term exposure.
Are there any products that offer non Sulfates?
Yes! It is not a myth, it is possible for a product to be completely sulfate free and have non Sulfates. These products do work and will clean the body or the face, but will not have that lather or foam that we are used to. Many companies are using different oils to replace SLS to help with the cleaning process, these oils include:
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Palm Oil
Some alternatives to Sulfates are:
- Glycosides
- Isethionates
- Betaines
Isethionates and Betaines are alternatives to Sulfates, they are very mild on the skin and do provide that lather and bubbles that we look for. Another alternative to Sulfates is something called glycosides which is a sugar based cleaning agent and nontoxic in all forms. However, if you are allergic, this still could cause skin irritation. But that is something you should always be aware of if you have allergies. But without risk of exposure to carcinogens or eye and skin irritation.
Now that you are aware of the dangers associated with sulfates, it is important to use all natural and organic skin care products. For generations people all over the world have used naturally derived skin care ingredients to promote healthy and vibrant skin. Various plant based products that contain potent antioxidants, proteins, amino acids and phytonutrients can be found from your very own home of local market. You can see our post here reviewing and explaining the benefits of these incredible compounds.
If you’re looking for natural skin care products, brands and reviews you can find our full guide here.
***This is not medical advice, this is my opinion. Thank you for visiting!***
