'Hey Marcel, why do you use SLS?' A frequently recurring question in our mailbox. To get straight to the point: Marcel's Green Soap never uses SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), but it does use SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate). We are happy to tell you what the difference is between these sulphates and why we use SLES in some products.
What do sulfates do?
Anyone who says 'sulphate' spontaneously gets dry skin. Because that has been the image of this foam-forming substance in recent years. Sulfates are often used in shampoo, soap, detergents, toothpaste, facial cleansers, shaving cream, etc. In short: in everything that foams nicely. The surfactant ensures that grease and dirt are dissolved and removed. Sounds good, right?! But the problem is that sulphates actually do their job too well, meaning that (when used regularly) they not only dissolve grease and dirt, but also damage the skin's natural protective layer. This can cause irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and - especially - SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) are common sulfates in shampoos and other care products. The fact that these abbreviations and names are very similar sometimes causes confusion.
What is the difference between SLS and SLES?
Don't worry, we won't make this a difficult chemistry lesson: SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) are both surfactants* that ensure that the caring properties of a product can do their job better. The sulfates also have a foam-forming effect, making it easier to distribute and rinse your shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste, soap and other care products. Although both substances have a cleansing and foaming effect, SLES is much milder for your skin and hair than SLS. SLS is not often found in personal care products, but SLES is. This also applies to some Marcel's Green Soap products.
*Surfactants, also called detergents or surfactants, ensure that grease and dirt are dissolved and removed into the water.
As sustainable as possible
At Marcel's Green Soap we are always looking for ways to make our products even more sustainable and better, without sacrificing the wonderful scent and ease of use. All our products are - of course - microplastic-free and our range of palm oil-free products is increasing. In addition, all our packaging is made from 100% recycled plastic. But now we hear you thinking: why is there sulphate in your products?
Some of our products contain a small amount of SLES (and therefore no SLS). We use this sulphate to make our hand soaps , shampoos and shower gels foam nicely and to strengthen the cleaning effect. The SLES variant we use is extra mild - unfortunately you can't tell from the name on the label - and we have also added moisturizing ingredients - such as aloe vera and vegetable glycerine - that counteract the somewhat drying effect. We choose to use sulphate because there is no more sustainable and well-functioning alternative yet. If you replace this (synthetic) substance with a natural ingredient, you may need 8x more raw materials for the shampoo, soap or shower gel to be just as effective. And because sustainability is our number 1 priority, that is not the solution. In addition, the mild SLES variant that we use in small quantities cannot really harm your skin and hair (with normal use).
Pssst… would you rather be sulphate-free? Our shampoo bars , conditioner bars and body bars are sulfate-free (and (micro)plastic-free, palm oil-free and silicone-free).
Sources:
https://waarzitwatin.nl/stoffen/natrium-laureth-sulfaat
https://waarzitwatin.nl/stoffen/natrium-lauryl-sulfaat
