SLS and SLES

It’s not an airline of some Scandinavian country. It’s not a new way of sending text messages. And it’s also not a "safety learning school."

So what exactly is SLS? And what is SLES? What’s the difference between them? And why are we making a big deal about them?

SLS (Sodium Lauryl sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate ) are surfactants – wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid such as water, allowing for better penetration of the liquid and thus acting as primary cleaning agents in many formulations.

SLS and SLES are very commonly used in household products such as toothpaste, shampoo, bubble bath and all sorts of cleaners. They are also very often used in "natural" cleaning products since both SLS and SLES can be coconut derived.

So what’s the problem?

SLS is an irritant. According to the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, "studies at Georgia Medical College indicated that SLS kept young eyes from developing by possibly denaturing the proteins and not allowing for proper structural formation. This damage was permanent." The journal also states that "other research has indicated that SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin." The article explains that "skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties."

In order to make SLS less irritating, it is often ethoxylated, resulting in the modified, far less irritating compound of SLES. Unfortunately, this process of ethoxylation, creates small amounts of the carcinogenic byproduct 1,4 dioxane – something we talked about in greater detail in a previous post on our blog.

How do you avoid SLS and SLES?
For starters, you should look at the ingredient list of the products you buy. You want to look for products that are free of SLS and SLES. Many natural cleaners do contain SLS or SLES – so you need to check natural products as well.

If you have a question regarding a certain product, you may want to try their customer support line, they are often very helpful. They should know what Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate are and can direct you as to whether their product contains either.

Cute and Little! Our Illustrations

Dapple was created by two moms, Dana and Tamar, when they couldn't find any natural cleaners that would safely and effectively clean their daughter's baby bottles. Being moms themselves, they created Dapple with the knowledge of all the little details that matter the most to moms. Dapple Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid has an extra-large pump head to enable mom's with no free hands to "dish out" the Dish Liquid (heh heh) with an elbow, an arm or even a little hand. The Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid formula is low-suds so busy moms don't have to spend a while rinsing their baby bottles. The harshest chemical we use is baking soda, letting moms who worry too much, worry a lot less. These are just some of the features that really sets Dapple apart from other organic baby products.
Our old labels were very informative and detailed, but for a mom who needs to make a fast decision on the fly, all the detail might have been a little superfluous. Our new Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid label features cute, little illustrations that help moms really understand what we do best!

Baby Bottles - Dapple Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid is formulated specifically to remove milk film and odor from baby bottles. It is how we all started!
Sippy Cups - Our Dish Liquid isn't just for babies, you can use it for toddlers too!
Pacifiers - The peace of mind that anything you clean with Dapple is safe for even the most sensitive mouths!
Breast Pumps - Get's out that milk film and odor from all those hard to reach nooks and crannies!
Grown-Up Dishes - Dapple Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid is so effective, it works great on all dishes!
Pots and Pans - Strong enough to handle even the messiest pan, but still gentle enough to use for babies!