Can anyone tell me of any shampoos or bath/shower gels that do not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or Sodium Laureth Sulphate? - From what I have read, and after the experience of a friend of mine, I would like to avoid these 2 compounds. - But most of these toiletries seem to contain the SLS...)o:

TIA

Google is your friend!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=shower+gel+without+Sodium+Lauryl+Sulphate&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

Can you tell me what they do? I have seen these and wondered what they are.

Thank you very much, Kathy.

This was the most scary stuff I read, Yellowrose: http://www.whatisaids.com/cosmetics.htm

Of course there is an easy answer - don't use any of them and then you won't be exposed to any nasty chemicals at all, especially those containing sodium.

If you believe most of that, you are very gullible indeed.

SLS and SDS are indeed used as detergents in labs, and in the 'neat' form, you really don't want to go chucking it around.

In bubblebaths, shampoos etc such detergents are pretty much ubiquitous, but at a rather lower concentration. You just need to check on the reverse of the bottle. It's part of what causes the bubbles and, of course, does the cleaning. Shops like Lush, and I believe also the Body Shop sell products which contain these detergents.

Some people might be hyper-sensitive to certain detergents, but most people don't have a problem.

It's not the sodium ions in the toiletries that I am concerned about, metalman. It's those particular compounds I mentioned.

As my skin is very thin and delicate and very easily becomes sore, ppn, I thought it might be better to be safe than sorry. A friend of mine has had a very nasty consequence (which I shall not give details of) from using shampoo containing SLS.

The Duchy organic range (made by the prince of wales) is SLS free (but quite expensvie); i would guess it is more likely to be organic products that are though.

It's not the sodium ions in the toiletries that I am concerned about, metalman. It's those particular compounds I mentioned.

As my skin is very thin and delicate and very easily becomes sore, ppn, I thought it might be better to be safe than sorry. A friend of mine has had a very nasty consequence (which I shall not give details of) from using shampoo containing SLS.
I can fully understand why someone might want to avoid exposure to something that they're sensitive to. I don't use pefume, or any other product that has that distinctive artificial 'scenty' smell to it (as opposed to the subtle yummy smells of vanilla etc), because I find that they trigger my asthma. It isn't pleasant.

SLS is the stuff that makes stuff foam. End of story. So you are not going to get foaming products without it. Including toothpaste.
The molecules of SLS that are in it are far too large to pass into the skin but by its very nature, it can be drying. This is why you should make sure you moisturise if you like bubble baths and if you have very dry skin avoid them all together and use bath oils instead. Use soap free soap as soap can be very drying as well. There are low sodium toothpastes on the market.
The Body Shop shampoos have low foam levels (the foam doesn't actually clean you but we are conditioned to think it does) and so do Lush's. Also try not to use more than you actually need.

Most of us slapped Voseine on and Head and shoulders throughout the seventies but then again, I remember kids in my class who thought i was weird cos i got washed everyday. (They had bathnight whether they needed it or not!) Surely it is better to smell nice and wash everyday than catch diseases from not washing!

You can find sls/sle-free products here:

www.onegrp.com/?pachamamma

Again, not cheap, but depends how much you value your health.

I have been avoiding bubble bath, bath salts and shower gel for many years because of its drying effect on my important little places, and I suppose the SLS is the thing that doesnt agree. But I can use very mild soap without any ill effects. I still use shampoo of course and that contains it, but I will be looking out for it in future.

Does normal soap (in blocks) contain SLS?

Noticed that Lush's shampoos do contain SLS, my daughter bought a paper from there and the ingredients are helpfully listed.

Yellowrose - soap bars do not contain SLS as far as I know. Some soaps contain sodium hydroxide, which, like SLS, is a very powerful degreaser. I try to avoid soaps which contain sodium hydroxide.

Margarete,

I was perhaps a bit harsh on you there, so I apologise. But if you Google on a bit further past all the scare stories, you actually find the whole thing is a hoax/misunderstanding/malicious rumour mill. Have a look here for instance.

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=50

One problem is that anybody can post any sort of claptrap on the web and people without any scientific knowledge will believe it. For example, look at the site link you posted as the most scary stuff you found. It says this:

Sodium lauryl sulphate is sodium laureth sulphate chemically combined with ethylene oxide to form larger molecules. Why on earth should anyone be concerned about the size of the molecules? Well, one reason is because small molecules, such as those of sodium laureth sulphate can pass through skin into the body where they enter the blood stream and build up in the internal organs - especially the brain and kidneys. Bearing in mind what sodium laureth sulphate does to the comparatively tough skin, I hate to think what it can do to the gentle internal organs.

Except of course that he's got it the wrong way round. Sodium laureth sulphate is actually sodium lauryl sulphate combined with a poly(ethylene oxide) chain, and consequently sodium laureth sulphate is actually a much bigger molecule than the lauryl sulphate, which only has 12 carbon atoms in. So how can you believe any of the rest of the claims on there? According to a related website I found, apparently SLS and SLES cause AIDS as well... I think not.

There's no doubt that both these things are detergents and they're both skin irritants, and some people will be sensitised to them in the same way they could be sensitised to any other chemical, natural or artificial, that they encounter. If that's you, then by all means avoid them and your problems should be over. But I wouldn't say there's any grounds for avoiding them because someone you know has a reaction to them, any more than you would avoid flowers because your friend gets hay fever.

Metalman

I of course accept your apology. As a former science teacher I can affirm that I am by no means gullible.

I was distressed to hear of the damage my friend had experienced from using shampoo containing SLS and so I started this thread hoping someone would know of SLS-free toiletries easily available in High Street shops, actually. People often buy me shower gels, etc as Christmas presents and it would be nice to be able to say that I'd prefer such and such sort for preference. I already use as little as possible of all detergents, including soap, because as a steroid victim my skin is exceptionally thin and delicate, but it isn't really possible to get by washing with water alone.

We can all choose to buy or not to buy any toiletries legally on sale. It seems rather extreme and uncalled for to me for others to choose to sit in judgment about individual decisions made in accord with personal circumstances.

Sorry!

It's just one of my pet hates that people can set up websites accusing chemicals (which of course are always synthetic chemicals, never natural ones) of all sorts of nasty effects without a shred of evidence to back it up.

I certainly didn't mean to take away your choice or sit in judgement on you.

Getting off subject slightly do you know what crap they use in baby wipes??

I once heard de-icer was used as this is what keeps them cold and fresh!

I have just read the Ingredients and found something called Methylparaben which has also been linked to that Deodorant-cancer scare! :o

Surely though if things used in baby wipes/bubble bath/shampoo was extremley harmful they wouldn't allow us to use them on children :huh:

Getting off subject slightly do you know what crap they use in baby wipes??

I once heard de-icer was used as this is what keeps them cold and fresh!

I have just read the Ingredients and found something called Methylparaben which has also been linked to that Deodorant-cancer scare! :o

Surely though if things used in baby wipes/bubble bath/shampoo was extremley harmful they wouldn't allow us to use them on children :huh:

The nursing medical profession has just started to realise the dangers of using products on new born babies and now advise that babies under 6 months old are now only washed with water. No baby lotion, talc, wipes etc - nothing - just warm water.

I only use 100% chemical free products. Having suffered from eczema all my life this is the only way I have found to keep my skin healthy.

The multi-nationals that produce our products are very powerful and work hard to keep us in the dark about the ingredients in our products.

Have a look at this list of chemicals found in skin care and the effects they have been reported to have: http://www.onegrp.com/LoadPage.aspx?SessionID=509180602&ID=education

Suma sells a sls free shampoo very cheaply, The next most reasonably priced shampoo and conditioner is faith in nature. You can buy sls free soap base and very easily make your own soap base - simply heat the soapbase in the microwave - not like making a jelly really - add a few drops of chosen essential oil or if you wanted completely natural you wouldn't even need to perfume it or even melt it. Dr Bronners soap is quite expensive but contains nothing nasty at all so the soap base is the cheapest option.

Many soaps even though they claim to be natural do contain some sls - very small quantities compared to the stuff that you'd buy in the supermarket though.

You can buy sls free toothpaste - Weleda do one for children - kngfisher do an adults toothpaste but without checking i can't state that it doesn't contain sls - it si the product that makes the product foam but it is also used to hold the ingredients of a formula hold together.

Also there are quite a few sulphates which, when abbreviated would abreviate to SLS - not all of them are bad so you need to understand which sulphates are which - something that confused me recently.

SLS is also found in washing powder- Eco balls are an alternative and very economical over time or soapnuts which are becoming very popular. Soapnuts for those who have time can also be used to make homemade shampoo but as most people don't have time then i'd recommend suma at £1.69 as being the cheapest and then the Faith - a bigger bottle than the suma so probably just as economical - erm best go get that listed today, anyway i am using it and i like it a lot.

Halos and horns also sells childrens products however, i found these very drying and my kids hair turned into masses of luggy knots - the fact that Tesco was selling it and has now stopped stocking it tells me that it wasn't a huge hit - their bath gel isn't too bad though.

HTH

babs

Just read the post above about the crap in baby wipes - they are horrendous - as is johnsons no more tears which, i have read contains an anasthetic in their no tears formula - so the sopa will still sting but the anasthetic reduces the pain - well its supposed to, try getting it in your eyes as i did - still stung.

I am just looking into stocking washable wipes - simple little pads of fabric which you simply wet and use - these can then be washed alsong with the nappies - they can be soaked in a solution of water and tea tree to kill germs pre wash if used on the bottom. You can get them for 32p each from happyclappynappy.co.uk who is closing down so slightly cheaper - or you could make some yourself - whichever way they will save a fortune because they are reusable over and over and contain nothing nasty. They come in different patterns too so you could buy one pattern for face and hands and one for bums - loads cheaper than flannels.

Alternatively you could store them in a plastic lidded box with water already added so they are more convenient to use - a bit more faffing than the convenience of baby wipes but the benefits for your baby and your pocket far outweight that.

I agree that using no product on a baby is better than using chemical filled products - i swamped my first two with products, i used nothing on my third once i realised the dangers - i now use Bronners or handmade soap on my youngest who at 3 does seem to get greasy and very dirty.

babs