Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
The question

Is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) safe in shampoo?

CautionShampoo

Milder than SLS but can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane (a probable carcinogen) during manufacturing.

What the research flags

  • 1,4-dioxane contamination — probable carcinogen (EPA Group B2)
  • Skin irritation at high concentrations
  • Environmental persistence

Regulatory
Ethoxylation may introduce 1,4-dioxane (IARC Group 2B) as impurity

Other shampoo ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 706121-SODIUM_LAURETH_SULFATE
  2. [2]
    RegulatoryUS federal agency — 14-dioxane-cosmetics
  3. [3]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 28631307

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific shampoo product. This is not medical advice.