What are sulphates and what are they used for?
Sulphates are cleaning ingredients that are added to products to make them clean and foam. They're also known as surfactants.
They're used in shampoos, soaps, shaving gels, and bubble baths to make them foam up. They're also used in products like dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, carpet cleaners and engine degreasers.
There are different types of sulphates. Some of the common ones are:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
- Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
- Ammonium lauryl sulfate
What's the problem with sulphates?
They're a known irritant, including eye and scalp irritation. SLS appears to damage the eyes, and it appears that when done to young eyes, the damage is permanent.
Research has shown that sulphates be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin.
How do I avoid sulphates?
Choose 'sulphate free' products where possible, and if you're not sure of the ingredients, don't buy the product.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_lauryl_sulfate
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_lauryl_sulfate
http://www.jasoncosmetics.com/sodium_lauryl_sulfate.html
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