Sodium lauryl sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfate is an anionic surfactant made by sulfating lauryl alcohol (C12, often a C12-14 cut from coconut or palm kernel oil, or from petrochemical sources) with sulfur trioxide and neutralizing with sodium hydroxide. It produces strong foam and is used in shampoos, body washes, toothpastes and bath products. Brands buy it as a roughly 30% aqueous solution, or as a dry powder, needles or noodles of about 90% or more active.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Aqueous solution in drums or totes, easy to pump and the usual form for washes and shampoos.
Dry high-active forms for toothpaste, bath bombs and powders; needles and noodles make less dust than fine powder.
Material meeting the compendial monograph, used in toothpaste and pharmaceutical products.
Grades from natural fatty alcohol sources, with RSPO certification available for palm-based supply.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store liquid SLS closed at 15 to 30 °C; it can thicken, haze or separate when cold and is warmed and mixed before use. Keep powder and needles sealed and dry, since they absorb moisture and the dust irritates airways during handling. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with a retest of active matter, pH and micro for older liquid stock.
Active matter and salt content vary slightly by lot and change how much SLS a batch needs and how it thickens, so record both and adjust the batch formula if needed. Use liquid stock FIFO because the preservative system has a limited life.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.822 permits sodium lauryl sulfate in food under set conditions, including a minimum content of 90 percent sodium alkyl sulfates, for uses such as an emulsifier in egg whites and a whipping agent in marshmallow gelatin.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists sodium lauryl sulfate for topical use up to 50% in rinse-off products and up to 1% in leave-on products, citing CIR.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The same database entry lists an acceptable daily intake of up to 0.86 mg/kg bw/day.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses permits sodium lauryl sulphate as a whipping agent in dried egg-white.
Source: canada.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Navi Mumbai, India
Indian producer of surfactants and specialty care ingredients, including sulfates, mild amino-acid and glucoside surfactants, emollient esters and UV filters for personal and home care.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include liquid (about 28 to 30% active), powder or needles (90% or more), uSP-NF / pharmaceutical grade and coconut- or palm-derived. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect active matter, unsulfated alcohol, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate, alkyl chain distribution, pH and microbiology and preservative, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store liquid SLS closed at 15 to 30 °C; it can thicken, haze or separate when cold and is warmed and mixed before use. Keep powder and needles sealed and dry, since they absorb moisture and the dust irritates airways during handling. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with a retest of active matter, pH and micro for older liquid stock.
21 CFR 172.822 permits sodium lauryl sulfate in food under set conditions, including a minimum content of 90 percent sodium alkyl sulfates, for uses such as an emulsifier in egg whites and a whipping agent in marshmallow gelatin. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists sodium lauryl sulfate for topical use up to 50% in rinse-off products and up to 1% in leave-on products, citing CIR. The same database entry lists an acceptable daily intake of up to 0.86 mg/kg bw/day. Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses permits sodium lauryl sulphate as a whipping agent in dried egg-white.
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