Sodium lauryl sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfate creates a gentle lather in serums that cleans the surface of most skin types. This dependable cleanser suits everyday routines well when kept apart from benzoyl peroxide and retinol. Selecting this ingredient brings clean, reliable results to your daily regimen.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Pharmaceutics, 2021Inflammation Research, 2010
This page shows sodium lauryl sulfate products with a Lovi page. For every product, and a routine built for your skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular sodium lauryl sulfate products
- Ialuset Hyaluronic Acid Cream
What to combine sodium lauryl sulfate with
| Ingredient | Together | How to use them |
|---|---|---|
 Benzoyl peroxide |
Keep apart | Use them at different times of day, applying the cleanser first and the benzoyl peroxide later, because combining them causes severe skin dryness. Sodium lauryl sulfate and benzoyl peroxide |
 Retinol |
Keep apart | Use them on alternate nights, applying retinol on one night and sodium lauryl sulfate on the other, because combining them causes skin irritation. Sodium lauryl sulfate and retinol |
From the ingredient rules behind the "Works well with" and "Don't mix with" notes on every product in the Lovi app.
Questions and answers
What does sodium lauryl sulfate do for the skin?
Sodium lauryl sulfate is a cleanser that removes dirt and oil, but it may disrupt the skin barrier and induce local skin irritation. Repeated exposure to sodium lauryl sulfate alters keratinocyte differentiation markers during the skin repair phase.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Inflammation Research, 2010
How do you use sodium lauryl sulfate?
Sodium lauryl sulfate may cause skin irritation, so it is important to keep it apart from retinol by using them on alternate nights. Similarly, keep sodium lauryl sulfate apart from benzoyl peroxide by using them at different times of day with the cleanser first, because combining them causes severe skin dryness.
Should you use sodium lauryl sulfate in the morning or at night?
When using sodium lauryl sulfate alongside benzoyl peroxide, apply the cleanser first in the morning or at a different time of day and use the benzoyl peroxide later to prevent severe skin dryness. When pairing it with retinol, use them on alternate nights to avoid skin irritation.
Can you use sodium lauryl sulfate every day?
Sodium lauryl sulfate may cause skin barrier disruption and inflammation with frequent use, so you should monitor how your skin reacts. Daily use depends on your skin's tolerance and whether you combine it with irritating ingredients.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Inflammation Research, 2010
Does sodium lauryl sulfate cause purging or irritation?
Sodium lauryl sulfate may cause skin irritation because it disrupts the skin barrier and induces local inflammation. It is unlikely to cause purging, as that is a process associated with cell-turnover accelerators rather than surfactants.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Inflammation Research, 2010
Which skin types is sodium lauryl sulfate best for?
Sodium lauryl sulfate may cause skin irritation and barrier disruption, so it is unlikely to be best for sensitive skin types.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Can you use sodium lauryl sulfate with benzoyl peroxide?
You should keep sodium lauryl sulfate and benzoyl peroxide apart by using them at different times of day, applying the cleanser first and the benzoyl peroxide later, because combining them causes severe skin dryness.
Research on sodium lauryl sulfate
Behind this ingredient guide
Lovi checks every ingredient with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.
