Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

There are a lot of thoughts and opinions about sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and its use in personal care products. At Wondercide, we stand behind the scientific research that supports that SLS is an effective ingredient for use in plant-powered products for pets and their people.

WHAT IS SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE?

While commonly found in shampoos, toothpaste, cosmetics, and cleaning products, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is a surfactant, typically used to break water tension. Why is it in a bug spray? In Wondercide’s pest control products that protect pets and their people from pests (can you say that 5 times?), it allows the essential oils (that give the product its powerful ability to fight bugs) to mix with water and remain stable. Because, you know, oil and water – they don’t mix! We only use SLS that is plant-powered from coconut oil (renewable, plant-powered material resources) and never from petroleum.

SLS has been used safely for years in thousands of personal care products for both people and pets. And, in Flea & Tick Control for Pets + Home, we’ve only included the minimum amount of SLS for its purpose, which is well below the amount found in everyday products like shampoo. You may have heard that SLS is a skin irritant in household products, and that is true at high concentrations. In a bottle of shampoo, for example, SLS may account for up to 30% of the ingredients in the bottle, where a cleaning product may contain up to 90%. Wondercide’s Flea & Tick Control for Pets + Home contains only 2.2% SLS. So, it’s formulated and pH balanced for your pet’s skin, as well as yours.

IS SLS SAFE?

Wondercide sources SLS that is plant-powered. SLS has no known toxicity (though, it’s easy to find differing opinions), and research from the American Cancer Society indicates that SLS is not carcinogenic (cancer causing) nor is it a hormone or endocrine disruptor. It is given the lowest rating of health concern, 1-2 on a scale of 1-10, in the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Skin Deep database for personal care products. It’s a scale that many people trust to help them make decisions on products they will use in their homes.

Also, the EPEA (Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency) completed an in-depth material assessment of SLS and determined that SLS is not carcinogenic, not developmentally harmful, and is compatible with water treatment systems. We avoid using SLS unbuffered and at high concentrations, due to the potential skin irritation consideration, but otherwise find no concerns to health or the environment.

Wondercide is working to infuse more transparency into our brand, as we share where each of our ingredients comes from and why each one is in the product. We hand picked ingredients that are derived from good things like seeds, fruits, veggies, herbs, and trees. To learn more about the ingredients in our product, visit our ingredients page.

DO OTHER PLANT-POWERED FLEA AND TICK SPRAYS CONTAIN SLS?

Yes, all the leading brands of plant-powered flea & tick sprays contain SLS. So do most of the liquid shampoos, with concentration levels that are up to 10x what is used in Wondercide Flea & Tick Control for Pet + Home.

*When used as directed.