Decoded Korea

"Sulfate-free" is printed on shampoo bottles, body washes, facial cleansers, and toothpaste. The marketing message is the same one behind "paraben-free" — these ingredients are bad, and this product does not have them. We checked the two most feared sulfates — Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) — across our 10-country regulatory database. Neither one has a single regulatory restriction in any country we track. The sulfates that are actually regulated? Most consumers have never heard of them. What sulfates are Sulfates are surfactants — they make products foam and help remove oil and dirt from skin and hair. SLS and SLES are the two most common sulfates in personal care products. SLS is the stronger cleanser; SLES is a milder, modified version. The concern about sulfates is that they can strip natural oils from skin and hair, causing dryness and irritation — especially for people with sensitive skin, eczema, or color-treated hair. Th...