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Why Sulfate Free?
By Wendy Esko

If you go to a supermarket or natural food store and read the label on a bottle of shampoo, chances are you will see Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) at the top of the ingredient list. SLS is used in over a thousand cosmetic products, including shampoo, liquid soap, toothpaste, and skin lotion. Ninety percent of shampoos and toothpastes contain it, including many sold in natural food stores.

Aubrey Hampton, a pioneer in the natural cosmetics industry, has stated that SLS is not a natural ingredient and products containing it should not be labeled as "natural." SLS is a white powder that is used as an inexpensive detergent because it produces plenty of foam and bubbles. SLS is a strong degreaser that dries skin and hair. It is also an irritant. Harry Terhanian, another pioneer in the natural body care industry, describes the effects of SLS as follows:

"A shampoo containing 15% SLS is mainly tolerable because it comes in contact with the scalp for only a few minutes. It [SLS] is used in clinical studies to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested. It is a caustic cleaner and corrodes hair so thoroughly, it strips protective lipids from the surface of the scalp, impeding its ability to regulate moisture, so that in order to manage it, you have to pour on a chemical conditioner."

The material safety data sheet for SLS states that it is harmful if left on the skin too long, inhaled, or swallowed. SLS can also harm the eyes. It can accumulate in the eyes and is suspected as a cause of cataracts. Even if a shampoo contains some natural ingredients, these don't cancel the irritating action of SLS.

Although it is considered non-carcinogenic by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), SLS is a subject of controversy among scientists. SLS is systemic, which means it is absorbed through the skin and stored in the internal organs. There is evidence that SLS accumulates in the lungs, liver, and brain, with the potential to cause problems in these organs. SLS is also suspected of producing a potentially carcinogenic effect when it interacts with other nitrogen compounds in shampoo, forming nitrosamines.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a milder version of SLS with many similar effects. It is used in concrete cleansers and engine degreasers, as well as in many shampoos.

SLS and SLES are not the only problematic ingredients in shampoo and body care products. Samuel Epstein, M.D., a toxicologist at the University of Illinois, has stated that Diethanolamine or DEA (often appearing in shampoo as "Cocamide DEA") is a suspected carcinogen. These concerns led European governments and companies to begin a phaseout of DEA in the 1980s.

Propylene Glycol (PG) is used in shampoo and bath products to provide a smooth feel and prevent the product from drying. The American Academy of Dermatologists has found that PG may cause dermatitis, kidney and liver problems, dry skin, and rashes. PG forms a chemical film on the skin, giving a sensation of moisture. However, PG blocks the skin from exchanging moisture and energy with the surrounding environment. The skin is a major organ of discharge. PG blocks the smooth discharge of toxins through the skin.

In 1989, I co-authored the book Diet for Natural Beauty with Aveline Kushi and Maya Tiwari. In it we explain how the modern diet, especially the reliance on animal foods that are high in fat, is a major contributor to problems with the skin an hair, and how a plant-based, macrobiotic way of eating can restore the skin and hair to a condition of natural health and beauty.

While researching Diet for Natural Beauty, I became interested in natural skin, hair, and body care products. Several years later, my husband Edward and I started KINA, a natural products company dedicated to personal and planetary health. We began producing natural soaps under the Ki Essentials label. ("Ki" is Japanese for "life energy.") Along with bar soaps, we introduced liquid glycerin soaps made without SLS, SLES, PG, or other synthetic ingredients. Our sulfate-free liquid soaps are made from pure plant oils and extracts, without artificial colors or fragrances. Their fragrances come from natural essential oils such as peppermint, lavandin (a hybrid of lavender), rosemary, orange, and lemon.

Ki Essentials soaps are available through macrobiotic mail order catalogues and on the Internet through eMacrobiotics. They are featured at the Kushi Institute and the Vega Study Center, and are available in natural foods stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Singapore, and Australia. In order to distinguish these all natural soaps from other "natural" products that use ingredients like SLS and SLES, we created a logo that appears on our product labels. The logo states plainly, "All Natural/No Sulfates."

Over the past year, we have received many requests for sulfate-free shampoo, and recently we introduced two varieties: Herbal Mint Shampoo and Lavender Aloe Shampoo. Like our soaps, Ki Essentials shampoos contain no artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, DEA, or sulfates. They are free of animal by-products and PG. Their fragrances come from blends of natural essential oils, which have beneficial properties for the skin and hair. Both contain a natural wheat protein conditioner, and both are packaged in recyclable HDPE bottles. The "All Natural/No Sulfates" logo appears on the label of both products.

It is important for natural product consumers to be well-educated. Many food and personal care products labeled as "natural" contain ingredients that are not necessarily compatible with health or with nature. Be sure to read and understand the ingredients in the products you buy. As does your daily food, the products you use on your skin and hair play a vital role in your health and well being.