What does SLS free mean? How to read a shower gel label

What does SLS free mean? It means the product is made without sodium lauryl sulfate, a cheap and strong foaming agent that some people find drying. It does not mean the product does not lather, just that it uses different cleansers to do it.

SLS is one of a few things worth knowing on the back of a bottle. Here is how to read the rest in about ten seconds.

Quick answer

• Ingredients are listed from the biggest amount to the smallest.
• SLS is a strong foaming agent. SLS-free means it is not used.
• SLES is a different ingredient to SLS.
• pH 7 is neutral. Skin is slightly acidic. 5.5 is close to it.
• "Parfum" is the whole scent in one word.

How to read a shower gel label

On cosmetics sold in the UK, ingredients are listed in order of amount, biggest first. Water is usually top. The next few lines are the cleansers, which tell you most of what the product is.

Towards the bottom you get the small stuff: preservatives, scent, colour and anything added in tiny amounts.

You do not need to know what every ingredient is. Knowing the order, and spotting a few names you recognise, gets you most of the way.

SLS: what it is and why people avoid it

SLS, or sodium lauryl sulfate, is a foaming cleanser. It is cheap, it works and it makes a lot of lather, which is why it turns up in plenty of products.

It is also strong, and some people find it leaves their skin feeling dry or tight. That is why some brands leave it out and say so on the label.

SLS vs SLES

SLES, sodium laureth sulfate, sounds the same and is often confused with it. It is a different ingredient. If a label says SLS-free, check whether SLES is in the list, because that tells you more about what is actually doing the cleaning.

What does pH 5.5 mean?

The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. Seven is neutral. Below seven is acidic, above is alkaline.

The surface of your skin is slightly acidic, which is why you see pH 5.5 on some labels. It is a way of saying the product sits close to your skin rather than far off in either direction.

A product's pH is not always printed on the label. If it matters to you and you cannot see it, the brand should be able to tell you.

Parabens, vegan and the rest

• Parabens are preservatives. Some people prefer products without them, so brands that leave them out tend to say so.
• Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients.
• Parfum or fragrance covers the whole scent in one word, however many ingredients are behind it.

To put that into practice: GUYSTUFF Original shower gel is pH 5.5, made without SLS or parabens, vegan-friendly, with plant-derived cleansers from coconut and glucose. It is independently safety assessed and made in the UK.

FAQ

Is SLS bad for you?

It is widely used and permitted in cosmetics. Some people find it drying, which is why SLS-free options exist. If you have a skin condition, ask a pharmacist or GP what to look for.

Does SLS-free shower gel still lather?

Yes. It uses other cleansers to do the job. The lather can feel a little different.

What does paraben free mean?

It means parabens are not used as the preservative. A different preservative is used instead, because water-based products need one.

Why is water the first ingredient?

Because there is more of it than anything else. That is normal for a shower gel.

Ten seconds on the back of the bottle tells you more than the front ever will. If you want to start with ours, have a look at GUYSTUFF Original.