Understanding SLS/SLES Sensitivity in Laundry Detergent

Regarding your question about sensitivity to SLS and the use of SLES, it's important to understand the difference between allergy and irritation.

• Irritation is a reaction that can happen to anyone, depending on the concentration and contact time of a substance. Both SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) are known irritants, with SLS generally being more irritating than SLES. Using them at appropriate, low concentrations can minimize irritation.
• Allergy is an immune system response that is specific to an individual. If you have a true allergy to SLS, which is a sulfate, there is a high chance you may also be allergic to SLES, as it belongs to the same chemical group. The fact that you experience symptoms from laundry detergent containing SLS, even after rinsing, suggests it might be an allergic reaction rather than just irritation.

Given the potential for cross-reactivity in allergies, using SLES might still cause a reaction if you are truly allergic to SLS. While SLES is less irritating, it's still a sulfate.

Alternatives for SLS/SLES-Free Laundry Detergent

While we don't have a specific pre-formulated laundry detergent recipe without these ingredients, you can formulate one using milder surfactants. These alternatives are often used in gentle personal care products and can be suitable for creating a less irritating laundry wash.

Here are some mild surfactant options you could consider:

• Mild-Wash L™ (Sodium Lauroamphoacetate) and Mild-Wash C™ (Sodium Cocoamphoacetate): These are extra gentle, amphoteric surfactants that are biodegradable.
• IseFoam™ (Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate): A gentle anionic surfactant known for good foam.
• Powderly Foam™ (Potassium Laureth Phosphate): A gentle, sulfate-free anionic surfactant.
• Sophorolipid (Natural Surfactant, 50%): A natural, gentle surfactant derived from fermentation.
• Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Potassium Myristoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Taurate, and Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate: These are highly gentle anionic surfactants derived from amino acids.

These ingredients can be combined to create a gentle cleaning base for laundry detergent, suitable for those sensitive to traditional sulfates like SLS and SLES.