Sodium Lauryl Sulfate how much so you use?

So what is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate? 

(SLS), SLS is an inexpensive chemcical added to shampoo and cosmetics to generate lots of bubbles and lather. This a cheap chemical is also found in your toothpaste, engine degreasers and house hold cleaning products. But does this mean that this product is bad?

SlS is a surfactant which means that it is a cleaner that sticks to a surface and cleans it. The molcules in SLS are hydrophilc (loves water) and hydropobic (hates water). This two forces work together, this is why it makes it such a good degreaser, as these two forces the water hating (hydrophilc) and water loving (hydropobic  plus the act of washing your hair loosens the dirt and grease and gets suspended it in water, which rinses out down your drain. 


But have you thought about this? Could you be washing your hair too much? SLS is  good at removing dirt and grease. The shampoo adds will always encourage you to wash your hair daily. Have you read on the back of shampoos most bottles say suitable for frequent use. But have you questioned what is frequent use to the individual consumer? Some people will wash their hair every day, some once a week or some people every other day (such as myself). So could your reaction to SLS just be that you are washing your hair too much?


So how much SLS is in your shampoo? it could be as much as 15% , this is depending on different brands and different laws and guidelines. Does this 15% pose a risk to your skin ?  Firstly the concentration of of SLS is a lot less than what would be in floor cleaner. This product will irritate your eyes and skin and some people will have a genuine reaction to SLS, this could be due SLS's high alkalinity and to foam heavily. Foam is not needed at all to clean your hair it just is makes the product more appealing.