sodium lauryl sulfate

noun

sodium lau·​ryl sulfate -ˈlȯr-əl- 

-ˈlär-

: the crystalline sodium salt C₁₂H₂₅NaO₄S of sulfated lauryl alcohol

also : a mixture of sulfates of sodium consisting principally of this salt and used as a detergent, wetting agent, and emulsifying agent (as in toothpastes, ointments, and shampoos)

Examples of sodium lauryl sulfate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ingredients to watch out for that cause foam are sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine, Rossi says. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 3 Mar. 2025

Chemical soaps and harsh cleansers have ingredients—such as foaming agents like sodium lauryl sulfate—that disrupt the fats in the epidermis, damaging and irritating the physical layer of protection. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025

People with oily scalps may benefit from shampoos containing sulfates, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which cleanse excess oil. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 5 Feb. 2025

In response to the clean movement’s rise many hair-care brands, especially mid-range and luxury brands, removed silicones and certain sulfates, particularly sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), from their formulas throughout the 2010s. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sodium lauryl sulfate

• acetoacetate
• macroinvertebrate
• oxaloacetate
• phosphoenolpyruvate
• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate

Medical Definition

sodium lauryl sulfate

noun

: the crystalline sodium salt C₁₂H₂₅NaO₄S of sulfated lauryl alcohol

also : a mixture of sulfates of sodium consisting principally of this salt and used as a detergent, wetting, and emulsifying agent (as in toothpastes, ointments, and shampoos)