Ammonium lauryl Sulfate, ALS for short, is a popular surfactant found in beauty products that have cleansing properties.

You might be surprised to hear that ALS often appears on the “avoid list” of product ingredients. But, scientific studies have shown that it is safe in low concentrations or in products that are washed off the body. So, should you be concerned about it?

What Is ALS?

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate is a foaming agent found in many beauty products. Its primary role is to act as a foaming agent in products, allowing you to lather them evenly onto the skin or hair.

Naturally, ALS occurs in coconut and palm oil. However, the formula found in most beauty care products is lab-made.

Other names for ALS include monododecyl ester, ammonium salt, and ammonium dodecyl sulfate.

What Does It Do?

Ammonium lauryl sulfate acts as a surfactant that binds with water to loosen and lift oily dirt from your hair or skin.

It cannot do this without stripping oils from your skin or hair. So, it can dehydrate your skin or hair.

Sulfates have become notorious lately, especially in the clean beauty community, due to their drying effects. They also have potential health hazards when used in high quantities or concentrations, if they contact the eyes, or when ingested orally.

Products must have a concentration of 1% or less to mitigate any potential adverse effects.

Which Products Contain Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate?

You can find it in cleansing products like: 

  • Shampoos
  • Face wash cleansers
  • Toothpaste
  • Household detergents

What Purposes Is It Good For?

  • Effectively lifts off unwanted dirt and debris on the skin and hair.
  • Improves foam-forming in cleansing products.
  • Has extensive lathering effects. 
  • A shampoo that contains ALS effectively removes product buildup. 
  • Does not cause redness and skin irritation because it comprises a larger molecule that does not pass through the outer layer of the skin (epidermis)

Is ALS Safe To Use?

Evidence shows that the formula is safe to use except under the following conditions:

  • If you have unhealthy, dry, or sensitive skin, you should not use products with ALS as it can strip away necessary skin oils. It is also unsuitable for people with diseases like eczema and psoriasis, which already cause dry skin and flake the scalp.
  • If you have breakage-prone hair, avoid using shampoos or hair care products with this ingredient.
  • It is unsafe for contact with the eyes and may cause long-term degenerative side effects.

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS) vs Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)

ALS and SLS are both classified as anionic surfactant sulfates. Although they sound similar, SLS has harsher effects on the skin than ALS.

SLS comprises a tiny molecule that easily penetrates the skin when cleansing and reaches a delicate layer of skin cells. Reaching delicate skin layers can lead to redness and skin irritation.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is also notorious for its drying and skin irritation side effects. Plus, it has a high chance of cross-contamination by known carcinogens, namely ethylene oxide and 1,4 dioxane.

On the other hand, ALS is made up of a larger molecule that does not penetrate deeply into the skin. It is less likely to cause skin irritations and erythema in people with healthy skin.

The harmful effects of some sulfates like SLS have resulted in the increased demand for sulfate-free shampoos and skin cleansers. This is despite the fact that some sulfates treat skin and hair more gently than SLS.

Summary

Ammonium lauryl sulfate is an effective cleansing surfactant found in plenty of beauty products. It is popularly formulated for use in beauty products because of its foam-forming and lathering characteristics.

Possible side effects of using ALS include dry and flaky skin. This is because, while removing debris, it also removes necessary skin oils. For the same reason, when used in hair, products containing ALS may result in damaged and brittle hair.

Although most people with healthy skin may get away with using ALS beauty products, we do not recommend it for people with skin ailments like eczema. 

If you suffer from dehydrated skin or dry skin conditions, you should definitely try to avoid this ingredient in your cosmetic products. But if you’re trying to decide between an ALS or SLS product, then ALS is your better pick!