Hi, I'm Dawn, founder of Glow Until Dawn, and I'm here to help you navigate the world of toxins hiding in your everyday products. Many common household items contain harmful chemicals that can have long-term effects on your health.

Just about 7 years ago I had a profound experience where after learning about SLS found in shampoo, body wash, face wash, hand wash, and many household cleaners. I identified every product I used, many multiple times a day, that contained SLS and replaced them with "clean" versions.

After three months of detoxing from the high levels I had in my system, I stopped having migraines. You heard that right, I stopped having migraines. Prior to that, I had chronic migraines starting when I was just 4 years old. I would have 25 or more every month and even with insurance coverage had spent thousands and thousands of dollars for medicine that I hoped would help. It was debilitating. I haven't filled a migraine medicine prescription in almost 7 years. It's been life changing and it's driven me to found this organization to provide safe alternatives to the bad stuff on the shelves at honest prices that make our products accessible to all. 

That's why I want you to know what to look for on the products in your bathroom and home, so you can decide what level of exposure is acceptable to you. The more we learn about toxins, the more we can make conscious choices about the products we bring into our homes, and you can protect yourself and your loved ones from unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), is a caustic industrial detergent used in many products, including cleaning products, cosmetics, and personal care products. SLS can be an irritant to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, and is toxic to aquatic organisms. SLES is short for Sodium Laureth Sulfate and sometimes may be written as Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate.

It may also be identified on a label with the following names:

Sodium dodecyl sulfate; Aquarex methyl; Dodecyl alcohol, hydrogen sulfate, sodium salt; Dodecyl suflate sodium; Dreft; Duponal; Gardinal; Irium; Lauryol Sodium Sulfate; Lauryl sulfate, sodium salt; Melanol CL; Perlandrol L; Sodium n-dodecyl sulfate; Sodium Lauryl Sulphate; Sodium monododecyl suflate; Sodium monolauryl suflate; Stepanol ME; Standapol WAQ; Stepanol WAQ; Witcolate C or A

The ingredients SLS and SLES are most commonly found in personal products and cleaning agents such as:

• liquid soap
• shampoos
• body wash
• face wash
• hand soap
• laundry detergents
• dish detergents (please wear gloves)
• toothpaste
• bath bombs

SLS has been found to cause:

• Hair loss, bald spots, and alopecia
• Infertility
• Hormone Disruption
• Harmful if swallowed (it's in toothpaste)
• Skin Irritation
• Altered skin barrier function and water loss
• SLES may also be contaminated with a substance called 1,4-dioxane, which is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. This contamination occurs during the manufacturing process.

The problem with sodium lauryl sulfate is its capability to infiltrate the skin, either through cellular absorption or penetration. While there are ingredients that your body can easily break down, SLS goes right into your skin and, potentially, bloodstream.

A material safety data sheet (MSDS) or safety data sheet (SDS) is a document that lists information about the occupational safety and health of a substance or product. SDSs can include information on potential hazards, instructions for safe use, and spill-handling procedures. It recommends rinsing your skin continuously for 15 minutes when coming into contact with SLS. When was the last time you rinsed your hair for 15 minutes after shampooing? 

• View the entire SLS Material Safety Data Sheet

• Think Dirty App - Lookup the products you use right now and see how they measure up to toxin-free standards for humans and the earth.