Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Decode Label flags Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care (skin irritant). It appears in 1 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.1%).
The concern
Harsh primary surfactant — strips the skin barrier, like SLS
ALS is the ammonium salt of lauryl sulfate and behaves much as SLS does: a powerful anionic detergent that lifts oils aggressively and can leave the skin barrier disrupted, tight and reactive. It is a common primary cleanser in cheaper shampoos and body washes. Those with eczema, rosacea or already-sensitised skin do better with a syndet or amino-acid surfactant system.
Most relevant to
Cited authority
SCCS; American Academy of Dermatology; Ananthapadmanabhan et al. 2004
How common it is in this catalogue
Measured across every product Decode Label has analysed — not estimated, and not taken from anyone else's dataset.
By category
Identity
Also appears on labels as
Questions
Is Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate safe?
The concern is cited to SCCS; American Academy of Dermatology; Ananthapadmanabhan et al. 2004. Why it is flagged: Harsh primary surfactant — strips the skin barrier, like SLS. Decode Label treats it as a moderate concern in cosmetics and personal care. It appears in 1 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.1%).
How common is Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate in Indian packaged products?
Decode Label found Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate in 1 of 893 published products (0.1%), most often in Bath & Body.
Who should be most careful with Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate?
People prone to allergies; People with eczema; People with sensitive skin.
Products containing Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
1 published product, each with its own full analysis.
Related ingredients
Other entries in the register with the same kind of concern.
Method and limits
- Prevalence counts published products whose decoded ingredient list matches this substance or one of its label synonyms, using the same matching the score itself uses. It describes our catalogue of 893 products, not the Indian market as a whole.
- Presence is not dose. An ingredient list gives order, not quantity, unless the pack declares a percentage. Nothing here estimates how much of this substance any product contains.
- A classification is not a verdict on a product. An agency classifies a substance under defined conditions of exposure; whether that matters in a given food or cosmetic depends on route, concentration and use.
- No regulatory rows. This substance is not matched in our regulatory warehouse, so the concern above rests on the cited authority alone.
- Last updated. This register entry was last changed on 28 September 2026.
- Corrections. Every figure here is reproducible from the sources named. If something is wrong, tell us and we will correct it and say what changed.