While walking through the skin care aisle, you’ve probably come across a variety of products touting Sulfate Free Body Wash on its bottles and labels. But, have you ever wondered exactly what is sulfate or why sulfate has been used in body wash in the first place? While some brands have chosen to stick with sulfates and others have stripped them out, we’ve taken our Love Beauty and Planet sulfate free obsession to the next level, spanning our entire body wash collection. So what is the deal with sulfates and which body wash should you choose?

In this article, we’ll talk through what is sulfate, why skin care brands are starting to jump on the no-nasty, sulfate free body wash bandwagon, and why Love Beauty and Planet won’t budge from its choice to stick only with body wash without sulfates.

What is sulfate?

Sulfate cleansers are chemical-based, detergent-like ingredients used in skin and hair cleansing products since around the 1930s. Sulfate ingredients, such as those referred to as SLS, are chemicals that work to produce a foaming lather and ultimately provide skin with softness and a squeaky-clean feel. Recent studies consider that sulfates may do more harm than good. Sulfates are basically detergents, and with daily application on the skin often cause dryness and irritation, especially on the face. Although sulfates are effective in cleaning the skin of dirty buildup, they often take away your skin’s natural oils and proteins along the way. As the evidence starts to pile up, some companies have jumped on these results and already switched to sulfate free body wash formulas.

Despite an abundance of evidence showing the reality of what is sulfate and its negative effects on skin, many companies are still holding onto sulfates to ensure people get that bubbly lather we’ve gotten so used to in our skin cleansing products. While some brands like Love Beauty and Planet are transitioning to plant-based lathering ingredients, others are a bit more hard-headed.

Benefits of using body wash without sulfates
1. Bye-bye irritation

Sulfates strip skin of its natural oils and fats, which increases the risk of inflammation and other itchy reactions. If your skin is prone to dermatitis and eczema, using sulfate cleansers may exacerbate or even bring about these types of outbreaks. Body wash without sulfates, like our eight collections of Love Beauty and Planet sulfate free body wash, uses plant-based foaming agents in place of sulfate cleansers. That way you get soft, cleansed skin without the increased risk of irritation and dryness caused by chemical sulfates.

2. Balanced pH

Body wash without sulfates is perfect for sensitive skin or skin prone to clogged pores and breakouts. Sulfate cleansers contain chemicals that often run the risk of inciting acne and make skin more oily as the skin tries to compensate for the loss of its natural oils and fats that the sulfates had removed. Sulfate free body wash works to restore your skin’s natural pH balance, lowering the risk of blemishes and breakouts.

There are various different types of sulfate surfactants, each with varying degrees of negative effects on skin. Although some may incite acne and breakouts more-so than others, better to leave out the sulfate cleansers altogether, no?

3. Environmentally friendly

Body wash without sulfates is typically made with chemicals harmful not just for your skin, but for the environment as well. Beyond just the application of sulfate cleansers, the disposal of these chemicals poses a threat to the environment. While not all sulfates are derived from environmentally harmful chemicals, we should make sure to use products with plant-derived cleansers to avoid negative environmental impacts.

Why is Love Beauty and Planet sulfate-free?

We want you to look forward to your skin cleansing routine, not fear it. We are dedicated to providing skin cleansing products that make you look good and feel good, and sulfate-related skin irritation isn’t part of the plan. Our passion for “free-froms” doesn’t stop at body wash without sulfates. Our Love Beauty and Planet sulfate free options span across our portfolio, beyond just body washes to include our Love Beauty and Planet Sulfate Free Blooming Color and Purposeful Hydration shampoos, our Peace and Glow Creamy Body Scrub, and much more.

Sulfates in our skin cleansing products just doesn’t fit with our commitment to the environment. We are dedicated to using sustainably sourced ingredients and reducing our carbon footprint. Knowing that some sulfates are made with chemicals harmful not just for your skin but for the environment as well, we’ve chosen to set aside the sulfate cleansers and instead infuse our Love Beauty and Planet sulfate free body wash with plant-based ingredients. And we are just getting started.