Potassium Lauryl Sulfate

INCI: POTASSIUM LAURYL SULFATE

CAS Number
4706-78-9
Function
Emulsifier; Surfactant – Cleansing
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Not restricted; CIR reviewed sodium/ammonium/potassium lauryl sulfate group — safe with concentration limits to manage irritation

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
high

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

H302 Harmful if swallowed; H312 Harmful in contact with skin; H315 Causes skin irritation; H318 Causes serious eye damage; H335 May cause respiratory irritation. Known barrier-disrupting surfactant — avoid leave-on products at high concentrations

⚠️
Concern Level: Moderate

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potassium Lauryl Sulfate safe in cosmetics?

H302 Harmful if swallowed; H312 Harmful in contact with skin; H315 Causes skin irritation; H318 Causes serious eye damage; H335 May cause respiratory irritation. Known barrier-disrupting surfactant — avoid leave-on products at high concentrations The EU classifies Potassium Lauryl Sulfate as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Potassium Lauryl Sulfate allowed in the EU?

Potassium Lauryl Sulfate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Potassium Lauryl Sulfate do in cosmetics?

Potassium Lauryl Sulfate functions as: Emulsifier; Surfactant – Cleansing. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 4706-78-9.

What is the Margin of Safety for Potassium Lauryl Sulfate?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

📱

Is Potassium Lauryl Sulfate in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free →

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Potassium Lauryl Sulfate in your formulation.