Encyclopedia · surfactant
Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
A mild anionic cleanser often used as a secondary or co-primary surfactant that helps blends stay gentle while still cleaning.
What it is
Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate is a sulfosuccinate half-ester of ethoxylated lauryl alcohol. It is a mild anionic with low foam on its own, often paired with amphoterics.
How it works
It forms anionic micelles with less skin interaction than sulfates.
What the studies show
- A 2024 study evaluated laureth-23 as a primary surfactant in blends. A blend of laureth-23, cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate was mild to skin while cleaning well. It studied skin cleansers, not scalps (Dick 2024).
- A review gives an overview of shampoo surfactant raw materials and the trend toward sulfate-free systems (Cornwell 2018).
The Dick study is the only direct data point we found: some evidence for mildness in blends and none for hair outcomes. There is no hair or scalp trial.
Side effects and safety
Irritation is generally low. We found no ingredient-specific safety data beyond the studies above.
Bottom line
A good supporting surfactant in mild formulas, though not a standalone reason to choose a shampoo.
Studies 2
Dick A et al. Mild but effective skin cleansing: Evaluation of laureth-23 as a primary surfactant. 2024
Tested: laureth-23 with cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
Result: The blend was mild to skin while cleaning well.
Read the study ↗Cornwell PA. A review of shampoo surfactant technology: consumer benefits, raw materials and recent developments. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2018
Result: Overview of shampoo surfactant raw materials, consumer benefits and trends in sulfate-free systems.
Read the study ↗Related
- Sodium laureth sulfateThe workhorse cleanser of mainstream shampoos, SLS with a short ethylene-oxide chain added, which keeps most of the cleaning and foam and is gentler, with a trace by-product called 1,4-dioxane.
- Cocamidopropyl betaineThe most common helper surfactant in shampoo, which makes sulfate cleansers gentler, thicker and foamier, and a rare cause of scalp allergy that usually comes from manufacturing impurities.
- Sodium cocoyl isethionateA mild anionic cleanser, the basis of many syndet bars, with good lab evidence of being gentle on the skin barrier and growing use in sulfate-free shampoos and shampoo bars.