Jessica Alba’s Honest Company Denies Claims That Detergent Contains Chemical SLS
The Honest Company, co-founded by actress Jessica Alba, is firing back after a report surfaced from the Wall Street Journal that made claims that the Honest Company’s detergents used chemicals the company pledged to avoid.
Two independent tests, commissioned by the Wall Street Journal, showed that Honest’s liquid laundry detergent contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a claim that Alba says is false.
According to SLSFree, SLS is a widely used and generally inexpensive chemical found in many different personal hygiene products including shampoos, toothpastes, mouthwashes, body wash, soaps, and detergents. It is also used in several different industrial cleaning agents including engine de-greaser and industrial strength detergents. Some labs also use SLS as a skin irritant when they are testing products used to heal skin conditions.
Jessica Alba’s Honest Co. laundry detergent contains ingredient it pledged to avoid https://t.co/AVHivT4At1 via @WSJ #notsohonest
— The Puff Press (@ThePuffPress) March 11, 2016
According to the CDC, exposure to SLS can cause a person to develop a cough or sore throat if inhaled; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea if the product is ingested; and redness if exposed to skin or eyes. Repeated exposure can also cause dermatitis, or skin inflammation.
“Our findings support that there is a significant amount of sodium lauryl sulfate [in Honest’s detergent],” said Barbara Pavan, a chemist at one of the labs, Impact Analytical.
“It was not a trace amount [in the detergent],” said Matthew Hynes, a chemist who conducted the test at another lab called Chemir. Hynes added that his test found the same concentrations of SLS as is normally found in detergents like Tide.
Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan co-founded the Honest Company in 2011, and pledged to provide products that were chemical-free and eco-friendly. Alba and Gavigan are standing by their brand, and said they use Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) in their detergent rather than SLS because it is a much gentler alternative. They also submitted a document from their detergent manufacturer Earth Friendly Products LLC that stated there was zero “SLS content” in the product. Earth Friendly added that they use Trichromatic West Inc. as their chemical supplier, and rely on them to do all the testing required for their products.
Jessica Alba’s Honest Company caught using ingredients it swore it wouldn’t @eriksherman https://t.co/2lacuUmc7z
— Inc. (@Inc) March 11, 2016
“Despite providing the Wall Street Journal with substantial evidence to the contrary, they falsely claimed our laundry detergent contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS),” Honest said in a statement to ABC News. “To set the record straight, we use Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) in our brand’s laundry detergent because it is a gentler alternative that is less irritating and safer to use. Rigorous testing and analysis both by our internal research and development teams as well as further testing by external partners have confirmed this fact.”
“We stand behind our laundry detergent and take very seriously the responsibility we have to our consumers to create safe and effective products,” the statement continued.
On Honest’s website, Alba and Gavigan talk about their dedication to their products and their goal to help provide parents with a safe alternative to the normal everyday products.
“When I became a mom, I finally became the person I am, that I always should have been,” Alba said. “It’s the most satisfying job in the world. But, it can also be overwhelming and confusing. I created The Honest Company to help moms and to give all children a better, safer start.”
Test detects ingredient Jessica Alba’s @Honest swore to avoid https://t.co/wCWhiA5Qlm pic.twitter.com/fngP5hcV9r
— CNBC (@CNBC) March 11, 2016
“Everything I stand for and all I’ve done over the last 15 years has come to this moment,” Gavigan added. “I’m thrilled to launch a brand that offers some of the most thoughtfully designed, innovative, and safest products available.”
Although Alba and the Honest Company are denying the claims that there is SLS in their liquid detergents, the Wall Street Journal is standing by their findings, insisting they are accurate.
“The journal’s report is accurate, fair and meets the journal’s established and trusted high standards,” Steve Severinghaus, director of communications for the publication, said. “We took great care in preparing this story, relying on two tests with two different labs and numerous experts.”
[Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP]
