In the present study the interactions between an anionic surfactant sodium laurylethoxysulfate (SLES) and three short chain imidazolium (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) based ionic liquids (bmim-octyl SO4, bmim-methyl SO4 and bmim-BF4) in aqueous solution have been investigated. Generally when a surfactant is dissolved in a hydrophilic ionic liquid aqueous solution the critical micelle concentration (cmc) obtained is attributed to the surfactant because the ionic liquid (IL) is considered to be only a cosolvent. However, some short hydrophilic ionic liquids posses surface activity in aqueous solution and behave like a surfactant. In that case mixed aggregates between surfactant and ionic liquid can be formed. The three SLES/IL systems here studied have been treated as typical binary surfactant mixtures in aqueous solution. Surface tension measurements have revealed that mixed aggregates and monolayers of surfactant and ionic liquid instead of single surfactant are responsible for the surface active properties of these aqueous solutions. From the Regular Solution Theory, negative interaction parameters (beta) for mixed aggregates and monolayers have been found for all SLES/IL mole ratios indicating synergism between the anionic surfactant and the ionic liquids. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.