Of the thousands upon thousands of ingredients used in cosmetics in the US, 1 in 8 is an industrial chemical. Does that shock anyone else? On average, women use 12 different cosmetics a day and men use 6. Odds are, you are using harmful chemicals in at least one of those cosmetics. 1 in 3 cosmetics in the US contains a carcinogen. And these are products you use on a daily basis!
It is best to educate yourself about the potential effects of these products. This blog will continue to post alternative natural cosmetic recipes in the future where you can make your own, and also recommend natural safe brands.
If you are interested, I’ve also made a free printable with all this information on it.
So, here are some of the worst offenders to look out for:
- BHA and BHT
- What to look for on the label: butylated hydroxyanisole or butylated hydroxytoluene
- Used in: makeup and moisturizers as a preservative
- Possible human carcinogen
- Can induce allergic reactions in the skin
- Interferes with hormone function (endocrine disruptor)
- Long-term exposure to high doses of BHT is toxic in mice and rats, causing liver, thyroid and kidney problems and affecting lung function and blood coagulation
- Toxic to aquatic organisms and potential to bioaccumulate in the environment (meaning it doesn’t easily degrade and can build up in the environment after it has been rinsed down the drain)
- Synthetic colors
- What to look for on the label: They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number, or P-phenylenediamine
- Used in: cosmetics that are colored, especially hair dyes
- Coal tar-derived colours are used extensively in cosmetics, derived from petroleum
- Potential carcinogen
- Correlated with increased occurrence of tumors and certain types of cancers
- Parabens
- What to look for on the label: paraben, methylparaben, butylparaben, and propylparaben, etc (with paraben included in chemical name), sometimes part of fragrances
- Used in: cosmetics as a preservative
- Interfere with hormone function (endocrine disruptor)
- Possible carcinogen
- Cause skin irritation and rashes
- 75-90% of cosmetics contain some amount of parabens
- Formaldehyde-releasing agents
- What to look for on the label: DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, quaternium-15, and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
- Used in: cosmetics as a preservative
- Primary cause for contact dermatitis
- Known human carcinogen
- Can trigger allergies
- Can weaken the immune system
- Linked to symptoms ranging from headaches to respiratory issues
- Artificial fragrances
- What to look for on the label: fragrance or parfum
- Used in: most types of cosmetics (even some considered fragrance free)
- Fragrance recipes are considered trade secrets, so manufacturers are not required to disclose fragrance chemicals in the list of ingredients
- “Fragrance” can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients
- Symptoms reported to the FDA include headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and skin irritation
- Evidence suggesting that exposure to perfume can exacerbate asthma, and perhaps even contribute to its development in children
- As fragrances can contain many other chemicals, they can be carcinogenic, endocrine disruptors, etc.
- Petrolatum
- What to look for on the label: petrolatum, petroleum jelly, mineral oil jelly, mineral oil
- Used in: lip balms, moisturizers, and hair shine products
- Petroleum product, petrolatum can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which are carcinogenic
- Promotes sun damage
- Interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins
- Siloxanes
- What to look for on the label: Cyclomethicone and ingredients ending in “siloxane” (e.g., cyclotetrasiloxane)
- Used in: cosmetics to soften, smooth, or moisten
- Endocrine disrupter
- Can also harm neurotransmitters
- Bioaccumulates in the environment
- SLS and SLES
- What to look for on the label: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)- It is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetic explanation “comes from coconut.”
- Used in: foaming cosmetics, like shampoo and body wash
- Possible human carcinogen
- Can affect the nervous system
- Can irritate skin and eyes
- Our body may retain the SLS for up to five days, during which time it may enter and maintain residual levels in the heart, liver, the lungs, and the brain.
- Triclosan
- What to look for on the label: triclosan
- Used in: antiperspirants/deodorants, cleansers, and hand sanitizers as a preservative and an anti-bacterial agent
- The EPA registers it as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment
- Suspected carcinogen and endocrine disrupter
- Long term adverse effects in the aquatic environment
- Stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels
- Bioaccumulative and contributes to antibiotic resistance
- DEA, MEA, and TEA compounds
- What to look for on the label: diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine
- Used in: cosmetics as a pH adjuster and also to make cosmetics more creamy or sudsy
- Causes skin and eye irritation
- Carcinogenic in high doses
- Endocrine disruptors
- Bioaccumulates in the environment and toxic to the aquatic environment
- PEG Compounds
- What to look for on the label: Polyethylene Glycol
- Used in: cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers
- Possible human carciongen
- Harmful to the nervous system
- Can interfere with human development
- Increases permeability of skin (leaving you more vulnerable to bacteria and other chemicals in the environment)
- DBP and DEP
- What to look for on the label: Dibutyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate
- Used in: nail polish as a solvent for dyes and to prevent polish from becoming brittle
- can cause developmental defects
- Possible endocrine disruptor
- Can impair fertility
- Oxybenzone
- What to look for on the label: oxybenzone, phenylmethanone, or chemicals containing the word benzone
- Used in: sunscreen
- Endocrine disruptor
- Highly absorbed by skin and known to cause allergic reactions
Sources:
- http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/toxic_cosmetics.cfm
- http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/
- http://www.organicbeautytalk.com/ingredients-to-avoid/
- http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/index-eng.php
- http://www.treehugger.com/organic-beauty/20-toxic-ingredients-avoid-when-buying-body-care-products-and-cosmetics.html
- http://safecosmetics.org/section.php?id=45
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