Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics
Did you know that over 80%* of all beauty products, and over 93%* of all hair care products available today are made with toxic chemical ingredients?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, absorbing up to 60%** of what you put on it.
CARCINOGENS IN SKINCARE PRODUCTS
The following list of chemicals is a guide to enable you to check the products that you buy.
Remember: many sales people DO NOT KNOW about these so it is up to you to check for yourself in the product.
| CHEMICAL CATEGORY OR INGREDIENT | FUNCTION | FOUND IN | PRIMARY CONCERN |
|---|---|---|---|
Parabens (ethyl, methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl-, and butyl) |
Preservative |
Lotions, creams, foundations, and more |
Endocrine disruption, studies have shown the parabens get absorbed into the bloodstream & disrupt the hormonal system. They may be associated with breast cancer. |
Methylisothiazolinone (MI, MIT) / Methylchloro-Isothiaz Olinone (MCI, CMIT) |
Preservative |
Shampoo, conditioners, body washes, body lotions, and more |
Weaken immune system, Linked to skin allergies and eczema |
| Phenoxyethanol | Preservative, fragrance ingredient |
Cleansers, scrubs, lotions, creams, foundations, and more |
Irritation and sensitivity to skin, eyes or lungs, and there is a moderate concern for organ system toxicity. |
| Sodium Laurath Sulfate (SLS) | Widely used surfactant |
Bubble bath, soap, shampoo, and more |
Lathering agent, strips the hair and skin of moisture, enhances penetration, may also be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane*. |
Mineral Oil / Petroleum, Paraffin |
Cosmetic additives |
Lotions, body oil, cosmetics, and more |
Block pores, promotes skin irritation, allergic reaction and contribute to dry skin and itching. |
Phthalates (DBP, DMP, DEP), Ethyl Acetate |
Plasticizing agent, fragrance ingredient, Solvent |
Nail polish, bath salts, cleansers, lotions, and more |
Skin, eyes, and lung irritation, endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity |
DEA / TEA / MEA |
PH Adjuster, Surfactant |
Lotions, soap, body washes, and more |
Trigger dermatitis, nitrosamines. |
Coal Tar Derivatives (FD&C Blue1, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 5, D&C Dyes and Toluene) |
Dyes, toluene is a solvent |
Dyes in lotions, body washes, soaps. Toluene in hair dyes, nail polish |
Potentially cancer-causing. Coal tar ingredients are also frequently tested on animals due to their carcinogenic and toxic nature. |
Formaldenhyde / Formaldehyde Donors (Diazolidinyl Urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15, and Bronopol) |
Preservative |
Moisturizers, cleansers, scrubs, and more |
Highly toxic, neurotoxic, genotoxic & carcinogenic, which react with other chemicals in the product to release formaldehyde (used to preserve dead bodies). |
Hydroquinone |
Skin lightening chemical |
Skin lightening products |
Research links it to cancer |
Octoxynols |
Surfactant |
Scrubs, cleansers, creams, and more |
Linked to cancer, developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, and possible 1, 4-Dioxane*** contamination. |
BHA(Buthylated Hydroxy Anisole), BHT (Buthylated Hydroxy Toluene) |
Fragrance ingredient, antioxidant |
Moisturizers, make-up, skin lightening products, and more |
Linked to cancer, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. |
Sources:
* Based on a comparison of ingredients listed and a review of the ingredients of 42,879 beauty products1 and 7201 hair care products2 on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database conducted in May 2009.
** Beautycounter Reveals Truth About Your Cosmetics...And It May Scare You, The Huffington Post by Chrisina Anderson
*** 1,4-Dioxane is a carcinogen created when ingredients are processed with ethylene oxide, a petrochemical intermediate. According to Environmental Working Group, there are approximately 56 chemicals that may contain this contaminant.
Table: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep, National Geographic Green GuideSM Created by Lisa Sykes, Sustainability Specialist, Universal Companies, The British Association of Dermatologists