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