Ten Toxic Cosmetics & Personal Care Ingredients

Cosmetics and personal care products are like anything else sold commercially, a product we all want, yet a product that can have a long list of toxic ingredients. Knowing what to look for in cosmetics will help you make a safer decision as to what products are better for your skin and over-all health. Many ingredients commonly found in cosmetic products and personal care items have been linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems. More than one-third of all personal care products contain at least one ingredient linked to cancer. Organic skincare benefits outweigh non-organic products in terms of toxins eliminated.

There are several things you can look out for to help make better options when it comes to what it put onto your face or body.  According to the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, “FDA cannot require companies to do safety testing of their cosmetic products before manufacturing”. This means the consumer, must do their own research on cosmetics, because as of today the cosmetic industry is not regulated.

It’s time to become a label reader! Knowing what you put on your face and body is just as important as knowing what foods you eat. Here are some things to look out for when purchasing cosmetics/skincare or personal care products.

10 Ingredients To Avoid

Parabens Phthalates DMDM Hydantoin Fragrance Triclosan

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate Toluene Formaldehyde PEGs Anything with “Glycol” or “Methyl”

The Environmental Working Groups reports health effects related to Phthalates: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Endocrine system, Reproduction and fertility, Birth or developmental effects, Persistent and bioaccumulative, Brain and nervous system, Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)

Triclosan is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity, and low levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function.

Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. See Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk

As far back as 1986, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences identified fragrance ingredients as one of six categories of neurotoxins (chemicals that are toxic to the brain) that should be thoroughly investigated for impacts on human health. Learn more about fragrance in cosmetics.

Decoding Product labels:

• Ingredients are listed in order of concentration, highest to lowest. All ingredients must be listed other than what constitutes the “fragrance” of the product. Fragrance can include hundreds of individual chemicals.
• There are no regulations for using words like “organic” or “natural.” The only truly organic products are those with the USDA seal.
• “Fragrance-free” does not necessarily mean so. Read the ingredients list to really find out if there’s not fragrance.
• Use Consumer Report’s decoding guide at greenerchoices.org/eco-labels.

Healthy Child Healthy World Suggests You to Choose

• Products with the most ingredients you can pronounce.
• Products with the USDA Certified Organic Seal.
• Locally made products.

Try One of these certified USDA Organic Brands for cosmetics and personal care products.

Alteya Organics, Baby Bear Shop, Badger, Brittanie’s Thyme, Bubble and Bee Organic, Intelligent Nutrients, Kimberly Parry Organics, Little Angel, Mercola, Miessence Certified Organics, Nature’s Paradise, OGmama and OGbaby, Organicare, Organic Essence, Origins Organics, Purely Shea, Rainwater Organic, Sensibility Soaps/Nourish, Terressentials, Trillium Organics, Vermont Soap.

For more info on safe cosmetics and personal care items check out Skin Deep. It’s s a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group. Or the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Photo via Flickr.

Related Topics:

1. Go Green in Your Beauty Products
2. Organic Consumers Association Filed Complaint With The USDA
3. Organic skin care products from Eve