When mixed with other substances in shampoo, cream, or lotion, it produces nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA). When it comes to makeup brush cleaners, choose one like Ecotools which uses citric acid instead to wick away dirt and impurities. California Department of Public Health. Benzophenone is used in personal care products such as lip balm and nail polish to protect the products from UV light. Amy Myers MD. Some studies have shown that siloxanes interfere with natural hormone production. Normally, tea, mea, and dea are used in soaps, shampoos, and detergents. 8. petrolatum can only be used in cosmetics "if the full refining history is known and it can be shown that the substance from which it is produced is not a carcinogen. It is common to find PEGs in face creams. If you have sensitive skin, particularly around the delicate eye area, look for an eye cream Avne, which is fragrance-free. Learnabout the toxic ones, and use apps like EWG's"Healthy Living" (by EWG Skin Deep Database) to instantly scan a product and get the toxicity ratings. Dea, tea, mea, are water-soluble ammonia derivatives with very high pH values. Thankfully, some retailers (including Whole Foods, CVS, and Target) are starting to ban products that contain formaldehyde from their shelves. Styrene acrylates copolymer is a chain of polymers consisting of styrene and acrylate which is added to cosmetics for color. petrolatum can only be used in cosmetics "if the full refining history is known and it can be shown that the substance from which it is produced is not a carcinogen. Open Med (Wars). I formulated a hydrating cream, a vitamin C-based cleanser, and an age-defying serum from the cleanest ingredients to keep your skin healthy without the bad ingredients in skin care products. Though it is not a concern in itself, it is made up of repeating molecules of acrylamide, which is a strongly suspected carcinogen and has been linked to mammary tumors. BHA & BHT also mimic estrogen and can lead to a hormone imbalance. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8705-0, Keyes E, Werth VP, Brod B. Also known as diethanolamine, DEA compounds are used in skin care products to make them creamy. Phthalates "It can contain carcinogenic chemicals, which as we've learned from formaldehyde, is thought to put humans at a higher risk for cancer if used in high amounts," says Dr. Sobel. Even more shocking than the incredibly high volume of chemically-laden products, is that our government does not regulate the safety of these products. butylparaben. But the good news? There is still debate about the long-term effects of many skin care ingredients. Whats missing? (That makes it a heck of a lot harder to discern what may cause a reaction.). Gross recommends opting for mineral sunscreen, which sits on the surface of the skin and isn't absorbed. Triclosan exposure, transformation, and human health effects. Formaldehyde releases: "Bronopol, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15 are cosmetic preservatives that slowly form formaldehyde," says Shrestha. Aluminum. While its banned in the EU and Southeast Asia (as well as by a few retailers in the US), you can still find it in nail polish, nail treatments, and hair dye. It can be absorbed rapidly through skin. Updated January 21, 2015. It is rare to find 100% certified organic skincare products. This ingredient to avoid in skin care products is used to make deodorant to slide on your armpit easier and your hair products to dry quicker. However, with daily use, these toxic chemicals add up and wreak havoc on your body and your health! Botanical ceramides protect your skins surface from environmental stressors, toxins, and ultraviolet light, reducing your risk of discoloration, slowing the progression of fine lines, and exfoliating epithelial cells for a polished, youthful glow. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Environ Res. 2023 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a program of, Menstrual Care Products and Toxic Chemicals, Ethanolamine Compounds (MEA, DEA, TEA And Others), Formaldehyde And Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives, Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Aka Teflon). People spend an estimated 90% of their time indoors.2 Considering that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, its no surprise that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top 5 environmental risks to your optimal health.3 Of course, theres pollution outside your home as well from environmental pollutants. MEA (monoethanolamide) and TEA (triethanolamine) are related chemicals. . So, I decided to formulate my own. Eight Toxic Skincare Ingredients to Avoid - Neora Blog Phthalates Phthalates are a class of chemicals that are generally employed to increase the softness and flexibility of plastics. Why Avoid:Can cause reproductive and developmental toxicity (when Polyacrylamide breaks down into a acrylamide, which is a carcinogen). "It frequently causes irritation and can also elicit an allergic response in the skin. Many products list fragrance on the label, but very few name the specific ingredients that make up a fragrance. This lack of disclosure prevents consumers from knowing the full list of ingredients in their products. All chemicals stayed elevated in the blood anywhere from one to 21 days, depending on the chemical sunscreen ingredient.". These lists get longer and longer every day and include toxic ingredients. 2019 May 23;5(4):227-232. doi: 10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.05.006. Octinoxate, also called Octyl methoxycinnamate or (OMC), is a UV filter. Found In: Antibacterial products like hand soap, antiperspirants/deodorants, cleansers, hand sanitizes, toothpaste, mouthwash. [4],[5],[6], Parabens are preservatives used in a wide variety of personal care products and foods to prevent the growth of microbes. If SLS is not washed off properly, its residue can leave your skin dehydrated and reduce the levels of ceramide in your skin." To help you navigate the plethora of potentially toxic ingredients, we've listed 17 of the worst ingredients to avoid in moisturizers, shampoo, cosmetics, body wash, and other personal care products. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. READ THE LABELS! Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products | Amy Myers MD Benzalkonium Chloride What is Benzalkonium Chloride? Fragrances While they may smell pretty, masculine, or calming, fragrances hide a dirty secret. Yuck. Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk. "While gentle exfoliation may be useful to help remove dead cells from the surface of the skin, over-exfoliating can lead to skin irritation," Zeichner says. Experts Explain, The 10 Best Sunscreens for Acne-Prone Skin of 2023, The 20 Best Skincare Products for Redness of 2023, Dermatologist Creates the Perfect AM Skincare Routine for Every Budget, How to Choose the Skincare Products Best Suited for Your Skin, According to Dermatologists, What You Need to Know About Sunscreen Expiration and How Long Sunscreen Lasts, These Are the 10 Safest Sunscreens for Babies and Kids, 9 Best Face Washes for Sensitive Skin, According to Dermatologists. Darbre PD, Aljarrah A, Miller WR, Coldham NG, Sauer MJ, Pope GS. It can cause your dog's blood sugar to drop and can also cause liver failure. Also Known As:Polyacrylamide, acrylamide, polyacrylate, polyquaternium and acrylate. Why Avoid:Can cause cancer, bioaccumulation, organ system toxicity, skin & eye irritation. Coal tar is made up of many chemicals derived from petroleum, a well-known crude oil used to make gasoline and plastics. Artificial Fragrance Even though the United States and Canada have declared formaldehyde to be toxic, many cosmetic companies still use this toxic chemical to make your skin care products last longer. Also Known As: Complex mixture of over 3000 chemicals are used as fragrance. The cosmetic industry argues that its perfectly fine to use toxic ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives on your face because only tiny amounts are used in each product and are therefore not harmful. That means the skin care products you use affect the health of your skin. Companies aren't required to disclose the chemicals that make up their fragrances (and sometimes they don't even know themselves). Her work has been published in Time Out, Newsday, The Knot, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and Hamptons Magazine among many other print and online outlets. Chemicals of Concern - Safe Cosmetics Top 10 Ingredients to Avoid in Skin Care Products Toluene is a toxic chemical used in in nail products and hair dyes. EWG's Skin Deep database allows you to search for cosmetic ingredients and products to see if they meet the non-profit's strict criteria. "Different acrylates are also associated with different concerns, including possibly being carcinogenic," she says. Why Avoid: endocrine disruptor, irritating to skin & eyes, harmful to fish and wildlife, doesnt easily degrade, may contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria, higher risk for food allergy. Parabens can enter the body through the skin and mimic estrogen . P-phenylenediamine is a particular coal tar dye used in many hair dyes. I understand this can be confusing or overwhelming, and even a little frightening. Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Eye Cream & Face Moisturizer I designed the Essential Beauty Kit to include everything you need to nourish and protect your skin from the signs of aging. Triclosan. An average of 7 new industrial chemicals get approval by the U.S. government every day, and 80% of these chemicals are approved in three weeks or less with little or no safety testing performed on them. Matta MK, Florian J, Zusterzeel R, et al. Knowledge is powerand you can feel good about taking steps to better understand exactly what youre putting on your body. Found In: majority of cosmetics and personal care products, even products marked as unscented. Some carcinogens, such as formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, are common in personal care products, while others are less common, but still occasionally present. On top of this, toxic ingredients found in makeup, shampoo, lotions and other personal care products have largely been linked to genital birth defects, adverse reproductive outcomes and drop in sperm count in men. Instead, an industry-appointed and funded panel of experts called the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviews the safety of cosmetic ingredients. Learn about the top ingredients and contaminants to avoid and the types of products theyre found in. 2019;86:98-100. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.02.014, Aerts O, Goossens A, Giordano-Labadie F. Contact allergy caused by methylisothiazolinone: the Belgian-French experience. The 10 Most Toxic Skincare Ingredients to Avoid and Why A conventional diet is full of pesticide-treated produce and animals who have been given artificial growth hormones and antibiotics. Healthy ingredient alternatives: Organic standards prohibit the ethoxylation process, so products that are 100% Organic are free from 1,4 dioxane. Also Known As:Sodium Laurel Sulfate, Sodium Laureate Sulfate and PEG. Acrylates Acrylates (ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate) are ingredients found in artificial nail products. First, lets talk about the beauty industry. EWG VERIFIED. But like other PFAs, its linked to hormone disruption and reproductive issues. Evidence suggests that these chemicals may cause reproductive harm and organ toxicity. It's all about education, transparency, and nuance. There is the potential for styrena acrylates copolymer to be contaminated with styrene, a possible carcinogen. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover all products, so when in doubt, rely on this dermatologist-backed cheat sheet of harmful ingredients before reaching for your credit card. Some talc may contain the known carcinogen asbestos, therefore it should be avoided in powders and other personal care products, unless it is known to be asbestos-free. We Investigate, 7 Ingredients You Should Avoid if You Have Curly Hair, Propylparabens in Skin: Benefits and How to Use, Why the "Biotech Boom" Has Potential to Spur Real Change in the Beauty Industry. Print Page - Free eBook: Guide to Leaky Gut. Toluene is a chemical commonly found in nail polish and hair dyes. Gasoline and other fuels. National Cancer Institute. 12 Common Skincare Ingredients to Avoid, According to Dermatologists Not listed as a separate ingredient. The EWG rates polyethylene glycol low itself; however, clean beauty experts primary concern with the ingredient class is the products it releases: ethylene oxide and dioxane. Rattan S, Zhou C, Chiang C, Mahalingam S, Brehm E, Flaws JA. Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs) are used in many personal care products,[1] particularly in shampoos and liquid baby soaps. Regulations:Banned in E.U., restricted in Canada and U.S. Also Known As:Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, and ingredients ending in paraben. 2004;24(1):513. P-phenylenediamine, as well as the products of its reactions with hydrogen, can alter the genetic material of cells. As a known skin sensitizer, it leads to allergic reactions. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) discovered in a 3-year study that 85% of the population in the US consumes water with about 316 contaminants, most of which are completely unregulated. Contact allergy caused by methylisothiazolinone: the Belgian-French experience, The effect of a ceramide-containing product on stratum corneum lipid levels in dry legs, Acrylates as a significant causes of allergic contact dermatitis--new sources of exposure, Parabens can enable hallmarks and characteristics of cancer in human breast epithelial cells: a review of the literature with reference to new exposure data and regulatory status, Occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by coconut fatty acids diethanolamide, Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions, Effects and mechanisms of phthalates action on reproductive processes and reproductive health: a literature review, Triclosan exposure, transformation, and human health effects. Why Avoid: Linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity, irritation, and ecotoxicity. A lot of dirty little secrets! Also Known As:Ethanolamine Compounds, Triethanolamine, diethanolamine, DEA, TEA, cocamide DEA, cocamide MEA, DEA-cetyl phosphate, DEA oleth-3 phosphate, lauramide DEA, linoleamide MEA, myristamide DEA, oleamide DEA, stearmide MEA, and TEA-lauryl sulfate.