Top 10 Beauty Product Chemicals to Avoid

Beauty products are a part of everyday life for most people to keep us looking and smelling at our best. A floral fragrance, a particular shade of lipstick or that volumising conditioner can have the ability to make us feel good and attractive to others.
But have you ever asked yourself just how safe the products you use are? How do you know whether the list of chemical ingredients in them are safe for your skin and health or not?
You might assume that products that are sold to us have been tested for safety and are harmless to us, but you might want to think again…

Just like the food and pharmaceutical industries, your health and well being takes second place behind profits when it comes to the beauty industry and the products promoted to us. There are many nasty chemicals that you need to avoid when buying your toiletries, make up or household cleaning products.

Here’s my list of top 10 ‘nasties’ to get rid of…

1. Parabens

Parabens are composed of methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl. These are used as preservatives in cosmetic lines and personal care products, such as shampoo, moisturisers and many other beauty products. The major concern is that they are hormone disruptors and accumulate in breast tissues and can lead to cancer. Parabens also causes damage to the reproductive and hormone systems. These chemicals are found in the majority of any water based formulas, shampoos, lotions, make up or gels, so please look at the description on the back of the product pack before buying it. Stay away from water based products with the suffix –paraben or –ester and benzoic acid, fragrance, or potassium salt with them. Look for natural organic products as a safe alternative. There are lots of products available that doe not contain paragons these days.

2. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)

Next in line is Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulphate (SLS). These are foaming and thickening agents and it can be found in shampoos and toothpaste. The concern here is that it can irritate your skin. And also after the skin absorbs it, it can be retained in your heart, liver or brain for a long period of time which can cause coughing headaches, nausea or vomiting. When shopping for shampoos identify the ones with sodium laurel/lauryl sulfate, or with sodium laureth sulfate in it and avoid buying them.

3. Phthalates

The third beauty chemical to avoid is “Phthalates”. These are group of chemicals called plasticisers which are preservatives and binders and are used as fragrance in most cosmetics too. This type of chemical can disrupt your endocrine gland; can cause male infertility and damages to the reproductive and hormone systems of human beings. Not only that it can be absorbed quickly by children and also can increase cancer in men. It’s mostly found, again, in shampoos, bubble baths, hair sprays, soaps, nail polish, food packaging, toys, detergents, etc. Identify it listed as fragrance, BBP, DEHP, dibutly, and diethylhexyl. Be aware of these things listed here before purchasing the item you’re going to buy.

4. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

Fourth is PEGs or what you call Polyethylene Glycol. These are chemicals often used as cleansing agents, emulsifiers and skin conditioners. PEG can open the pores of your skin which enables toxins to run into you and easily enter your precious body. PEG is linked with cancer. It can be found in oral pain relief goods, tooth paste, lubricants, makeup, hair mousse, deodorants, sunscreen, soaps and lotions. This chemical is listed as polyethylene or anything listed with PEG in it. It’s also accompanied by a number after it. The lower the number the less likely it is to be absorbed on your skin.

5. 1, 4-Dioxane

The fifth one is 1, 4-Dioxane which is a byproduct after the process of ethoxylation. This is a carcinogen and neurotoxin at the same time. Found in shampoos, lotions, toothpaste and body washes; avoid products with PEG or PEG accompanied by a number, since the word Dioxane will not appear on the list of ingredients.

6. Quaternium-15

The 6th one is Quaternium-15. Its ingredient is a quaternary ammonium salt used as a preservative and it acts as a formaldehyde releaser. This ingredient was determined by the European Union as not safe for cosmetics. It can cause skin irritation of the eye, skin, or lungs if made contact. Moderate concerns are organ system toxicity. Mostly found in women’s foundation, powders, concealers, eye makeup, and makeup removers. To avoid the chemical allergy from affecting your skin, read the product labels every time you shop and avoid products that contain quaternium-15 or any of its alternative names such as Azonium-adamantane chloride and Dowicil75, Dowicil100 and Dowicil200.

7. Triclosan

Next up is Triclosan. This is a beauty chemical product which is identified as a preservative and antibacterial. It is called as a portable human carcinogen since it bioaccumulates, and been found in blood and breast milk. It is also absorbed by nursing babies and can cause bacteria to be resistant. It is found mainly in household cleaners, body washes, soaps, hand sanitisers, mouth was and a lot more. Look out for ingredients which contains the word Triclosan and microban when you buy products or just avoid anything which is listed as “anti-bacterial”. Such as anti-bacterial dish washing liquid, anti-bacterial hand soap etc.

8. Methanol

Eighth on our list is methanol. Methanol is a fragrance ingredient and solvent. It provides toxins to your nervous system and it oxidizes in your cosmetics as formaldehyde. It is mostly found in conventional bath products that you’re using. So be aware of methanol containing products which are marketed as “free of preservative” which is NOT. Identify it on the list as methanol or methyl alcohol when buying.

9. Aluminium

Aluminium is one of the most abundant metals on earth and is widely distributed but it has bad effects too. It can directly enter your body when inhaled or in dermal contact. A very small amount of it may enter through your skin when you come in contact with aluminum. This metal and its compounds are found in antiperspirants and pharmaceuticals and and is linked heavily with breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Stay away from deodorants with the label ‘antiperspirant’. It is explained that antiperspirant deodorants prevents the body from purging toxins which when trapped, find their way to your lymph nodes where they contribute to the cellular changes that lead to cancer.

10. Fluoride

Last but not the least is fluoride. Our not-so-friendly fluoride well and truly belongs to the list. Fluoride is found in toothpaste and drinking water in many areas. It is little known by most people but your cavity fighter is used as an insecticide and rat poison and a mind control weapon in Nazi Germany. www.Rense.com says this:

“Repeated doses of infinitesimal amounts of fluoride will in time reduce an individual`s power to resist domination, by slowly poisoning and narcotizing a certain area of the brain, thus making him submissive to the will of those who wish to govern him.