Green Living 101: Chemicals to avoid in beauty products

July 22, 3:48 PMGreen Living ExaminerRebecca Lacko

Previous Next

5 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Green Living Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Eliminate the worst beauty and health offenders

Whenever possible, it is important to choose organic products---especially soaps and body-washes. Keeping in mind that our skin is our largest organ and the landscape of that organ is covered in pores, why slather on chemicals, artificial fragrances, stabilizers and fake colorings? The problem is that buying "organic" isn't as easy as it ought to be. Products with often very little organic ingredients masquerade themselves as all-organic with misleading packaging and mysterious chemical ingredients.

So how do consumers know what to buy? Kathy Shoemate, a partner and product developer for Illumina Organics, explains, "The federal government has defined the USDA Organic Certification as being products that have content that are 95% organic.  What consumers don’t realize is that in many products, the active ingredients that do most of the work and pose the greatest danger, make up 5% or less of the product. An unethical manufacturer can fill their product up with huge amounts of say, organic aloe juice (water with a little aloe), then dump in a dangerous chemical and still make an organic claim. " Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green, compiled this well-researched list.

It's time to clear the air. Synthetic cosmetic ingredients to AVOID:

The Worst Offenders - (Listed in order of importance)
Fragrance or Parfum
The synthetic fragrances used in cosmetics can have as many as 200 ingredients. "There is no way to know what the chemicals are," says Shoemate "since on the label it will simply say, 'Fragrance'." Problems may include headaches, dizziness, rash, hyperpigmentation, violent coughing, vomiting, skin irritation.
Parabens (methyl-,ethyl-,propyl,butyl,isobutyl-)
These are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function. Estrogenic chemicals mimic the function of the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and exposure to external estrogens has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.
Triethanolamine TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate Can cause confusion, fatigue, irritability and is toxic to the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Triclosan Probable human carcinogen.
1,4-Dioxane Known carcinogen.
Formaldehyde Some preservatives can become formaldehyde-donors, in that they release small amounts of formaldehyde into the skin. Many preservatives are cellular toxins. Formaldehyde can cause many health issues including joint discomfort. Examples: DMD, HYDANTOIN, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, AND PHENOXYETYHANOL.
P-Phenylenediamine Commonly found in hair dyes and is also known as 1,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine. Damages the nervous system and can cause severe allergies.
Diethanolamine (DEA) Hormone disruptor.
Hydroquinone Neurotoxin and possible carcinogen.
Nail polish chemicals to avoid: Toluene, DBP and Formaldehyde

ORANGE ALERT:
Nitrosamines
Cocamide DEH, Lauramide DEA, Cocamide MEA, Triethanolamine (TEA), Diethanolamine (DEA)
Mineral Oils
Liquid paraffin, Paraffin oil, Paraffin wax, Petrolatum
These coat the skin like plastic so it cannot breath. They can slow down the skin’s natural functions and cell development resulting in premature aging. Mineral oils can also be contaminated with PAH (Polycyclic, Armatic, Hydrocarbons), which can be carcinogenic. "Petroleum jelly," reports Sophie Uliano, "is now thought to be a probable carcinogen because of the way it is manufactured."
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES)
This ingredient is typically used to de-grease car engines in the shop! In personal care products, it can damage the immune system. It is particularly dangerous when it is combined with other chemicals, as it can become a nitrosamine, which is a carcinogen. According to the American College of
Toxicity. “SLS stays in the body for up to five days. It is easily absorbed through the skin.
FC&C/D&C Color
Animal tests have found these dyes to be carcinogenic. They are coal-based. FD&C Blue 1 is used in some toothpastes and FD&C Green 3, is used in mouthwash.
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG)
A potential carcinogen that is typically used as a grease- dissolving cleaner and a thickener for skin care products. Also look out for PROYLENE GLYCOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL. .
Talc
Contains a chemical that is similar to asbestos and can increase the risk of a certain ovarian cancers.
Acrylates, Methlacrylates
These are carcinogenic. The really great news is that with so much media awareness, many of the really cool products will tell you on their labels that they do not contain the following 3 additives so you won’t have to do too much squinting at the small print.