5 Top Toxins/chemicals to Avoid in Skincare Products
1: FRAGRANCE - Contain various endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s). EDC’s are group/class of chemicals that research has linked certain health conditions such as obesity, infertility, early puberty & early menopause, thyroid problems, diabetes, and certain types of cancers which include prostate, testicular, and breast. EDC’s are also among the top 5 allergens in the world. ( Major EDC chemical of concern and to stay clear of is diethtl phthalate (DEP). This chemical is used in many products including skincare, hairspray, nail polish, perfume, deodorant. It is used to make smells and colors last longer. This chemical is used to make plastics more flexible that are then used in automobile parts, toys, tools and food packaging. Animal studies have showed results of live tumors found on mice after DEP was placed on their skin twice a day for two years. Other animal studies showed liver, kidney impairment, birth defects, and skin sensitivity from the exposure of DEP.
2. FORMALDEHYDE RELEASERS (aka on labels: quaternium-15, diazolidinyl, urea, DMDM hydantoin, bronopol, or imidazolidinyl urea.) They are called releasers because when you rub these chemicals on your skin they can be released into the air you breathe, they can penetrate your skin and enter your system. These chemicals are known to cause DNA damage and cancer and can also cause allergic reactions, asthma, and skin irritation. PARABENS- (aka on labels: benzylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben)
3. PARABENS have estrogenic activity in the body and have been detected in breast tumors by a study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology. This study doesn’t prove that PARABENS cause breast cancer but it does show and prove that PARABENS are absorbed by the skin, and stored in our body tissues, including the breasts. It has also been shown that we absorb PARABENS from skincare products.
4. DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (monoethanolamide), TEA (triethanolamine)- these ingredients are added to skincare products to make moisturizers and sunscreens more creamy, soaps and cleansers more foamy, and also to increase the pH of a formula or recipe.
Studies have shown a link with high doses of these with precancerous changes in the thyroid and skin and liver cancer. DEA has been banned and labeled harmful and toxic in Canada and Europe but is still used widely and regularly in the US. Also when these chemicals are combined with other common skincare ingredients the resulting chemical reaction makes them a carcinogenic.
5. MINERAL OIL made from petroleum (aka on labels: liquid petroleum, paraffin oil, white mineral oil) derived from crude oil. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has deemed untreated and mildly treated mineral oils as human carcinogens. They contain harmful impurities such as PAH’s (polyaromatic hydrocarbons). It is also not environmentally friendly and a non- renewable source. Strong evidence suggests mineral oil hydrocarbons are the greatest contaminant of the human body.
All of the chemicals listed above are not only highly toxic, dangerous, a risk to our health, and to the environment but are also all unnecessary to include in our skincare products. There are much healthier, eco friendly, natural, and much more effective plant-based ingredients that are highly beneficial for our skin that can support and enhance our overall wellness. (This will be for a future post.)
Getting to the Bottom Line Truth of What’s really in products is extremely important and empowering!!!
After going through all those toxins, this page needs a sage!
Melissa Bourque Simard <3