Ingredients in Personal Care Products
By Diane di Costanzo |
Americans buy about $20 billion worth of personal care products every year. Unfortunately, many ingredients in these potions and lotions are linked to damaging effects on human health and our planet. Unfortunately the government doesn’t require safety testing for these products before they go to market. So we’ve culled a list of the worst 12 chemicals you do not want on your skin.
1. ANTIBACTERIALS: In cleansers, deodorants and cosmetic products, antibacterial agents such as Triclosan encourage drug-resistant bacteria (Apr 1999, J Biol Chem; July 13, 2000, Nature).
2. COAL-TAR COLORS: So-called coal-tar chemicals are found in many “FD&C” or “D&C” colors used in makeup and hair dye. FD&C Blue 1 and Green 3 are carcinogenic; impurities in D&C Red 33, FD&C Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 have been shown to cause cancer when applied to the skin.
3. DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA): Widely used in shampoos, DEA is a suspected carcinogen; its compounds and derivatives include triethanolamine (TEA) which can be contaminated with nitrosamines, shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Contamination is more likely if the product also contains Bronopol.
4. FORMALDEHYDE: In eye shadows, mascaras and other cosmetics, formaldehyde is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” according to the National Toxicology Program’s “9th Report on Carcinogens” Jan 2001. The EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen. Liquid formaldehyde in the ingredients DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15, can be absorbed through the skin and nails. Consumer concern has led many manufacturers to remove it from nail polish. Quaternium-15 causes more dermatitis complaints than any other preservative, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Bronopol or 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, can contribute to formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, per the FDA.
5. GLYCOL ETHERS: Banned in France in 1999, but still widely used in the US as an industrial solvent in nail polish, deodorant, perfumes and cosmetics; some are hazardous to the reproductive system. Other effects may include anemia and irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Avoid EGPE, EGME, EGEE, DEGBE, PGME, DPGME and anything with “methyl” in its name.
6. HEAVY METALS: Lead–A brain- and nervous-system toxin; a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor; lead accumulates in the bones. Lead acetate is in many hair dyes and makeup. Mercury–A potent nervous-system toxin that accumulates in the body; micro amounts are allowed as a preservative in eye-area cosmetics. Thimerosal, which contains mercury, is commonly found in cake mascara.
7. PARABENS: Used in underarm deodorants and many lotions, parabens were found in tissue samples from human breast tumors (Jan/Feb 2004 J Appl Toxicol). The estrogenic activity of parabens may be linked to development of breast cancer, since estrogen is “a major etiological factor in the growth of human breast cancer” (editorial accompanying study). Many parabens, including methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, and isobutyl-, have shown hormonal activity.
8. PETROLATUM (vaseline, petroleum jelly): A petroleum product used in cold creams, lipsticks, lip protection, baby creams, eye shadows; it can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.
9. PHENYLENEDIAMINE (PPD): Found in many hair dyes, and linked to skin irritations and respiratory disorders; PPD is mutagenic and a suspected human carcinogen, banned in Europe. Aka: Oxidation dyes, amino dyes, para dyes, peroxide dyes.
10. PHTHALATES: Used widely in fragrances, deodorants, nail polishes, hair products and lotions, their oily texture acts like a moisturizer and helps lotions penetrate skin. Several of these of chemical plasticizers have been found to produce cancer of the liver and birth defects in lab animals. Since phthalates often hide behind the term “fragrance,” choose “fragrance-free” products or ones scented exclusively with pure botanicals or essential oils.
11. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS): The Cosmetics Ingredient Review (CIR; cir-safety.org), reported that SLS causes “severe epidermal changes” to mouse skin, a finding that “indicates a need for tumor-enhancing activity assays.” This year, after review of over 250 existing SLS studies, the CIR concluded that SLS is not cancer-causing. Samuel Epstein, MD and Public Health expert recommends avoiding SLS. Other reports connect SLS with premature cataract development.
12. TOLUENE: This solvent found in many nail (and industrial) products can cause kidney, liver and nervous system damage with long-term exposure and irritates the skin and respiratory tract.
Additional References:
1. www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/content/abstract/1076/1/784
2. www.womenandenvironment.org/newsreports/media/News%20Item%202008/Postarticle/newsitem_view
3. www.epa.gov/ogwdw/contaminants/
For more info visit www.thegreenguide.com/doc/100/10uglies
PPD is only illegal in the EU as a skin paint, it is still legal for use in hair dyes.
Isn’t that interesting. Why wouldn’t they ban it from hair dyes if they ban it in skin paint? That doesn’t make sense. Yet I have yet to make sense of the FDA and other governing groups that dictate what is healthy and what is not healthy. The scalp is skin and PPD will penetrate into the scalp. As is everything in life what we choose to put on our skin is our choice. One must find products that do not contain PPD. Best in health and happiness, Dawn