Top 12 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products

The average personal care product contains about 12 chemicals. From shampoo and lotion to sunscreen and mouthwash, the products we lather, rub and spray onto ourselves may not be healthy. If you think there’s no cause for concern, you might be wrong–more than one-third of all personal-care products contain at least one ingredient linked to cancer, and less than 20 percent of the chemicals in personal-care products have been tested for safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate or limit the use of chemicals in personal-care products or require that all of the ingredients be listed on the label. Despite this, many manufacturers do list ingredients on product packaging and on their websites. Check the labels on your personal care products; if you see any of these 12 chemicals, it might be wise to avoid it. You can also check for a product’s safety rating on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

Ingredients to Avoid

Prefixes Ethyl, Methyl, Butyl or Propyl
What It Is: Parabens
Health Risks: Endocrine disrupters that mimic estrogen; linked to weight gain and breast cancer
Found In: Lotions and shampoos

Fragrance, DEHP, DHP, DBP 5, Dibutyl Phthalate
What It Is: Phthalates
Health Risks: Sperm damage, infertility
Found In: Nail polish, shampoo, deodorant, lotion

Dyes: Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5 & 6, Red 33
What It Is: Coal tar
Health Risks: Carcinogenic
Found In: Hair color, medicated shampoos

Triclosan, Chloro, Phenol, Irgasan
What It Is: Triclosan
Health Risks: Endocrine and thyroid disrupter; promotes antibiotic-resistant bacteria; bioaccumulates in the body
Found In: Antibacterial soap, shampoo, facial cleanser, toothpaste, deodorant

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Read more: Beauty, Health, Holistic Beauty

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Melania P.

1:26PM PST on Nov 22, 2012

I am so glad to say that I only use olive oil as a beauty product!!
Thanks for posting, re-shared

November 22
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Miriam I.

11:35AM PDT on Oct 19, 2012

Thanks! It is difficult to avoid them all though

October 19
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Past Member .

7:05AM PST on Feb 23, 2012

That's the reason I switched to natural (organic) skin care products some years ago. No more chemicals on my body! The amounts may be very little in some cases but still. And yes, even though I buy natural skin care products, I still look at the ingredients list.

February 23
send a green star

C. G.

12:14PM PST on Feb 11, 2012

Thank you! I don't wear make-up...unless it's special event for few hours...as soon as I get home, I always remove make-up!

February 11
send a green star

Debbie C.

5:15AM PST on Jan 24, 2012

Good heavens. Who knew? Thanks for the information.

January 24
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Irma P.

3:15AM PST on Jan 23, 2012

And these chemicals have been in the products for sometime now. We should go for organic beauty products.

January 23
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Vicki B.

9:14PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

Thank you for that info. It's a shame companies continue to make products with carcinogens and even worse that we keep using them. Try the health shops, at least you have half a chance of buying something that won't kill you and isn't tested on animals.

January 19
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Jennifer C.

7:24PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

Thank you.

Nia G.

3:40PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

VERY useful! Thank you! I always look out for ingredient names that I'm not familiar with or that look like chemicals. Furthermore, most labels can be misleading. There are loads of products that read "Natural" or "Organic" and when you read the ingredients there are loads of chemicals listed. You have to be educated before you buy something because there are no legal restrictions on the labelling of cosmetics. I make many of my personal care (and household) products at home by what my grandmother taught me when I was a child, hence baking soda is my best friend.

Rosie L.

2:48PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

thanks for sharing!!