http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-15-dangerous-ingredients-in-skin-care.html
Top 15 Dangerous Ingredients in Skin Care
Isn’t it astonishing that cosmetics do not require approval before they hit the market’s shelves? I had a hard time swallowing that until I read it straight from the Web site of the FDA (the agency that regulates the cosmetics industry).
“Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, cosmetics and their ingredients are not required to undergo approval before they are sold to the public. … This means that manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, to market a product without a government review or approval.”
Yikes. Well, there are those few prohibited substances. Thank goodness they saw to banning (a meager) 10 ingredients–as compared to 1,100 ingredients banned in cosmetics by the European Union. And while it’s good to know that the FDA is protecting us from mercury compounds and chloroform–what about the long list of other problem ingredients that are prohibited elsewhere but allowed in American beauty products?
When Natural Solutions magazine was considering products for their Beauty with a Conscience Awards 2008–highlighting the safest, greenest beauty products in the marketplace–they came up with a list of the top ingredients to avoid in personal care products. They worked closely with Whole Foods Market, whose personal care team has been developing the Whole Foods Premium Bodycare Quality Standards has listed 250 unacceptable ingredients for Premium Body Care. You know it’s a topsy-turvy world when retailers are having to do the work that the FDA isn’t interested in.
Here are the winners, or perhaps we should call them the losers, of their research–The Formidable 15: Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare.
1. SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES often contain phthalates (pronounced THAY-lates), synthetic chemicals commonly used to stabilize fragrances and make plastic more pliable. These endocrine disrupters mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list fragrance as an ingredient unless the label states that it’s derived from essentials oils, or look for a phthalate-free label on the packaging.
2. PARABENS, ubiquitous in skincare, preserve other ingredients and extend a product’s shelf life–but these antimicrobial chemicals also have hormone-disrupting effects.
3. UREAS, formally known as diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, or DMDM hydantoin and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, are preservatives that have the potential to release formaldehyde in very small amounts and are a primary cause of contact dermatitis.
4. 1,4-DIOXANE, a chemical carcinogen, is created when ingredients are processed with petroleum-derived ethylene oxide. Common ethoxylated compounds include sodium laureth sulfate and polyethylene glycol (often listed as PEG). To avoid it, skip any product with the following ingredients: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth (or any other -eth), PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol.
5. PETROCHEMICALS are derived from crude oil. Petroleum-based ingredients such as petrolatum, mineral oil, and paraffin (derived from nonrenewable sources) form a barrier when applied to the skin that does not allow it to breathe and can clog pores.
6. MEA/DEA/TEA are “amines” (ammonia compounds) and can form harmful nitrosamines when they come in contact with nitrates. Used as foaming agents, synthetic stabilizers, and to adjust the pH of cosmetics, they can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation, and dryness of the hair and skin.
7. SULFATES, such as sodium lauryl and sodium laureth, are harsh detergents that give cleansers, soaps, and shampoos their latherability. Often derived from petroleum, sulfates can also come from coconut and other vegetable oils that can be contaminated with pesticides. Sulfates can cause eye irritation and skin rashes.
8. CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS, such as oxybenzone and octylmethoxycinnamate, have been shown to disrupt endocrine activity. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are safer alternatives.
9. QUATS, such as benzalkonium chloride, steardimonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, and cetrimonium chloride, give a positive charge to conditioners in order to prevent static. They are necessary for conditioners, but we have allowed only the mildest quats in our Beauty With a Conscience standard: guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, hydroxypropyltrimonium oligosaccharide, and SugaQuats.
10. ANTIBACTERIAL COMPOUNDS, such as triclosan and chlorphenesin, do not break down in the environment and may contribute to bacterial resistance.
11. SYNTHETIC POLYMERS, such as sodium polyacrylate and carbomer, come from petroleum and give viscosity to skincare products. They are highly processed and their manufacture creates toxic by-products.
12. SYNTHETIC COLORS are made from coal tar. They contain heavy metal salts that may deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number.
13. CHELATORS, such as disodium EDTA and tetrasodium EDTA, are used in personal care products to remove impurities from low-quality raw materials. They do not readily biodegrade in the environment.
14. NANOS are a new technology with inconclusive but potentially hazardous study results. Research suggests that when tiny nano particles penetrate the skin, they may cause cell damage.
15. ANIMAL TESTING: A grim history of cruelty to animals lies behind many cosmetic ingredients. But scientists are developing new technologies to test cosmetics before a European Union ban on animal testing begins in March 2009.
Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living offers its readers the latest news on health conditions, herbs and supplements, natural beauty products, healing foods and conscious living. Click here for a free sample issue.
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9 comments
add your comment »Mychelle is the only line I have been using for about a year now and love it. Their web site is www.mychelleusa.com or you can find "some" of their products from www.vitacost.com
ALL ingredients are listed on every package and they include a booklet that EXPLAINS each ingredient, where it is derived from and it's purpose.
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It's unbelievable that companies can sell us poison as beauty and skin care products. Everyone needs to check out this wonderful data base by the Environmental Working Group (EWG)
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
You can type in the name of your product and it will have a rating for it. It also lists each ingredient and rates them individually. You can search for a more healthy product. I have been phasing out my old toxic products and using this database to research my replacements. This database is a Godsend! Check it out!!
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There is no other skin care system like Glimpse it going to take over the market its not availible in store and like Xango juice you have to sponsored to buy it or sell it the founders are all top ceos from health care product companies. Here is the website my-glimpse.com check it out let me know what you think I can't say enough about it I so impressed with the juice and now the skin care line. I look forward to hearing from you Terrie
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Sally, sorry to say, but the FDA is the last organization to trust with your health. Very few of the chemicals used in products are even tested. If you don't know what something is, don't put it on your skin. I agree with deborah, if you're going to buy at the store, you just can't go wrong with MyChelle or Zia. Great choices. Another brand is Ren. It's available at Barney's New York, but don't be scared, it's not that expensive and it lasts forever.
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The brands I use for facial care are both MyChelle & Zia - both of which can be found in health food stores.
As a professional massage therapist I've recently switched all the products I use, for sessions, to 100% organic & paraben free. After all the years of exposure to the popular brands used by the industry, I didn't want to use them any longer!
It may take time to revamp your household, plus your health & beauty products, but it's well worth the time, energy & research to do so!
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Glimpse a new skin care system that is pure ,green, and clean no chem. at all is going to make all others obsolete. Created by Xango its full of Zantones ; antioxidants 30 x stronger that green tea. new tech. BioActiveX3 through biofermentation regenerates skin at the cellular level revives dead skin cells reminds how to behave young again the first to be Alive yes Alive and its intuitive performance driven you can feel it working as so as you apply it you should try it
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Try VivierSkin skincare products they are pharmaceutical grade and they are all tested and manufactured at pharmaceutical standards and are regulated by Health Canada and FDA. Their Vitamin-C serums use L-Ascorbic acid USP (Pharmaceutical grade vitamin-C).
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Thanks for this article. It's sad that we're bombarded with chemicals everywhere we go and in most products. Lately I've been trying to keep it real simple by buying the most natural products I can get and making my own stuff. My skin looks so much healthier!
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Thanks Mel, that's really helpful information. I have always been highly suspicious of most stuff that comes out of tubes and bottles though I must admit I do give in quite often to the pretty packaging.
I try to use as much stuff off my kitchen rack as possible, coarsely ground rice and milk, with a few drops of rose water as a scrub, yoghurt and olive oil make a great hair conditioner, fullers earth & sandalwood powder or tumeric face packs and rose water and veg glycerin as a prebath moisturiser. Not as glamourous but I feel so good when my skin glows and my hair is all shiny with mother nature's goodness :).
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