toxic_beauty_ingredients_to_avoid_natural_organic_beauty_blog

There’s nothing pretty about the effects cheap + dirty ingredients can have on your health! Judging by the skyrocketing rates of Cancer among younger women (+ men) in the past few years, it can’t possibly be the dose that makes the poison. A little dab here + a spritz there, really add up.

Too Glam to Give A Damn?

So was I. Most of us never look into these things until it’s too late – when we, or a someone we know gets Cancer. Learn from my mistake. Don’t wait until your health is so affected by it that you have no choice. Do it at your own pace, now! Be aware that when you question, you might find something +  actually have to do something about it though. It’s an inconvenient truth… for all of us. I was perfectly happy using Pantene + MAC…. until I found out what was in them.

Keep in mind that whether you’ve had Cancer or not – prevention is the only cure. This is one of the only things that are in your control… so make an informed decision about what you’re putting on your body!

Live by the Precautionary Principle – if you don’t know what an ingredient is – don’t use it until you do. If there’s not enough research available – don’t use it until there is.

Pretty Toxic Cosmetic Beauty Ingredients Avoid

Know Your Nasties!

Below is a starter list of what to avoid. It won’t contain every single, toxic beauty ingredient, ever. That list would go on forever! Remember, true beauty comes from within, or within nature – not chemicals.

  • 1,4 Dioxane (not listed as an ingredient, possible contaminant)
  • Acetates – Benzyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate
  • Acetone

  • Acrylates – (Acrylics) Acrylic Acid

  • ALS (Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate)
  • Aluminum Chlorohydrate

  • Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex gly

  • Ammonium Alum
  • Animal-derived Ingredients (except Honey + Beeswax)
  • Benzyl Alcohol
  • Benzoic Acid

  • Benzoates – Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Benzoate

  • Bronopolchlorhexidine (Bronopol)
  • Butylcarbamate
  • Butylene Glycol
  • Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
  • Butylated Hydroyanisol (BHA)
  • Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
  • Capryloyl Glycine

  • Chlorphenesin

  • Coal Tar
  • Copolymer
  • Cetereths (any number)
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  • DEAs – Cocamide DEA (Coconut Diethanolamide), Dietjanolamine DEA, Lauramide DEA

  • Dihydroxyacetone

  • Dicaprylyl Ether
  • Diethanolamine
  • Dimethylamine
  • Dimethylaminonethanol (DMAE, Dimethyl MEA)
  • DMDM Hydantion
  • Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
  • EDTAs – Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid)
  • Ethoxylated Compounds
  • Ethylhexylglycerin
  • FD + C Dyes  (Synthetic Colors)
  • Formaldehyde + Formaldehyde Releasers
  • Fragrance – Synthetic (Parfum)
  • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)
  • Glyceryl Oleate Citrate

  • Glyceryl Stearate

  • Hexylene Glycol
  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Hydoquinone
  • Hydrogenated Oils
  • Iodopropunyl Butlcarbamate
  • Japanese Honeysuckle Extract
  • Lead + Lead Compounds (not listed as an ingredient, possible contaminant)
  • Methylisothiazinone (MI / MCI)
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone
  • Monoethanolamine MEA
  • Myristates
  • Nano Particles
  • Oxybenzone (Benzpenone-3 or 4)
  • PABA Esters – Octyl Dimethyl (Padimate O)
  • Para Amino Benzonic Acid (PABA)
  • Parabens – Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl, Isobutyl, Benzyl
  • PEGs (Polyethylene Glycol) – any number
  • Petroleum derived ingredients – Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Parrafin
  • Phenoxyethanol
  • Phthalates  –  (Plasticizers) Dibutyl (DBP), Dimethyl (DMP), Diethyl (DEP)
  • Polysorbates – any number
  • Potassium Alum
  • P-Phenylendiamine (PPD)
  • Propylene Glycol
  • PVP/VA Copolymer
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats) – Benzalkonium Chloride, Benzethonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Quaternium-15
  • Resorcinol

  • Retinyl Palmitate (Retinol, Vitamin A)

  • Silicones (Cones) – Silicone, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol, Cyclomethicone (Cyclopentasiloxane), Amodimethicone
  • Silver compounds – colloidal silver, silver citrate
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
  • Stearates (unless Vegetable-Derived)
  • Toluene
  • Triclosan
  • Treithanolamine TEA
  • Ureas – Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea

I Avoid When Possible

  • Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)
  • Vegetable Emulsifying Wax /  NF – (usually ethoxylated) unless it’s organic
  • Carmine (Animal-derived Ingredient) – common in makeup
  • Dimethicone – common in makeup
  • Bismuth Oxychloride (BOC)

  • Tocopheryl Acetate

  • Decyl Glucoside
  • Potassium Sorbate
  • Retinyl Palmitate (Retinol, Vitamin A) – common in makeup
  • P-Phenylendiamine (PPD) – in all Permanent Hair Dyes, I use the lowest amount possible
  • Fragrance Oils (synthetic)
  • Hydrogenated Oils – except in makeup where I can’t avoid them, usually in Lip Products, Pencils.

So, What’s Wrong With These Ingredients?

Check ’em out using the resources below! I wish I were a doctor or a chemist, but I’m not. So, don’t just take my word for it… learn more about what you’re using on your body + why it’s not healthy for you! Some of the ingredients on these lists have the science to back up the toxic claims, while some just don’t have enough research yet at all – so you’ll have to make an executive decision about where you stand with that. Chances are though, if you knew what they were, or what they’re capable of doing to your health – you wouldn’t use them.

Here’s a list of common chemicals directly linked to Breast Cancer + what you can do about it!

* Special Thank You to Chemist, Ingredient Maven + my Go-to Girl, Stephanie Greenwood, for helping me compile + organize this list for you!