Let’s keep informed!

By intothepot, 11/22/2013

I am here to warn you against chemical beauty products once again… I have been reading a lot about this subject and I just cannot shut up, I want to share what I have learned with you.

I have already told you about toxic substances used in personal care products, some ingredients are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins and also hormone disruptors. Chemicals for keeping concrete soft (plasticizers), degreasers for getting grime off auto parts and surfactants, which are used to reduce surface tension, are often included in the list of ingredients.

Here it is a list of harmful substances to avoid:

1. BHA and BHT which are used as preservatives and which are potential endocrine disruptors and may cause cancer (BHA).. and also they are very harmful and noxious to wildlife!

2. P-phenylenediamine and colours listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number, which are potential carcinogens and may be contaminated with metal substances toxic to the brain.

3. DEA (diethanolamine) and its related chemicals MEA (monoethanolamide) and TEA (triethanolamine) can also be very harmful for us and for wildlife too. These substances can react with nitrites in cosmetics to form nitrosamines, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as a potential human carcinogen.

4. Dibutyl phthalate is a plasticizer which is accused of being an endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant. Also this substance is very detrimental to fish and other wildlife.

5. DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15 are formaldehyde-releasing preservatives which are used in many cosmetics. The chemical released by them does cause cancer!

6. Parebens and their related chemicals are dangerous too. Methylparaben, butylparaben, and propylparaben are some of the most common parabens in cosmetics. They are used as preservatives and they are suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions.

7. Parfum (fragrance) is any mixture of fragrance ingredients used in a variety of cosmetics and it is present even in some products marketed as “unscented.” Some fragrance ingredients are linked to allergies and asthma, others are connected with cancer and neurotoxicity. Once again some of them are substances harmful to wildlife.

8. PEGs (polyethylene glycols) are petroleum-based compounds that are used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. They are widely used as cosmetic creme bases and in pharmaceuticals as laxatives as well. While carcinogenic contaminants are the primary concern (in fact they may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide, which is a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane that is classified as a possible human carcinogen) PEG compounds themselves show some evidence of genotoxicity, a deleterious action on a cell’s genetic material affecting its integrity.  Also, PEGs function as a “penetration enhancers” that increase the permeability of the skin to allow ingredients to be absorbed more readily through the skin.

9. Petrolatum and its related ingredients (mineral oil and petroleum distillates) are very noxious and they are used in a variety of moisturizers and also in hair care products. A petrolatum product can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are associated with cancer.

10. Silicone-based compounds are used in cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten. Siloxanes can also be found in medical implants, water-repelling windshield coatings, building sealants and lubricants. Avoid cyclomethicone and ingredients ending in “-siloxane” and “-methicone”,  they are very toxic. Silicone-based compounds are suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant (cyclotetrasiloxane). In laboratory experiments, exposure to high doses of D5 (cylcopentasiloxane) has been shown to cause uterine tumours and harm to the reproductive and immune systems. Cyclotetrasiloxane can also influence neurotransmitters in the nervous system. Of course they are damaging  to  wildlife.

11. Sodium laureth sulfate and its related ingredients (Sodium lauryl sulfate, etc…) are widely used in foaming cosmetics. They can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. Be careful of other ethoxylates, because they may be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane as well. Avoid ingredients with the letters “eth”!

12. Triclosan is used as a preservative and as an anti-bacterial agent and it has also medical applications. It is accused of being an endocrine disrupter and it may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Harmful to fish and wildlife.

Let’s get responsible, let’s start taking little steps… let’s change our beauty routine, let’s choose greener products! Let’s respect our wildlife, our environment and ourselves!

Arielle T.