7 Toxic Ingredients To Avoid In Beauty Products

Think about how many products we apply on our skin every day. Nowadays, you can even find brands that are eliminating toxic ingredients from their formulas. However, there are a lot of companies that are trying to cover up their toxic ingredients. Therefore, it's important for consumers to be educated about product ingredients and more importantly, what ingredients to avoid.

Many manufacturers add sulphates into products such as body washes, soaps, cleansers, shampoos and similar products for its foam-creating components. Most sulphates found in beauty products are carcinogenic and can cause skin irritation.

Parabens are commonly used to preserve freshness and prevent the growth of germs and bacteria in everyday beauty and skincare products and are often listed as methyl-paraben, butyl-paraben or propyl-paraben on ingredient labels. Parabens are known to cause disruptions in hormone balance, particularly in teens and young adults and should be avoided when purchasing beauty products. Although long-term risks are still unknown, studies have shown a possible linkage between parabens and breast cancer. 

Similar to parabens, phthalates act as a hormone disrupter, having severe effects on children and women's reproductive systems. Phthalates are often found in products such as nail polishes to reduce cracking and hair sprays to avoid stiffness.

Mineral oil is a petroleum derivative that can be commonly found in moisturizers, conditioners, lip balms and other moisturizing beauty products. Research has found Mineral Oil to be one of the largest cancer causing contaminants within the human body. Look for safe alternatives such as argan oil and grapeseed oil in your beauty products.

Additionally, propylene glycol is another petroleum-based chemical that helps to retain moisture in beauty products. It is found to be a skin irritant and can slow down skins cellular development over time.

Are you a fan of antibacterial products? You may want to think twice before your next purchase. Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical that is used in most antibacterial products such as soaps and toothpastes, and can ultimately cause liver fibrosis, hormone disruption and cancer.

These three ingredients are most commonly found in nail polishes. DBP (dibutyl phthalate) is used to prevent the chipping of nail polish, but can potentially affect reproductive development and cause birth defects. Toluene is used as paint thinner, but can be harmful, especially to the immune systems of pregnant women and their unborn children. Additionally, you should avoid formaldehyde as it can cause skin irritation, headaches, dizziness and other allergy symptoms.

Aluminum
When shopping for deodorants or antiperspirants, remember to look for aluminum-free options. Even though aluminum is effective at controlling the sweat, it is a skin irritant and can increase the risk of breast cancer.

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