Yet, as I aspire to live as toxic-free as possible, there are always those hidden cracks where toxins seem to seep through. And there is no place more vulnerable for me than my very own bathroom – a sacred space, where rituals are made. It’s the place where each & every corner of my body is tended to on the daily, and I use a variety of products to help me do this. It was my sanctuary of trust. That was, until I noticed unseemly harmful ingredients harbouring themselves there. Turns out, the true cost of my personal care was at the expense of my health.
I want vibrant, healthy skin as much as the next person. Fortunately, that’s exactly what every self-care, beauty and cosmetic product offers. I was content with that agreement: I buy a product, and it gives results.
But about 5 years ago, while I was in the shower – the place where all the most magnificent ideas are fostered – I caught myself reading the back of the shampoo I was about to use… first the marketing pitch part, and then the ingredient list. It promised me smooth, shiny & voluminous hair. But as I read the small printed list of ingredients, I was perplexed to find it was a full of chemistry vocab I didn’t know, nor could I properly pronounce. It occurred to me, that in order to fulfill its promises, my shampoo was chemically enhanced with ingredients that would force those results in whatever way necessary
At first I thought it’s just shampoo – no harm done. But as it turns out, some of these ingredients have adverse side effects. They can irritate the skin, provoking eczema, acne, allergies or dermatitis; are carcinogenic (linked as a cause of cancer), and are even known to be linked with impaired fertility or developmental damage of a fetus in the womb or growing child, just to name a few.
The cost of having a(n unnaturally) full-bodied head of hair was at the expense of my body’s general health, and I didn’t even know it. And this didn’t stop at shampoo. I saw that harmful ingredients were in almost every type of self-care product I owned. And I’m not the only one affected by this. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), on average women use at least 12 products in the bathroom before leaving the house in the morning. And each of those products contains a dozen or more chemicals. That doesn’t even take into account menstrual accessories or household cleaning products.
The skin is a highly complex organ, protecting the inner body, at times even by absorbing whatever it’s exposed to – which means it doesn’t discriminate between what’s good for it and what isn’t. All the creams, lotions, makeup products (and any other small particles that can get through the epidermis) are soaked right up into the body. So if there are any toxic or harmful ingredients in those products, they get circulated around the body before they are eventually – but not always – eliminated.
There are companies which argue that small amounts of certain chemicals are harmless. But if you consider every amount (however minuscule) used in every product you own — not to mention environmental pollutants, food additives and other industrial chemicals — the amount can quickly accumulate to a multitude. Everything adds up. And we simply do not know how this affects humans over a long period of time. What we do know, however, is that studies show babies are being born carrying hundreds of chemicals.
It’s like we’re all part of some giant human experiment… unsuspecting beta testers – the cosmetic industry’s guinea pigs – just waiting to find out how detrimental all these chemicals really are.
I know the unending struggle of reading through all the ingredients on a label and feeling overwhelmed. Below you’ll read about the top 6 absolute no-gos when it comes to harmful ingredients, what makes them so bad, and their safer, more eco-friendly alternatives.
Anything that has a foamy texture most likely contains sulfates – be it shampoos, floor cleaners, car soaps, or even toothpaste. The Laureth family are a group of chemical surfactants (compounds that lower the surface tension, i.e. foaming agents) which can be found in a wide range of cosmetics. Although many have come to the unfounded belief that these chemical compounds are safe, they are in actuality very harsh on the skin and have turned out to be the culprits behind many cases of skin & eye irritation, hair loss, and they’re even becoming known for their potential as carcinogens. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) states that any products containing Lauryl Sulfate should only be used briefly and washed off thoroughly after use.
Soaps derived from coconut are considered to be a suitable replacement for products containing SLS. If you are ultra-sensitive, however, err on the side of caution with all sulfates.
Petrochemicals are ingredients derived from petroleum – a process that utilizes crude oil (gasoline) or natural gases. They’re colourless, tasteless, odorless, produced cheaply and in very large quantities. They are used as the base for many cosmetic and personal care products, including (but definitely not limited to): baby oils, lotions, shampoos & makeup.
To put the potential health risks in better perspective, petrochemicals are more typically used for the preservation of metals, as leather conditioner, to create non-stick coatings, as a base for automotive oil mixtures, and they are highly reputable for removing oil stains… So, maybe not something you’d really want to put on your skin.
Not only are mineral oils inexpensive, they’re also readily available and don’t turn rancid like plant and animal oils do. Cosmetic companies will usually promote the use of mineral oils in their products with the claim that they have moisturizing benefits, since mineral oils do in fact aid with moisturisation, to some extent.
But do not be deceived by how natural “mineral oil” sounds – vitamins & minerals are indeed essential for the body and beauty maintenance, but mineral oil is an ingredient you really do not want or need. They have been long known to have negative side effects to our health; while they do promote moisture retention, mineral oils act like a plastic film on the skin, clogging pores, reducing skin cell regeneration (ultimately resulting in an earlier aging process) and increasing acne.
They’re also known to interfere with hormonal balance & overall growth development. These effects are now seen to carry over across generations. The children of tomorrow are being constantly affected by what we consume (and put on our skin) today.
Be on the lookout for moisturizers that contain oils with herbal compounds that can help strengthen the body’s natural oil moisture barrier. Examples of such oils include: shea, jojoba, cacao, coconut, or even olive oil. Beeswax can also have beneficial properties that won’t aggravate the skin.
These are alcohols used in cosmetics that act as thickeners, emulsifiers and foaming and/or alkalising agents. Most commonly found in shampoos and moisturizers. When tested on animals, results designated them as linked to cancer. More than 40% of cosmetics containing TEA are likewise contaminated with nitrosamines (a potent group of carcinogens); DEA is similarly found in pesticides, most of which are already being banned in Europe.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review suggests that if you are going to use a product containing any of these particular ingredients, you should first rinse off the residue as soon as possible after application. Furthermore, if you intend to use a product containing DEA, MEA or TEA for an extended period of time, you should make sure that the TEA/DEA concentration is lower than five percent.
The best way to go, in my opinion? Of course, just to avoid using it altogether, if possible.
These can be any mixture of chemicals that produce a certain colour or scent. Either of these groups can cause increasing reactivity from the skin, leading to acne breakouts, allergies and/or other associated skin sensitivities.
There is a wide array of artificial colours being used in the beauty industry; you name it,it probably has a synthetic colour in it. Hair dye is amongst the most common contributor to artificial colours. Most ingredients in hair dye are derivatives of coal tar (a byproduct of petroleum – surprise, surprise); these ingredients are also highly regulated by the FDA because of the potentially high levels of lead and/or arsenic they may contain.
Ingredients to watch out for: 4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine 2.4-diaminoanisole, 4-chloro-m-phenylenediamine, 2.4-toluenediamine, 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine and 4-amino-2-nitrophenol. Artificial colouring in products that may be ingested, such as toothpaste and mouthwash should be avoided (especially by children), as they are easily absorbed through the mucous membrane inside the mouth.
Finding alternatives for synthetic colours starts by shopping for more organic/natural brands, those which don’t promote the use of such artificial colouring. There are also new technologies that use the natural colour derived from plants & moulds, giving products a bit of colour without the added chemically harmful effects. Natural colours include: Indigofera Tictoria (Indigo), Lawsonia Imermis (Henna).
You’ll find fragrances are everywhere, and not just in your self care products, but surrounding us in the workplace, school, hospitals and public transport. Voluntarily or not, we are exposed to them. Synthetic fragrances are a derivative of crude oil, and its byproducts toluene and benzene are what give off that sweet scent. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that when large amounts of toluene is inhaled over a short period of time, it can cause adverse effects to the nervous system, liver, kidneys & heart.
A safe alternative to any product containing synthetic fragrances can be found in the form of natural, plant-based scents or essential oils. The labels should mention that the product is either ‘unscented’ or ‘fragrance-free’; Be cautious whenever choosing products without a scent, since some are chemically altered to mask scents and thus create an ‘unscented’ effect. To be on the safe side, avoid any product that lists any type of fragrance. And as a rule of thumb, “Certified Organic” products should not have any synthetic fragrances added to them.
Parabens are used to prolong shelf-life for many cosmetic products. Unfortunately, they can lead to allergic reactions, and studies from Journal of Applied Toxicology have shown them to be a link to breast cancer. Nowadays, most products will list themselves as ‘paraben-free’ – making it easier to limit exposure and intake of parabens. Keep an eye out for any word ending in –paraben: ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben.
If you want to ensure preservation, a good alternative to parabens would be to use natural antioxidants, like grape seed extract, cinnamaldehyde (from cinnamon), citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and rosemary extract.
Use the infographic as a guide, and if your products at home contain any of these ingredients, finish them until their all used up, then either:
Note: When looking at a product’s label (for either cosmetics or processed foods), the ingredients are always listed from highest counterparts to least – with ingredients under 2% not legally required to be mentioned. Like me, you may be alarmed at how your most beloved beauty brands could have been exposing you to so many chemicals for such a long time…
Most companies will argue that their products are not harmful – that the ingredients they use form no threat in such small doses. But as I’ve explained above, it’s not that one product will be incredibly dangerous, not one shampoo that will cause cancer or irritate your skin; it’s rather the constant exposure to these through numerous products – the daily & repetitive use of them – that will gradually accumulate and lead you towards a potentially harmful end result for your overall health.
In getting one step closer to eliminating unnecessary toxins from our lives, I believe we need to just start taking action. Not only for our health, but also as consumers: to advocate for change regarding what manufacturers and companies use in the products we put on our bodies – to advocate for safer personal care products.
My advice is to take it back to what real vibrant, healthy skin is supposed to be about: proper nourishment & pure care for your skin that has no drawbacks on your overall health.
Tags: Conscious Consumer, Cosmetic Safety, Eye on Ingredients, Skin Care
Alana is a qualified naturopath & nutritionist from Australia. After years of studying and first clinical experiences, she moved to Europe where she spent many years as a health editor and writer for Amazingy Magazine. In 2020 Alana started her online Health Practice based out of Berlin. She believes the body has the innate ability to heal itself. The core of her work is teaching individuals the foundations of nutrition for an abundance of energy, smooth digestion and vital health. The stuff she teaches we just weren't taught at school, but it is fundamental for excellent health for everyone. Get in touch with Alana via her website: https://alanabonnemann.com/
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