Ingredients to Avoid

Source information from the following websites and books:

  • Home Enlightenment: Create a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home by Annie Berthold-Bond, 2008.
  • The Safe Shopper's Bible: A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics, and Food by David Steinman and Samuel S. Epstein, 1995.

Click here for printer-friendly PDF file

* Key Code
c = Contaminants
ed = Endocrine (hormone) disruptors
fr = Formaldehyde releasers
np = Nitrosame precursors
oc = Overt carcinogens

Ingredients to Avoid

*

Notes

AHA
May cause irritation, photosensitivity, redness, permanent damage
Alkylphenol Ethoxylate  ed
Ammonia

Amorphous silicates  c Toxic; found in nail polish, hair dyes, and perfumes
Arsenic  c
BHA - Butylate Hydroxynisole  cd May cause irritation, photosensitivity, redness, permanent damage
BHT
13% absorbed through the skin
Blue 1  oc/c Artificial color
B-MDM Butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane  ed
Bp-3 Benzophenone-3  ed
Bronopol  fr/np Found in Chanel, Body Shop, and baby products
Butyl
Found in hair products
Butyl Benzyl Phthalate  ed
Ceteareths
Found in hair products
Cinnamates  ed Damages cell protein/DNA; found in sunscreens
Coal tar dyes  oc/c
Crystalline Silica  oc/c
D&C Red 33
Artificial color
DDT
49% absorbed through the skin
DEA  oc/np Combined with nitrates during manufacturing process = nitrosamines
Diaminobenzene
Toxic, found in nail polish, hair dyes, and perfume
Diazolidinyl urea  fr
Dibutyl Phthalate  ed Found in nail polish
Dieldrin

Diethyl Phthalate  ed
Dioxane (1,4)  c In surfactants; ethoxylated alcohols, polysorbates, laureths (SLS, SLES)
DMDM Hydantoin  fr Found in hair products
ETH  c Avoid any product ending in "eth"
Ethoxylated alcohols  c
FD&C Yellow, 5, 6
Artificial color
Fluoride  oc Thyroid irritant
Formaldehyde
Toxic; found in nail polish, hair dyes, and perfumes
Formalin
Found in nail polish
Fragrances
not phthalate-free

May contain formaldehyde or phthalates
Glycolic acid
May cause irritation, photosensitivity, redness, permanent damage
Green 3  oc/c Artificial color
HMS Homosalate  ed
Imidazolidinyl urea  fr
Isobutyl
Found in hair products
Isopropyl
Found in hair products
Lanolin  c Cosmetic-grade lanolin can be contaminated with DDT, dieldrin, or lindane
Laureths, SLS, SLES  c Can cause skin damage or reactions
Lead  c
Lindane

Methyl-benzylidene Camphor 4-MBC  ed
Methylcloroisothiazolinone
Harmful to nervous system; allergen
Mineral oil
By-product of petroleum; clogs pores
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
https://www.msgmyth.com
Nitro musks  ed
OD-PABA Octyl-dimethyl PABA  ed
OMC Octyl-methoxycinnamate  ed
Oxybenzone  ed Damages cell protein/DNA; found in sunscreens
Padimate o  np
Parabens  ed Found in breast cancer cells
Para-phenylenediamine  oc
PEG  c Allergen; linked to cancer; found in hair products
Petrolatum (Petroleum Jelly)

Phthalates

Polycyclic Musks  ed
Polyethylene 
Found in hair products 
Polysorbate   c
Propyl 
Found in hair products 
Propylene glycol 

Quarternium 15 

Resorcinol 

Retinyl Palmitate/Retinol 
Found in moisturizers, lip products, sunscreens 
Saccharin   oc
Silica

Talc  oc
TEA   np Combined with nitrates during manufacturing process = nitrosamines 
Toluene 
Found in nail polish 
Triclosan/Triclocarban   ed Damages environment, skin and thyroid irritant; found in hand sanitizers, soaps, toothpaste, antibacterial products 


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