It’s no surprise that commonly used cosmetics and skin care products contain ingredients that are known to be toxic. But, we wondered, what about all of the companies that claim to be natural or organic?
Apparently, you can’t always trust those brands either, writers at the Huffington Post argue. No matter how a product is marketed, many ingredient lists show the presence of at least one potentially harmful ingredient (for examples of specific brands and products, you can read more here).
Okay so, you know that you can’t trust all brands, all the time -  but what do you really need to watch out for? Read below to see a few toxic ingredients that are particularly important for you to consider avoiding.
FD&C Color – FD&C colors are synthetic, carcinogenic substances that are made out of coal tar that can be found in nearly all commercial makeups and skin care products. FD&C Colors contain heavy metal salts that the skin absorbs rapidly. These heavy metal salts deprive the skin of oxygen and can cause serious irritation to the skin.
Ethylene Glycol – Extremely common in beauty products, this stuff is also used to make antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, plasticizers, paint solvent, printing ink, wood stains, and even safety explosives. Exposure to low amounts of ethylene glycol found in beauty products can cause “nausea, vomiting, weakness, bloody or no urine, rapid breathing, hypothermia, facial paralysis, dizziness, blue lips and fingernails, low or high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, headaches, slurred speech, disorientation, feeling intoxicated, and irritated skin, eyes, nose, and throat.”
Triclosan & Phthalates – Triclosan is a synthetic antibacterial agent that can be found in most commercial skincare products. Listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as a pesticide that is harmful to human health, triclosan is currently being researched as a potential cause of cancer. Phthalates also pose a variety of health threats to those who wear it on their skin, including liver damage, kidney damage, and increased risk of birth defects.
DMDM Hydantoin & Urea – Used as preservatives in many commercial skin care products, this chemicals are very toxic to your skin. They release formaldehyde, which has been linked to health risks such as cancer, chest pains, depression, and chronic fatigue. Studies have shown that formaldehyde is a skin irritant even when it's just in the air (let alone when it's put on your skin), and the negative effects of breathingformaldehyde have been widely proven in the scientific community.
These types of ingredients are frequently found in all types of beauty care – including those that are marketed as natural cosmetics and skin care products. Whatever kind of products you like to buy, make sure you check the ingredient lists instead of relying on what a product says it is – or isn’t.
Want to shop an natural product line with ingredients that never contain toxic ingredients? Now through Thursday, July 31, get $5 off any skin care product. Use code HEALTHYSKIN at checkout.