By Annmarie Gianni, Founder of Annmarie Skin Care. This article concludes with a link to an Annmarie Skin Care product that is free of the toxic ingredients listed.
You’ve probably heard about all the hidden chemicals and health risks surrounding so many personal care products on the market. The presence of toxic skin care ingredients in many popular brands raises concerns about their long-term health effects. But what exactly are they, and will you ever be able to put lotion or eye cream on again in peace — without wondering if you’re poisoning your body?
Thankfully, the answer is yes!
The key to healthy beauty care is to understand what’s really underneath the lid. With the right knowledge, you can confidently choose safe, effective skin care and beauty products. Understanding what harmful chemicals to avoid empowers you to make informed decisions and protect your skin.
Once you know what to look for, you can join a rapidly growing group of empowered consumers who vote with their dollars for nontoxic products.
To help you in this mission to makeover your beauty routine, we’ve put together a list of 10 toxic ingredients you should avoid in skin care and other personal care items. By steering clear of these nasties, you can rest assured that whatever you put on your skin isn’t harming it.
1. Parabens
Parabens are unquestionably the most commonly used preservatives in the cosmetics industry. They’re in just about any cream you might use, preventing mold, fungus, and parasites from sprouting and growing in your products. The problem is they’re absorbed through the skin and have often been found in breast cancer tumors!
Because of this, there is a growing concern that excessive use of parabens may give rise to breast cancer in women and testicular cancer in men. Although there haven’t been any conclusive studies proving this, it’s enough to make anyone concerned.
As a result, some countries have banned parabens or limited their concentrations in cosmetics due to a lack of definitive safety in humans.
And even big corporations like Target and Whole Foods are limiting the sale of products containing parabens. In 2023, Target unveiled the Target Clean program, with over 4,000 products available that are free from harmful chemicals like parabens.
Parabens can appear in different forms, so here’s what you’ll want to look out for:
- benzylparaben
- butylparaben
- propylparaben
- methylparaben
- ethylparaben
- isobutylparaben
2. Phthalates
This hard-to-pronounce class of substances is found in just about everything, from food packaging to beauty products to auto parts. As a result, they’re also found in just about every person, too.
A study by the US Centers for Disease Control found traces of phthalates in every single person they analyzed. This is problematic because phthalates — which are used in cosmetics and many plastic objects — are endocrine disruptors. They can affect hormone levels and may contribute to reproductive defects, insulin resistance, and developmental problems in children.
Here’s the tricky part: phthalates are usually not listed on the labels of your favored products, so you have to do some sleuthing to determine their presence.
Look for ingredients like this on the label: diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP). They’re also often found in anything that lists “fragrance” or “flavor” as an ingredient.
Stick to unscented and unflavored products (like lip glosses) or scented with essential oils instead.
3. Benzoyl Peroxide
Over the last few decades, the popularity of pimple-zapping products has skyrocketed. One of the most frequently used active ingredients is benzoyl peroxide — but you should be wary about using it. That’s because it’s been linked with the promotion of tumor growth in animal studies (FRN’s view on the use of animals in medical research is here). Horrifying, don’t you think?
Beyond that, benzoyl peroxide produces toxic effects in the body simply through inhalation and is a known skin, eye, and respiratory irritant. As if that isn’t bad enough, it’s highly toxic if you swallow it. Awful!
4. Triclosan
Technically, triclosan is a pesticide — at least according to the Environmental Protection Agency — and is a popular ingredient in just about any personal care product claiming antibacterial properties. It works very well at killing bacteria, and that’s the problem: not all bacteria are bad for you.
Furthermore, some experts speculate that widespread use of this chemical could give rise to “superbugs” — harmful bacteria resistant to other antimicrobials and antibiotics.
But that’s not all; triclosan has also been shown to be an endocrine disruptor, affecting reproductive as well as thyroid hormones. Children are particularly vulnerable, as endocrine-disrupting chemicals can impact puberty and fertility, among other things.
Unsurprisingly, it’s also pretty terrible for the environment. One study on triclosan’s effects deemed it a “major environmental and public health hazard” due to its accumulation in sewage systems.
Stay far away from this one, and wash your hands with water and natural hand soap instead.
5. Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone almost sounds too good to be true as a skin lightener that reduces dark spots and hyperpigmentation. And in a way, it is.
You see, hydroquinone reduces the melanin in your skin to get rid of those unsightly marks, but in doing so, it hurts your skin in many ways.
First, it permanently alters your skin’s pigment while weakening keratin and collagen — the very building blocks that are key to keeping your skin firm and youthful!
To make matters worse, some people get unsightly blotches after using hydroquinone, and far more get contact dermatitis or have swelling and allergic reactions after regular use. Considering how easily it irritates your skin, it’s a wonder it’s used at all in skin care.
Perhaps most important is that the Canadian government declared hydroquinone toxic, and there is some suspicion that it could be a carcinogen based on animal studies. The beauty results aren’t worth its potentially toxic effects.
6. Resorcinol
Why is it that resorcinol — a popular ingredient in bleach — has workplace exposure limits but is used freely in many hair color products?
Resorcinol is a known skin and airway irritant that has been shown in animal studies to disrupt healthy thyroid function. In fact, its impact on human health has been so concerning that both the Endocrine Society and European Chemical Society deemed it of high concern and that there may not be a safe level of resorcinol exposure.
Despite these risks, it’s widely used in hair dyes because it helps create long-lasting color. However, it’s also a leading cause of contact dermatitis, with reactions like redness, itching, and swelling. You don’t want this in your hair or anywhere else!
If you’re concerned for your health, avoid these ingredients in hair dyes, shampoos, and sunscreens. Seeking resorcinol-free hair dyes or more natural alternatives may be a safer option.
7. Petroleum
Petroleum is a sneaky ingredient that pops up in so many cosmetics products; it’s ridiculous. And in case you’re wondering, yes, it’s the same substance from which your motor oil is made.
Unfortunately, that means many beauty companies are linked to Big Oil, using ingredients that are contributing to climate change.
Petroleum derivatives hide behind many names that you should familiarize yourself with, such as:
- Petrolatum
- Xylene
- Toluene
- Mineral oil
- Liquid paraffin
- Paraffin oil or paraffin wax
There’s a lot of information out there touting the safety of petroleum by-products, so you might be wondering why you should avoid it. It’s because it contains 1,4-Dioxane, which has been listed by the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable carcinogen. Cancer from your moisturizer? No, thank you!
8. Methylisothiazolinone
Just the name alone is intimidating. Methylisothiazolinone (thankfully known as MIT for short) is an increasingly common antibacterial preservative in everything from baby shampoo to moisturizer. Unfortunately, studies have shown that it contains neurotoxic properties that should be of great concern to all consumers.
In studies with rats, a mere 10 minutes of exposure to MIT was enough to damage brain cells. Further studies concluded that low concentrations of MIT during neural development increased the risk of seizures and visual abnormalities. Furthermore, the Environmental Working Group has classified it as a skin sensitizer and irritant.
Skin care companies often argue that MIT is used in very small concentrations, usually in products meant to be rinsed off, thus reducing exposure to the chemical. But considering the seriousness of its side effects, it’s probably best to limit your exposure to it completely, wouldn’t you agree?
9. Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone is an active ingredient in quite a few sunscreen products, including many popular and well-known brands. However, chemical sunscreens like oxybenzone accumulate in fatty tissues and can cause cellular damage. Unfortunately, this chemical has also been linked to skin irritation and allergies, hormone disruption, and low birth weights in baby girls.
Oxybenzone can penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, leading to systemic exposure. A study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control found that oxybenzone is present in the urine of 97% of Americans. That begs the question of just how much of it we have been exposed to and whether it is affecting us in ways that we don’t quite understand yet.
With figures like these, chances are it’s already in your system, so you want to limit your future exposure to it as much as possible. Luckily, many sunscreens on the market now are free from oxybenzone and similar chemicals. That’s good news for coral reefs, too, since oxybenzone can bleach coral and damage other marine life.
10. Artificial Dyes and Synthetic Colors
Whether you don an impactful red lipstick, a classic pink rouge, or a rebellious nail polish color, if your favorite cosmetics are conventional, chances are they are just as dangerous as they are fabulous.
Many beauty and skincare products are made with synthetic colors derived from coal tar. Yes, you read that right!
Though pretty, studies have shown that these harsh artificial colors are carcinogenic and likely to cause skin sensitivity and irritation due to the heavy metals they deposit on the skin when used.
Thankfully, it’s pretty simple to determine if the color in your favorite lipstick is made with safe, natural dyes: just check the ingredients. If you see anything beginning with FD&C or D&C, throw it away or put it back on the shelf.
The next time you go shopping, you’ll be an informed consumer, ready to make smart choices for your skin and beauty care. By reading labels and avoiding products with the ingredients mentioned in this article, you can confidently choose safer options that align with your health priorities. You’ll be surprised at the variety of better alternatives available to you!
Tell us in the comments:
- After reading this article, will you seek out safer skin care products?
Featured Image: iStock.com/Vaselena
