Bad -Unwanted Ingredients in Skin Care

Revealed: the hidden truth about most skincare products

What skincare companies would prefer you didn’t know about the toxic chemicals contained in their products

Behind the glossy images in magazines and on television there lies a dangerous secret. Most skincare products …. even the “natural” ones ….contain many of the same harsh chemicals used in industrial processes.

These chemicals are known to cause a wide range of adverse health effects, ranging from skin irritation to cancer. But the skincare companies don’t want you to know this.

If you knew the truth, you’d have second thoughts about buying many of the most popular skincare products on the market … even the expensive brands.

Dangerous ingredients to look out for in skincare products

This list contains some of the most common ingredients used in skincare products, which have proven adverse health effects. We recommend you avoid products that contain any of these ingredients.

Acrylamide:  Found in many hand and face creams. Studies suggest it may cause breast tumors.

Alcohols:  ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl  alcohol and SD alcohol - Very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols strip away the skin's natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses. May promote brown spots and premature aging of skin.  (Note: We do use stearyl and cetearyl alcohol, which are waxes and have nothing in common with the alcohols listed above.)

DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), and TEA (triethanolamine):  Often used in skincare products to adjust the pH. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. These chemicals are already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects. 

Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut).  Widely used in skincare products. Usually contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, easily absorbed through the skin. 1,4-dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer." It is a by-product of the cancer-causing petrochemical ethylene oxide, which is used as part of a  process called ethoxylation, which makes harsh ingredients milder.

1,4-Dioxane is also suspected of being a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others, according to the California EPA. It is also a leading groundwater contaminant.

Fragrance: The term ‘fragrance’ is a real minefield. It can refer to up 4000 separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Many common fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, and irritability.

Mineral oil: liquid paraffin, paraffin wax, petrolatum  – a petroleum by-product that coats the skin to keep in moisture. It clogs the pores, interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, encouraging acne and other disorders. Can cause photosensitivity and strips the natural oils from the skin causing chapping and dryness, also premature ageing.  Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Skincare manufacturers use mineral oil because it’s cheap.

Nitrosamines: Can be formed in skincare products when amines (such as DEA, MEA or TEA) are combined with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (such as bronopol or quaternium-15). Nitrosamines are known to be carcinogenic.

Padimate-O:  (also known as octyl dimethyl) - found mostly in sunscreens. Like DEA, a nitrosamine-forming agent.  There is concern that the energy absorbed by this sunscreen is then turned into free radicals, which may actually increase the risk of skin cancer! 

Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben – Widely used as a preservative in skincare products (including moisturizers). Studies suggest they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes. 

Phenol carbolic acid: Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure. 

Polyethylene glycol (PEG):  Widely used as an emulsifier and humectant. Suspected of being carcinogenic.

Rancid natural emollients: Natural oils used in skincare products should be cold pressed. When oils are refined, they are stripped of vital nutrients and also contain poisonous trans fatty acids. Natural oils can also go rancid if kept past their use-by date.

Toluene: Made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl. 

Triclosan: An anti-bacterial agent, widely used in skincare products (also used in weed killers).  There is evidence to suggest triclosan may contribute to creating strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, due to its wide use in skincare products.