6 Toxic Skincare Ingredients You Definitely Want To Avoid

Unless you have some sort of a biochemistry degree, it can be very hard to understand those long words listed under the ingredients section at the back of your skincare product. Instead, we focus on the parts of the label that talk about discovering a new kind of collagen, or a different kind of anti-wrinkle ingredient – and bam! We’re sold.

However, many of those ingredients in your newly purchased item could be a dangerous threat to your skin and your health. And if that sounds even the slightest bit scary to you, it’s time to start educating yourself about the most toxic ingredients that most skincare products contain.

Let’s start with the top 6 most unsafe ingredients to look out for.

1. Phthalates

Found in: Fragrance oils, nail polish, perfumes, moisturizing lotions, and hairspray

Phthalates are a group of chemicals, mainly used to increase softness and flexibility in plastics. In cosmetic products, three main types of phthalates are used – dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate.

Phthalates

are dangerous endocrine disruptors and have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and obesity.^{1 2} They can interfere with your hormone levels, causing reproductive birth defects, ovarian aging, and even decreased sperm quality.³

2. Aldehydes

Found in: body washes, nail polish, conditioners, shampoos, cleansers, and eyeshadows

Aldehydes

are linked to an increased risk of liver diseases, respiratory allergies, embryotoxicity, sclerosing peritonitis, diabetes/hypertension, cerebral ischemia/neurodegenerative diseases, and multiple aging-associated diseases.^{4 5}

The most common and simplest form of aldehydes that is widely used in skin care products is formaldehyde. This chemical was recently termed as a human carcinogen and is known to increase your risk of occupational cancers.⁶ Not only that, formaldehyde can also trigger allergic reactions, reproductive defects, embryotoxicity, and immune system damage.⁷

3. Parabens

Found

in: makeup products, body washes, deodorants, shampoos, and facial cleansers

Parabens are preservative ingredients that are added to extend the shelf life of skin care and cosmetic products. However, they are also notorious for being endocrine disruptors. To understand how dangerous they can be, you must first know what happens when these are absorbed by your body.

Parabens can mimic estrogen – the female sex hormone. This means it can trick the body into thinking it’s the actual estrogen hormone, and thus can significantly alter hormone signaling.⁸ This property of parabens can not only cause you to enter into puberty before you’re even ready but can also lead to decreased fertility in both men and women.⁹ Studies have also proved that parabens can cause diminished sperm count in rats. ¹⁰

It

doesn’t just stop there. Parabens can also trigger skin allergies, especially if you leave your skin soaking in a paraben-containing product for too long. Studies have also identified parabens in biopsy samples of breast tumors, and have, therefore, been linked to breast cancer.¹¹

4. Phenoxyethanol

Found in: facial cleansers, body cleansers, makeup products, and moisturizers

Many

consumers have become increasingly aware of various health hazards linked with parabens. This, unfortunately, has led the skincare industry to use a newer preservative – known as phenoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monophenyl ether). This ingredient is widely marketed as a safer ingredient to make it seem appropriate enough for use by even ‘certified organic’ skincare brands. But don’t be fooled.

Research claims that in moderate concentrations, this preservative can show some toxic effects like:

• Damage to the central nervous system¹²
• Reproductive and fetal developmental complications
• Contact dermatitis or skin irritation

Luckily, many countries have limited the use of phenoxyethanol to about 1%, while Japan has actually banned the use of this ingredient in all cosmetics altogether.

5. Dioxins

Found in: almost all skincare products

Dioxins

make their way to almost every list of ‘hazardous chemicals.’ Initially, one only needed to beware of these toxins as environmental pollutants that snuck their way into the food chain. However, dioxins are now used unscrupulously by skincare and cosmetic brands. Like parabens, these are also potent endocrine disruptors, that are associated with cancer.¹³ They can also poison your organ system and overall development.

Note that dioxins will never be listed down directly on a label. But if you see antibacterial agents such as sodium laureth sulfate on the label, which is already a toxic chemical by itself, know that the product you’re about to buy contains dioxins as well.

6. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

Found in: body washes, body cleansers, acne treatment creams and serums, and mascaras

Sodium

lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) common surfactant that is not just found in cleaning products but also in a majority of your personal care products. Anything that can work up a foam is very likely to contain SLS.

This particular toxin is known for being a common skin, eye, and lung irritant. The biggest concern that researchers have regarding this chemical, is its ability to combine with other chemicals to form nitrosamines – a common carcinogen.¹⁴ This property of SLS can further lead to damage of the kidneys and the respiratory system.