You probably have suffered or will suffer from a skin condition at some point in your life? (And getting rid of it can be difficult!)
According to Harvard's School of Public Health, "In the United States, the average person is exposed to more than one hundred chemicals from cosmetics, soaps, and other personal care products before leaving the house in the morning."
Could these top 10 toxins (listed below) so often found in skincare products have something to do with causing these uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing skin conditions?
Here follows a list of the top 10 harmful ingredients so often found in store-bought skincare products, including a short (not limited to) explanation of the health concerns they might have:
- Parabens – related to endocrine disruptors & hormonal imbalances.
- Formaldehyde – carcinogen (human respiratory toxicant) releasing substance; skin irritant and allergen.
- Carbon black (uncertified D&C Black no.2) – cancer, harmful to lungs.
- Phthalates (DEP/DBP/DEHP/Paraffin/ Fragrance) – endocrine disruptor, cancer.
- Sodium lauryl (ether) sulfate (SLS, SLES) - linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation, and endocrine disruption.
- Oxybenzone / Benzophenone-3 (usually in sunscreens) – mimics estrogen, endocrine disruptor, harmful to the environment.
- Ethanolamines (TEA/MEA/DEA) – cancer, organ toxicity.
- 1,4 Dioxane/ Dioxane (PEG/ polyethylene glycol) – carcinogen.
- Butylated hydroxytoluene / hydroxyanisole (BHT/BHA) – endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, skin irritants.
- Ammonia - damage to mucous membranes and the cardiovascular system.
Pharmaceutical companies own / invest in many major skincare companies, so they have a lot of input in decision-making in these companies. Why would they create products containing so many toxins? I believe their end goal is to make money so using the cheapest ingredients (regardless of toxic content) would make sense to their shareholders in order to improve their profit margins, also improving demand for patented pharmaceuticals due to consumers' health conditions resulting from these harmful ingredients.
So why are consumers still buying / using these products? Good question! Many store-bought products are cheap and easily accessible and claim to be safe, while the skincare industry bluntly ignores the health concerns these ingredients may pose.
Today people have very busy lifestyles, so finding the time to make these products might be challenging. 100% Natural products are fairly easy and quick to make and should be part of every person’s self-education so that they can make the best and healthiest lifestyle decisions for themselves, their families and the environment.
More natural and sustainable brands are emerging as well and more accessible from stores everyday as the demand for such alternatives rises. Skincare companies offering natural alternatives that are geared towards Sustainability and the Environment can provide safe products their entire family can use.
This website listed here EWG Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database can be used as a tool to research ingredients and products. They use a rating system from 1 to 5 to rate ingredients' toxicity based on research studies. You can find thousands of products on their database containing harmful ingredients, including more information about these ingredients and also a list of EWG Verified products and ingredients.
Thank you for reading!
Sources:
1. Dr Lana Wellness. Common Toxic Ingredients in Everyday Products and Their Safer Alternatives. (May, 2021) https://www.drlanawellness.com/new-blog/2021/5/21/common-toxic-ingredients-every-day-products. Accessed 16 September 2024.
2. EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. www.ewg.org/skindeep/. Accessed on 16 September 2024.
3. Harvard's School Of Public Health. (Amy Roeder). Harmful, untested chemicals rife in personal care products. February 13, 2014. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/harmful-chemicals-in-personal-care-products/. Accessed on 16 Sept. 2024.