Monday, July 5, 2010

100 Toxic Ingredients used in skin care, hair care, fragrances and makeup

1. Acrylic Acid: respiratory toxin for humans; causes asthma, severe skin burns, and allergic reaction in the skin and lungs; causes renal and kidney damage in animals; causes blood tumours and skin tumours in animals.

2. Aluminum (pure Aluminum Powder) : strong human neurotoxicant; causes irritation of eyes, skin, and lungs, endocrine disruptor; linked to Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer; causes birth disorders in animals.

3. Aluminium Chloride: nose and lung irritant; causes liver and bladder abnormalities in animals; causes brain disorders in animals; human endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminum compounds are neurotoxic to humans.

4. Aluminium Hydrochloride: endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminum compounds are neurotoxic to humans.

5. Aluminium Oxide: strong nose and lung irritant, causes skin cancer in animals; endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminum compounds are neurotoxic to humans.

6. Ammonium Laureth Sulphate: causes skin irritation; water contaminant; may be harmful with carcinogen 1,4 Dioxane.

7. Ammonium Persulfate: strong eye, respiratory system, and skin irritant; can trigger asthma; restricted in cosmetics.

8. Amyl Acetate: neurotoxin; eye and lung irritant, lung allergen.

9. Benzalkonium Chloride: immune system, lung, and skin toxicant; can trigger asthma; restricted in Canada and Japan.

10. Benzyl Alcohol: strong neurotoxicant; can cause severe allergic reaction in lungs; causes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; causes liver damage, coma, and death in animals.

11. Boric Acid: strong reproductive toxin; potent endocrine disruptor; unsafe for use on infants and injured or damaged skin; causes death and birth defects in animals; banned in Canada and Japan.

12. Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol): one of the strongest lung and skin toxicants; endocrine disruptor; forms carcinogenic nitrosamine; causes allergic contact dermatitis; environmental contaminant; poisonous to wildlife.

13. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA): human carcinogen; causes brain and liver tumours in animals at low doses; endocrine disruptor; causes allergic contact dermatitis and skin depigmentation; banned in European Union; persistent environmental toxin.

14. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): endocrine disruptor, skin and lung toxicant at low doses, causes death, liver and stomach cancers, thrombosis, fibrosis, and liver and brain damage in animals; strong skin and eye irritant.

15. Butylene Glycol: skin, lung and eye irritant; environmental toxin.

16. Butylparaben: skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

17. Calcium Fluoride: neurotoxic to humans; leads to bone weakness; causes birth abnormalities and depression in animals.

18. Ceteareth (with any numeral following it): unsafe for use on broken skin; eye and lung irritant; may be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane.

19. Cetrimonium Chloride: skin and eye sensitiser that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives and blistering; causing cell mutations and lung cancer in animal studies.

20. Cetyl Alcohol: skin and eye irritant in humans.

21. Chloroacetamide: strong skin, eye and lung irritant; toxic if inhaled; causes paralysis, goiter, and birth defects in animals; banned in Canada.

22. Coal Tar: known human carcinogen; causes lung and urinary tract cancer; potent skin irritant; causes multiple cancers in animals; banned in most countries including Canada and European Union, still used in anti-dandruff shampoos in the U.S.

23. Cocamide DEA (Ethanolamide of Coconut Acid): strong human skin toxicant and suspected carcinogen; causes irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs in humans, causes liver and bladder cancer in animals.

24. D&C Red 30 Lake: strong nervous system toxicant; as an aluminum compound, disrupts endocrine system and lined to breast and ovarian cancer; persistent wildlife contaminant.

25. D&C Violet 2: coal tar dye; skin and eye irritant; long-time use of coal tar hair dye is linked to bladder cancer.

26. Dibutyl Phthalate: neurotoxicant; linked to impaired fertility and urinary abnormalities; linked to breast and ovarian cancers; contaminated wildlife.

27. Diethanolamine (DEA): linked to brain abnormalities in animals, may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4 Dioxane.

28. Dimeticone (Dimethicone): petroleum derivative; environmental toxicant.

29. Direct Black 38: diethanolamine-containing dye that is a confirmed human carcinogen; strong evidence of causing bladder cancer; may harm unborn child; causes liver and kidney cancer in animals; banned in European Union.

30. DMDM Hydantoin: contains carcinogenic formaldehyde; skin, eye and lung irritant; environmental toxicant.

31. EDTA (Disodium EDTA): this penetration enhancer is a neurotoxin linked to brain damage in animals; caused fetal death and birth abnormalities in animals; made from formaldehyde; approved for use in cosmetics and baby food.

32. Ethylparaban: skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

33. Eugenol: endocrine disruptor; skin, eye and lung irritant; well-recognized consumer allergen; causes death, coma, insomnia, convulsions, hematuria, pulmonary edema, and liver cancer in animals.

34. Ext. D & C Violet 2: this coal tar dye is a strong skin irritant; long-time use of coal tar dyes is linked to increased risk of bladder cancer, restricted in cosmetics.

35. FD & C Blue 1: derived from coal tar; linked to allergies and hyperactivity disorders.

36. FD & C Green 3: causes sarcomas and bone marrow hyperplasia in animals, not studied for safety in humans; prohibited in European Union.

37. FD & C Yellow 5 (E104, Tartrazine): causes severe allergic and intolerance reactions, especially among asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance; linked to thyroid tumours, chromosomal damage, hives and hyperactivity in humans.

38. FD & C Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake: aluminum compounds are neurotoxic to humans.

39. FD & C Yellow 6: human skin and eye irritant; causes coma, convulsions, testicular damage, and changes in leucocytes in animals; cannot be used in eye cosmetics.


40. Fig (Ficus Carica) Extract: immune system toxin; cannot be used as fragrance ingredients due to potential carcinogenicity; banned in European Union, allowed in the U.S. as fragrance ingredient in shampoos and body washes.

41. Formaldehyde: known as human carcinogen linked to leukemia, pancreatic, skin, liver, and lung cancer; strong skin, eye, and lung irritant; irritates human liver (causes cirrhosis), stomach, kidnesy, and bladder; can cause skin burns; triggers asthma; hazardous air pollutant; environmental toxin; banned in Canada and Japan; determined as safe for use in cosmetics in the U.S.

42. Formaldehyde Resin: contains formaldehyde and carries same risks; can trigger allergic reaction in the skin or lungs.

43. Formaldehyde Solution (Formalin): neurotxin in humans and animals; restricted in Canada and European Union; known human carcinogen linked to leukemia, nasal and nasopharyngeal, pancreatic, skin, liver, bladder and lung cancer; strong skin, eye and lung irritantl irritates human liver (causes cirrhosis), stomach, kidneys, and bladder; can cause skin burns; triggers asthma; hazardous air pollutant; environmental toxin; banned in Canada and Japan; determined safe for use in cosmetics in the U.S.

44. Glyceryl Stearate: weak skin, eye and lung irritant

45. Hydroquinone: eye, lung and nervous system toxin, can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives and blistering of skin; suspected liver and stomach carcinogen; causes liver cancer; and DNA and ovary mutations in animals; restricted in Canada.

46. Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate: contains Diethanolamine; can affect thyroid function; gastrointestinal and liver toxicant; cannot be used in aerosols; causes allergic contact dermatitis; restricted in Japan.

47. Imidazolidinyl Urea (Uric Acid): can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives and blistering of skin.

48. Isobutylparaben: skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

49. Isoparaffin: petroleum derivative; environmental toxin; mildly irritating; producing kindey damage in animals; not carcinogenic in humans.

50. Isopropyl Alcohol (SD-40): human neurotoxin; skin, eye and lung irritant; vapours cause drowsiness and dizziness; causes skin dehydration; amy promote brown spots and premature aging of skin; petroleum derivative.

51. Lactic Acid: strong skin and eye irritant; can cause skin burns; causes changes in liver, brain, and blood in animals; causes mutations and birth defects in animals; restricted in Canada.

52. Lanolin: strong skin irritant and toxicant; can cause allergic reaction in the lungs.

53. Laureth-7 (polyethylene Glycol Ether of Lauryl Alcohol): may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane.

54. Lead Acetate: possible human carcinogen and neurotoxin; skin and eye irritant; environmental toxin; banned in the European Union.

55. Lecithin: can irritate lungs in aerosol form; a potent asthma trigger, forms carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds if mixed with nitrosating agents.

56. Manganese Sulphate: strong human neurotoxin; harmful during prolonged exposure or inhalation; causes convulsions, DNA mutations, and protein loss in animals; toxic to wildlife.

57. Methamine: strong skin, eye, nose and lung irritant; can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives and blistering of skin; may be contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane; cannot be used in aerosol cosmetics.

58. Methyl Methacrylate: strong neurotoxin; strong eye and lung irritant; causes asthma and skin burns; causes cancer and stomach bleeding in animals; hazardous air pollutant; banned in Canada and recently in the U.S.

59. Methylparaben: skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

60. Mineral Oil (Liquid Petrolatum): caused blood and skin cancer formations in animals; eye and skin irritant; derived from petroleum; non-biodegradable environmental toxin.

61. Monoethanolamine (MEA): skin and eye irritant at low doses; can be irritating to the respiratory tract.

62. Nonoxynol (ethoxylated alkyl phenol): endocrine disruptor; skin and lung irritant; causes liver damage in animals; may be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane.

63. Octoxynol (10,11,13,40): strong skin and eye toxin that can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; may contain carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; causes cancer of in animals.

64. Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-4): strong photoallergen; endocrine disruptor; produces free radicals that can increase skin aging; environmental toxicant.

65. Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA/PABA Ester): has estrogenic activity, releases free radicals that damage DNA when exposed to sunlight; causes allergic reactions and photoallegenic dermatitis; restricted in Japan.

66. Para Amino Benzonic Acid (PABA): causes allergic dermatitis and photosensitivity; produces free radicals that cause mutations, lead to cell death, and my be implicated in cardiovascular disease; causes changes in blood components and muscle weakness in animals; banned in Canada.

67. Paraffin (Paraffinum Liquidum, Paraffin Petrolatum): petrochemical bleached with carcinogen acrolyn; releases carcinogens benzene and toluene upon heating; causes kidney or renal system tumour in animals; environmental toxin.

68. PEG-100 Stearate: polyethylene glycols are often contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor; linked to cancer in animals; skin and eye irritant.

69. Petrolatum (Soft Parraffin, White Petrolatum, Petroleum Jelly): lung irritant upon inhalation; derived from petroleum; non-biodegradable environmental toxin.

70. Phenol: strong respiratory irritant; toxic by skin contact; causes skin burns; causes kidney damage and cyanosis in humans; causes skin cancer, birth defects, and brain and nervous system damage in animals at very low doses; environmental contaminant; banned in Canada, restricted in Japan, permitted in U.S.

71. Phenoxyethanol: endocrine disruptor and carcinogen in animals; linked to allergic contact uritica and dermatitis.

72. Picric Acid: human immune system toxicant; toxic by inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion; causes allergic reaction in the skin or lungs; causes coma, convulsions, and body temperature increase in animals; banned in Canada and European Union.

73. Placental Extract: endocrine disruptor containing estradiol and progesteron; banned in Canada.

74. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): often contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor, linked to cancer in animals; skin and eye irritant.

75. Polyethylene Terephtlalate: causes cancer in animals; not studied for safety in humans.

76. Polysorbate 80: may be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor; linked to cancer in animals; skin and eye irritant.

77. Potassiumn Perfulfate: strong irritant to eyes, lungs, respiratory system, and skin; restricted for use in cosmetics.

78. P-phenylenediamine: linked to bladder and prostate cancer; human neurotoxin; skin and lung irritant; causes liver cancer and birth defects in animals; very strong environmental toxin.

79. Propyl Acetate: skin, eye, nose, and lung irritant.

80. Proplene Glycol (PG): can cause eye irritation and conjunctivitis, as well as upper respiratory tract irritation.

81. Propylparaben: skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

82. Quaternium-7,15,31,60: formaldehyde releasing: can cause skin and eye irritation; linked to several cancers.

83. Resorcinol (m-Hydroquinone, Euresol, 1,3 Benzenediol): strong skin irritant; linked to adenomas in animals; suspected to trigger skin cancer in humans; environmental toxins.

84. Saccharin: suspected human carcinogen; causes liver, kidney, and bladder damage in animals, as well as reproductive damage and birth abnormalities.

85. Silica: linked to esophageal cancer, remal disease, pulmonary fibrosis, mesothelioma, sarcoma, rhematoid arthritis and bronchitis; strong nasal and lung irritant; wildlife toxicant; accumulates in human body.

86. Sodium Laureth Sulphate: skin irritant; water contaminant; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane.

87. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate: skin and eye irritant; in toothpaste may cause canker sores.

88. Sodium Metabisulfite: immune system toxicant; eye and skin irritant; emits toxic gas when in contact with acids; dangerous for asthmatics; causes stillbirth, muscle weakness, and brain degeneration in animals.

89. Sodium Methylparaben: endocrine disruptor; causes mild brain damage in animals; skin irritant causing itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering; causes depigmentation of skin; banned for use in European Union.

90. Sodium Monofluorophosphate: nervous system toxin; harmful if swallowed during teeth bleaching; causes convulsions; proteinuria; osteoporosis, and changes in DNA in animals; restricted in Canada.

91. Tale: even when it contains no asbestos, was proven fibrogenic (causes tissue injury and fibrosis); skin and lung irritation.

92. Teflon: causes toxic pneumonitis and skin cancer in animals; not studied for safety in humans.

93. Tetradosium EDTA: contains formaldehyde; cytotoxic and genotoxic in animals; strong skin and lung irritant in humans; most widespread poison to waterways.

94. Thimerosal( Thiomersal, Merthiolate): strong toxin to skin, nervous, and immune system; mercury is linked to autism; causes cancer in animals; environmental toxin.

95. Thioglycolic Acid: strong human skin irritant; causes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; lung allergen; restricted in cosmetics; banned in Canada.

96. Toluene (Methylbenzene): skin and lung toxicant; accumulates in fat tissue; soil contaminant.

97. Triclosan: endocrine disruptor, affects thyroid hormone-associated gene expression, caused fetal death in animals; strong irritant; environmental toxicant.

98. Triethanolamine (TEA): causes lymphoid, kidney; and renal tumours in animals; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; skin and eye irritant even when used in low doses.

99. Triphenyl Phosphate: human neurotoxin; skin, eye, and lung irritant; causing tremors, depression, and diarrhea in animals.

100. Xanthene (AKA106, CI 45100): found unsafe for use in cosmetics in the U.S.; causes cancer and various organ mutations in animals.

Source: the Green Beauty Guide, Julie Gabriel

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