Top 13 Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin and Hair Care Products

Your skin is the largest and most important organ in your body. It acts like an umbrella, protecting all the other vital organs, muscles, nerves, and bones.

So, we must care for it and be mindful of what we put on our skin because it is readily absorbed into our bodies and affects our lives in a big way.

The clean beauty movement exposed a lot of harmful ingredients found in personal care products such as face washes, creams, deodorants, and sunscreens. These harmful ingredients lurking in your everyday creams and moisturizers can cause skin disorders such as allergies and eczema, even significant illnesses like cancer, and problems in the reproductive system.

As of 2009 (which was revised again in 2013), (1) the EU has banned 1,328 harmful chemicals; in contrast, the US FDA has just prohibited 30 chemicals as of 2008. (2)

Thousands of chemicals are still in use in the beauty industry that are harming our health significantly. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) says that a woman uses around 12 personal care products daily and exposes herself to 168 chemical ingredients. (3)

The FDA has hardly any authority to review ingredients in personal care products and cosmetics under the present law. Personal care product companies don’t have to register with the FDA, provide it with ingredient statements, or adopt Good Manufacturing Practices.

However, since 2015, some cosmetics companies are giving the FDA the right to review and regulate chemicals and contaminants of concern in cosmetics.

Nine out of 10 consumers are of the opinion that the cosmetic companies should notify the FDA if their products harm consumers, believe that the FDA should have a mandatory recall authority, and support rules that work toward cosmetics being produced in clean environments.

Nasty Ingredients Found in Skin and Hair Care Products

Avoiding these ingredients found in hair and skin care products, as they are not only harmful to the body but dangerous to the environment too.

1. Sulfates

The body wash or face wash that you clean yourself with or the cosmetic product that you apply to your skin is a liquid consisting of a water phase and an oily phase. It is no secret that oil and water don’t mix, and so the ingredient that helps keep the ingredients together is called surfactants or sulfates.

Sulfates are salts formed when sulfuric acid (H2SO4) reacts with other chemicals. They are found in petrolatum, coconut, and palm oil. They are used in personal care products to form a lather.

Sulfates irritate your eyes and skin and can prematurely get rid of dye from your hair. They could also be a potential threat to the environment, according to research.

When sulfates are sourced from natural sources such as palm oil, they destroy rainforests. Sulfates are toxic for aquatic animals when washed down the drain. Interestingly, most mascaras sold in the market contain sulfates.

Manufacturers must correctly label products along with proper warnings and first-aid information according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Skin irritation that results from using sulfate-containing products increases with sulfate concentration and the amount of time of direct contact. Skin exposure to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in cleaning products lasts for minutes and not hours.

Proper formulation development entails strategies for dissolving irritants, resulting in products with SLS that are mild and non-irritating. (4)

2. Parabens

Parabens are used in the beauty industry to help keep skin care products and makeup fresh due to their preservative quality. Parabens are present in a range of personal care products, from soaps, lotions, and makeup.

In one study, parabens caused increased production of the hormone estrogen in females that impacted reproductive (5) and brain function. (6)

Studies suggest that parabens from cosmetics enter the skin and mimic estrogen, resulting in excessive cell division in the breast, leading to breast cancer, (7) but there isn’t much evidence to support this finding. (8)

Some studies have shown that parabens can be extracted from human breast tissue. (9)

3. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

BHA and BHT are similar chemical compounds used as antioxidants and preservatives in cosmetics such as lipsticks, moisturizers, deodorants, fragrances, and hair products. (10) BHA and BHT allegedly are found to cause allergic reactions on the skin.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found BHA as a human carcinogen. (11)

4. Fragrance

Many personal care brands mention “fragrance” or “perfume” as a broad term for hundreds of chemicals they don’t want to disclose on their ingredient label.

There is some evidence linking them to health effects including cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies, and sensitivities.

5. Phthalates

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. They are used in the perfume industry and many personal care products (soap, shampoos, hair sprays, eyelash adhesive, and nail polish. They are present in hundreds of products. (12)

Phthalates are known as endocrine disruptors as they can cause the early onset of puberty in girls and boys, apart from reducing sperm count in men. (13) They are also harmful to the environment.

Due to pressure, many retailers have started removing phthalates products from their shelves. (14)

6. Silicones

Silicones are present in almost every personal care product, from beauty to hair care. They are microplastics that temporarily soften and add shine to the hair for a short time. But after a while, they cause product buildup and weaken hair follicles, causing hair to become dry, dull, and prone to breakage.

Shun shampoos and conditioners containing silicone to balance your scalp’s natural oils and soften your hair naturally. Silicones are hard to spot on the ingredient list, as they hide behind terms ending in cones, conols, silicones, and siloxanes. (15)

7. Methylisothiazolinone

Methylisothiazolinone is a preservative present in water-based products such as shampoos and cleansers. The chemical is used in small concentrations but is a potent allergen that can cause burns, itch, and hives. (16)

If you have sensitive skin, skip out on products containing this ingredient.

8. Acrylates (ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate)

Acrylates exhibit adhesive properties and are a common ingredient in artificial nail products and false eyelashes. They are known to cause contact allergies and are possibly carcinogenic.

As acrylates are present in all artificial nail products, avoid using them or lower your usage. (17)

9. Oxybenzone

Research has found oxybenzone to be an endocrine-disrupting compound, as it interferes with your hormones. It is found in many skin care products containing sunscreen (18) and in body lotions, cleansers, lip balms, and baby products.

Some countries have banned oxybenzone due to its harmful effects on the coral reef, primarily its bleaching properties. Thus, avoid using sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and benzophenone-3. (18)

10. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a strong odor and is used to make building materials and household articles.

This gas is also used in many personal care products as a preservative to prolong the shelf life of skin and hair care products. It is a known carcinogen. (19)

11. Triclosan

Triclosan is an antimicrobial ingredient used in hand sanitizers and antibacterial soap that impacts the thyroid and reproductive hormones. (20)

According to the EWG, although many countries have banned its use in antiseptic soap, it is still present in deodorants, shaving creams, mouthwash, and toothpaste.

12. Ethanolamines

Ethanolamines are emulsifiers found in skin care and beauty products, including foundation and mascara. (21)

They are known to be allergens and shouldn’t be used by people with sensitive skin. Be careful when looking for them on labels as they might be listed as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine, (DEA) or triethanolamine (TEA).

13. Octinoxate

Octinoxate is an ingredient found in sunscreens and contains properties that irritate the skin. It shouldn’t be used by people with sensitive skin. (22)

General Queries Related to Beauty and Personal Care Products

Final Word

Most of the ingredients listed above are still present in many skin care and hair care products and are in use by millions of people unaware of the harm they are causing.

Never buy a product without looking at its ingredients first as reading the label will help you detect the nasty chemicals present and avoid buying it.

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