At this point, it’s almost impossible to see no chemicals in beauty products. Admittedly, not all of them are bad. In fact, a lot of the wonders that certain products can perform can be attributed to the powerful actions of the various compounds found in them. However, that still leaves plenty of ingredients which can actually cause some serious damage. What does this mean? It means that, as long as you can help it, you should steer clear of the products that contain the following chemicals. To keep your body free of chemicals, check out Top 35 Natural Beauty Products.
8 Chemicals in Beauty Products to Avoid
#1 BHA and BHT
These two compounds are ingredients you may encounter in certain moisturizers with skin lightening properties. The National Toxicology Program deems them as carcinogenic and, as a result, they are banned in Europe.
#2 Coal Tar
Another chemical banned in Europe but still in ‘free circulation’ in North America, coal tar is in certain dry skin treatments, as well as in certain anti-dandruff shampoos. When reading the label of a product, you may identify it under one of the following names: aminophenol, diaminobenzene, and phenylenediamine.
#3 Formaldehyde and Preservatives
Formaldehyde is another compound believed to be carcinogenic which was banned in the EU. It’s a relatively common ingredient, which you can find in nail products, fake lash adhesives, or certain hair dyes. Also dangerous are formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, which can affect the brain and interfere with growth in children. Names you should look out for include DMDM Hydantoin (very common), diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, and quaternium-15.
#4 Oxybenzone
With summer approaching, it’s a really good time to mention oxybenzone, a compound which resides in plenty of sunscreens. It tends to accumulate in fatty tissue, leading to allergies, hormone imbalances, and cellular damage.
#5 Mercury
It should be common knowledge that mercury is incredibly dangerous. Yet there are still certain brands which incorporate it in their products. Since it absorbs easily into the skin, you are putting yourself out there for a huge risk of mercury poisoning. Therefore, steer clear of labels which read calomel, mercurio, mercurio chloride, or simply mercury among their ingredients.
#6 Parabens
Parabens are preservatives which aim to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast in various cosmetics. However, they’re a fairly double-edged sword since they seemingly have links with the development of breast cancer.
#7 Triclosan
Typically found in special types of soaps, deodorants, and toothpastes, triclosan has shown some worrying side effects, having damaging effects on the thyroid and reproductive hormones in particular. Worse, it allegedly contributes to making certain bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
#8 Hydroquinone
Found in products destined for skin lightening, this agent can lead to the development of a condition called ochronosis. It involves black or blue lesions on the skin which can become permanent.
Wrapping Up
Sadly, these aren’t the only chemicals in beauty products that you should concern yourself with. Synthetic compounds will continue to be unpredictable. They put you at risk of unexpected reactions no matter how technically safe they should technically be. However, you can lower these risks by keeping away from these leading dangerous agents.
