10 Toxic Chemicals to Avoid - Green Beauty Products

Are you concerned about the use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics? Most of us are. We often see health conscious women reading the labels on skin care products before they buy. But, reading the labels doesn’t mean that you understand what you are reading. It can be very confusing to navigate the seas of toxic chemicals in cosmetics and skincare. So, in this blog post, I’ll try to clarify what those undesirable ingredients are. That way, you can recognize what to stay away from.

Parabens
These preservatives can prevent growth of bacteria, mold and yeast in cosmetics products. There are parabens in almost every product out there, especially if you buy a water based cream in a jar. The jars look so cute. But if you stick your fingers in the jar every day, the cream will get contaminated in a very short time, unless you use parabens as the preservative.
Parabens have estrogen mimicking properties that can increase your risk of breast cancer. Is it worth the risk, just to be able to buy your cream in a jar, instead of finger free packaging? I don’t think so, so watch out for parabens!

Synthetic Colors
If you see FD&C, you are talking synthetic colors. F stands for food, D&C stands for drugs and colors. These colors are made from petroleum and coal, and linked to cancer, skin irritations and ADHD in children.

Fragrance
Fragrance is another ingredient to look out for. It is often made up of a mix of up to hundreds of toxic chemicals that don’t even have to be listed on the label because it is considered a “trade secret.” Fragrance is associated with allergy, dermatitis and respiratory symptoms, so it is better to stick with essential oils for fragrance.

Phthalates
A chemical that is put into plastics to create softness and flexibility in the plastics. You’ll find this in nail polish, some lotions, hair spray and perfume. These toxic chemicals can change your hormones and increase risk of breast cancer.

Triclosan
This is an antimicrobial chemical that disrupts your hormones. It can irritate your skin and make bacteria antibiotic resistant. You can find this nasty stuff in hand sanitizers, anti-bacterial soaps and even in toothpaste. Yikes!!!

Lauryl sulfate and laureth sulfate (SLS)
You’ll find these in 90% of personal care and cleaning products, especially shampoos. These are skin, lung and eye irritants. They can damage your kidneys and cause cancer. So, buy natural, sulfate free shampoos instead. Some shampoos are listed as sulfate free, but if you read the labels, you’ll see that they lie about that. So, keep reading the labels…

Formaldehyde releasers
These are preservatives that create formaldehyde over time. They are carcinogens that can cause allergic reactions and harm the immune system. One such chemical is hiding under the innocent letters DMDM. Be aware next time you look to buy shampoos, hair gels and body washes…

Toluene
This petroleum product is found in nail polish and hair bleaching products. It can cause damage in the fetus, as well as immune system toxicity.

Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is similar to antifreeze. It is a skin irritant and can cause dermatitis and hives. You can find this in moisturizers, sunscreens, shampoos and conditioners.

Sunscreen chemicals
These break down into unknown compounds in sunlight!!!! This is why you keep having to re-apply your sunscreen every few hours. And, unfortunately, some of these toxic chemicals are carcinogens that can also change your hormone balance. So, stick with zinc and titanium based sunscreens.

Luckily, Green Beauty doesn’t use any of these chemicals in the products you can buy on this website. This product line is made for women who are not willing to compromise their health just to have beautiful skin!!! My mission is to keep all my products in the green range at the Cosmetics Database.

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