9 Toxic ingredients to avoid in beauty products

Bad Cosmetics: 9 Toxic ingredients to avoid in beauty products

Angela Goh

26 Apr 2016

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Parabens
Used in makeup products, shampoos, body washes, face cleansers and deodorants, parabens are usually added to stop the growth of bacteria and unwanted moulds and yeasts. Unfortunately, they do more than just that. Parabens mimic estrogen hormones that can contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer. Parabens are also suspected to interfere with male reproductive functions.
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Talc
Found in baby powder and makeup powders like eye shadows and blush, talc is similar to asbestos in composition and has been linked to ovarian cancer and respiratory issues.
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Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
Used as a foaming agent in products like shampoos, cleansers and body washes, these chemicals are known to cause irritation to the skin, eyes and lungs. They also have a high chance of becoming contaminated when they interact with other chemicals, turning carcinogenic.
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Formaldehyde
The chemical is often found in nail polish, hair dye, shampoos and fake eyelash adhesives. It is a suspected carcinogen and skin irritant that has been banned in the EU.
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Triclosan
Used as an antibacterial chemical, triclosan can be found in toothpastes, deodorants, hand sanitisers and body/face cleansers. It is a suspected endocrine disrupter that may affect the thyroid as well as reproductive hormones and may be linked to cancer. It is also harmful to fish and other wildlife.
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Fragrance
No one can truly know what a company’s secret formula for their ‘fragrance’ is, which is the scary part. As a consumer, you could be using a concoction containing hazardous chemicals without being any wiser. Fragrance mixes have often been blamed for mild to acute allergies, respiratory problems and dermatitis. Try looking for fragrance-free moisturisers and soaps to lower your risk.
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Mineral oil
Mineral oil is a by-product of petroleum. It is very commonly used in baby oil, moisturisers and styling gels. The chemical forms a film that prevents the skin from breathing freely and impairs its ability to release toxins.
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Oxybenzone
Sometimes used as an active ingredient in sunscreens, this chemical is known to accumulate in fatty tissues and is linked to hormone disruption, allergies, low birth weight and cellular damage.
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Petrolatum
Petrolatum is sometimes added to hair products to achieve shine and also used as a moisture barrier in lip products and moisturisers. The chemical is susceptible to being contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can cause cancer.

Bad additives can cause some serious health problems – find out which commonly used beauty ingredients can be toxic.

You’re at the store and you’re thinking of buying a new face moisturiser. You spend ages looking through the ingredients list. Mineral oil? Fragrance? SLS? Labels on cosmetics and beauty products can be a tough code to crack. While improvements are slowly being made to regulations with regards to the safety of products, it is still hard to trust the claims that manufacturers make when it comes to the advertising of their products.

Unfortunately, the whole industry has adopted an “innocent until proven guilty” approach to the ingredients used. No ban will ever be put in place until a chemical is scientifically proven to cause harm to humans. The best things that we, as consumers, can do is to avoid chemicals that we know are harmful (even if they continue to be widely used).

Limit the amount of toxins you expose your body – check out the gallery above for 9 harmful ingredients you should be avoiding in beauty products.

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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