Ingredients to Avoid*

Ingredients to Avoid*

This is an overview of ingredients to avoid. There is a lot of information out there and from many different sources (some with agendas). We encourage you to do further research.

The hazard of these ingredients ranges from skin irritants to toxicities to carcinogens. Although the ingredient itself may not pose a risk, it can be contaminated or can contain by-products. Some have a low rating because of a lack of information (and are on watch lists) or they are considered safe to use at controlled concentrations or based on how and where they are used.

High Risk

•  Hydroquinone - linked to cancer, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, developmental/ organ toxicity and reproductive toxicity (banned in UK, rated most toxic)

•  Coal tar dyes (indicated by CI and five numbers or a colour with a number(s)) - known carcinogen or contaminated with carcinogens (moderate-high hazard, banned in EU). Note that inorganic and natural pigments are also identified by the same format and are in the CI 75000 and CI 77000 series.

•  DEA/TEA/MEA (aka diethanolamine/cocamide DEA, triethanolamine, monoethanolamine, cocamide DEA, lauramide DEA, oleamide diethanolamine) - suspected carcinogen

•  Formaldehyde (aka formalin, formic aldehyde, methanal, methyl aldehyde, oxomethane, oxymethylene, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, quarternium-15) - known carcinogen

•  Lead (aka lead acetate but not listed as an ingredient as its considered a contaminant) - proven neurotoxin, known carcinogen and hormone disruptor

•  Mercury (aka thimerosol, mercuric oxide, phenyl mercuric acetate, phenyl mercuric benzoate, mercurochrome) - known allergen, linked to neurological impairment and negatively affects brain development

•  Toluene (aka toluene-2,5-diamine, toluene-2,5-diamine sulfate, methylbenzene, toluol, benzene, butylated hydroxytoluene or BHT, butylated hydroxyanisole or BHA) - possible endocrine disruptor and developmental toxin, known immune system toxicant

Moderate – High Risk

•  Fragrance/parfum/aroma (can be a catch-all term and may include fragrance oils as well as essential oils - look for phthalate free fragrance oils) - linked to headaches, dizziness, asthma, allergies and effects on central nervous system

•  Oxybenzone (aka benzophenone-3, benzoyl-5, 5-methoxyphenol, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, methanone, solaquin) - implicated in allergies, hormone disruptions, cellular damage and low birth weight

Moderate Risk

•  Paraphenylenediamine (aka PPD, paraphenylene, p-diaminobenzene, p-phenylenediamine, p-aminoaniline, 1,4-benzenediamine) - causes allergies and dermatitis, linked to cancer in lab tests

•  Placental extract (aka placenta, placental protein, hydrolyzed placental protein) - linked to hormone disruption

•  Triclosan (aka Microban) - linked to cancer and endocrine disruption in some lab tests, harmful to the environment

•  Phthalates - linked to hormone disruption, liver, kidney, and lung damage and cancer. Depending on the type, they could pose low to high risk. (banned in California and EU for use in children's toys)

•  Parabens (aka methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, propyl ester, propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybutyl ester) – possible links to endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation/dermatitis

Low-Moderate Risk

•  Talc (aka French talc, cosmetic talc) - linked to ovarian cancer, probable respiratory toxin

Low Risk

•  Ethoxylated surfactants and 1,4-dioxane (these are byproducts and not ingredients so look for polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, oxynol, ceteareth, oleth, -xynol, PEG or other 'eths' such as laureth) - probable carcinogen

•  Mineral oil/petrolatum - inhibits skin's ability to release toxins, by-product of petroleum processing

•  Polyethylene glycol (aka PEG, propylene glycol, PG, PPG, polypropylene glycol) - may be contaminated with known carcinogens

•  Silicone-derived emollients (cyclomethicone, dimethicone, dimethicone copolyol, cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane) - do not biodegrade

•  Sodium lauryl (ether) sulfate (aka SLS, SLES, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, PEG (1,4) lauryl ether sulfate, sodium salt, sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium PEG lauryl ether sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate) - known skin irritant

*Based on Gillian Deacon’s book, ‘There’s Lead in Your Lipstick’, 2011, and updated with information from additional sources.

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