Icky Ingredients
I'm a label reader. I am that person in the grocery store or pharmacy who stands there in the aisle, dazed look on her face, as she studies the tiny writing on the backs of jars and boxes. I'm the person who peels back the little sticker at the bottom of a tub of concealer or on the side of a lipstick to see the listed ingredients. At least 75% of the time, the item I'm studying ends up back on the shelf.
We assume that if it’s on the shelf in the grocery store it’s safe, but there are few specific safety standards for personal care products. The FDA is involved in products that fall into the “drug” category of personal care, like toothpaste or sunscreen. When you see a listing for “active ingredient,” that usually means the product is classified as a drug, and is then subject to FDA scrutiny. But the FDA has no authority over products intended for cosmetic use. Personal care product manufacturers are responsible for their own safety testing, which is a little like asking the fox to mind the hen house.
According to the Environmental Working Group, the average adult is exposed to at least 100 unique chemicals every day. One of the excuses I’ve heard many times to justify the use of questionable ingredients is “Well, there’s such a small amount in there, it won’t make a difference.” The problem is that personal care products are used every day, and the exposure builds up. Plus, exposure is compounded when the same ingredient shows up in many of the products you use. So even if a little bit is “harmless,” it can build up fast.
EWG has a website where you can check your brands to see how safe they are. You can also compile a shopping list of safe products to substitute for any you’re currently using that don’t meet your safety standards.
Here's a short list of things I avoid when buying personal care products.
1. Parabens - Parabens fall into the xenoestrogen catagory. Xenoestrogens are synthetic substances that mimic or enhance natural estrogens.
Some studies show that conditions increasing the amount of natural estrogen in the body, like obesity, late menopause, and not having children, also increases the risk of getting breast cancer. While xenoestrogens have not yet been connected to breast cancer directly, there may still be cause for concern.
According to the Breast Cancer Fund:
A 2004 UK study detected traces of five parabens in the breast cancer tumors of 19 out of 20 women studied (4). This small study does not prove a causal relationship between parabens and breast cancer, but it is important because it detected the presence of intact parabens — unaltered by the body’s metabolism — an indication of the chemicals’ ability to penetrate skin and remain in breast tissue.
Although parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors, since there is not, as of yet, proof that parabens cause breast cancer tumors, many companies, and even the FDA, do not believe that the use of parabens in personal care products is an issue at this point.
There is also some evidence that parabens may contribute to weight gain. I don't know about you, but I'd be happier losing those last five pounds than wearing the perfect shade of lipstick.
2. Talc - Baby products always seem benign, don’t they? Like talcum powder. I mean, if it’s gentle enough for a baby’s skin, it’s got to be safe, right? Wrong. Talc, the mineral used to make talcum powder, is actually in the asbestos family. It’s believed to cause cancer, and it’s in a lot more than just baby powder. Check everything from moisturizers to blush.
3. Petroleum distillates - Our petroleum dependence isn’t just about gasoline. Petroleum makes its way into our cleaning products, personal care products and plastics. Not only is the use of petroleum bad for the environment, but it’s bad for you. Last year, an EWG study found that the use of petroleum based products can increase cancer risk. EWG urges consumers to avoid products with ingredients containing “any of the 56 cosmetic ingredients that include the clauses ‘PEG,’ ‘xynol,’ ‘ceteareth,’ and ‘oleth’.”
4. Sodium Laurel and Laureth Sulfates (SLS) - Honestly, I don't know if there's an issue with these ingredients. Some people believe these ingredients to be carcinogens (although, that may be due to a scam e-mail that made the rounds), some people say SLS is perfectly safe. I've also heard that since Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates are eye irritants, they are usually pared with numbing agents so your eyes won't feel the irritation, and those chemicals could be the problem.
The American Cancer Society says:
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and its chemical cousin sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are known
irritants, not known carcinogens.
A lady in the natural food store told me that she was losing her hair until she switched to a SLS-free shampoo.
When I switched to SLS-Free toothpaste, some digestive issues I'd been having cleared up. Does that mean it was the SLS? I don't know. It's not like I swallow a lot of toothpaste. Like the hair loss story, it's antecdotal evidence at best, but I feel better avoiding it. Stress, diet, and other environmental issues can also play a part in both hairloss and digestive upset. It's hard to pinpoint the cause of those symptoms. But why go back to something that's suspect?
Some of the dangers of these ingredients are disputed, but when it comes to buying items that are more luxury than necessity, I figure it's just not worth the risk, especially when there are so many healthy alternatives readily available.
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Comments
Cosmetics are NOT regulated
I really appreciate your post on this issue because it reminds us that the cosmetic industry is NOT regulated and should not be blatently trusted based on product advertising. Not enough consumers are aware of this, and before I started going green, I certainly was not aware of this.
GreenMoms, Melinda
www.GreenMomsCoastside.com
Green On! Your Children Will Thank You For It.
I love your mix of facts & personal
anecdotes!
Allie, this is a great post, and I love how you present the facts along with your own personal thoughts on the products. I'm not sure about SLS either. But if it's not necessary, why use it? I use Trader Joe's SLS-free natural toothpaste, for example, and it works fine. Why take unnecessary chances?
Beth Terry http://www.fakeplasticfish.com
...especially important for those of us
kissing people we love!
I started reading labels long ago, but my scrutiny of ingredients kicked up a notch while I was pregnant and then nursing my children. For good reason! This list of lipsticks with high lead levels validated all of our concern (my toddlers have been known to snack on, er, non food items in my purse). Thank you for such a clear, concise checklist of concern areas. SLS in toothpaste only recently hit my radar, so I have to go check my Tom's of Maine stash.
SurelyYouNest.com
How timely, I'm sending this post to the CEO
who asked...
Last night I recieved this email from a CEO who is as lost on the seller side of this issue as we are on the buy side. I told him that the women who care about this are more informed than he would guess and sent him a few links. I'll send him this one as well.
"I have just begun a high level strategic view of the organic hair and body care industry and I'm overwhelmed with it. There is very little vision or emphasis at the retail store level and where there is a statement I'm not certain the manufacturer's are delivering a complete package. Not to mention, sustainable doesn't seem to be part of their mission."
One thing I never thought of until I saw it on National Geographic is that all of these chemicals are also being washed down our sink and into our waste water. Now I ask myself, "Is this gray water safe"? My lifestyle is shifting.
Mary Hunt http://www.InWomenWeTrust.com
Don't forget about fragrances!
Diane MacEachern www.biggreenpurse.com Diane@biggreenpurse.com
Thanks for a great overview of the issue and for the reminder about EWG. I use a standard screen when buying personal care products: I avoid phthalates, triclosan and other antibacterials, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. The phthalates are considered a reproductive toxin in the state of CA and are banned by the EU. Triclosan and other antibacterials are giving frogs the heebee geebees and creating antibiotic resistance in people. Parabens are showing up in breast tumor tissue. And fragrances exacerbate headaches, asthma, and general anxiety. Fragrances are showing up in EVERYTHING! Window cleaner, kitchen soap, laundry detergent, furniture polish. My husband accidentally came home with scented trash bags last week and I get a headache every time he pulls one out of the box. Buying "fragrance free" isn't good enough, since sometimes one chemical is added to mask the smell of another. "No synthetic fragrances" or "no added fragrances," along with phthalate-free (since so many phthalates are used to make fragrances) is generally what I aim for.
Great start on the icky list
This is a great start of the "icky" list, but, as Diane points out, there are more. Synthetic fragrances are petroleum derived, and virtually always contain phthalates to make them last longer and stick to your skin. So, you should skip synthetic fragrance (fragrance or parfum on the label).
Also any phthalates if identified separately too.
Sodium laureth sulfate is bad because it may mean that the product has 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen, which is a by-product of the ethoxylation process - so skipping "eth" ingredients (myreth, oleth, cetereath, etc.) and PEG - is important.
Also formaldehyde, a carcinogen.
Always skip triclosan - an antibacterial. Study after study has shown it to be no more effective than plain soap and water. But, it is promoting resistant bacteria strains and is showing up in our breast milk! It overloads the wastewater treatment plants and, according to the USGS, is the most common contaminant in our surface waters. It is disruptive to aquatic environments and shows estrogenic activity.
Other ingredients you may want to skip include DEA, coal tar dyes, hydroquinone and DMDM hydantonin (a formaldehyde contributor).
Jennifer, www.thesmartmama.com
Thank you!
Thank you so much for mentioning Phthalates (often listed as just "fragrance") -- that is another one I absolutely avoid. As well as triclosan, etc.
I absolutely agree about the fake smells. No tolerance for them anymore.
Another thing I forgot to mention is avoiding "microbeads," which are just little bits of plastic that then end up in our water systems. GROSS! And so silly -- ground walnut shells, etc. make great exfoliants in facewashes, etc.
It's amazing how many products out there contain these ingredients. What also amazes me is how many great products are free of icky ingredients. All it takes is a little research. I don't feel like I've given anything up by avoiding these chemicals.
Allie
www.AlliesAnswers.com
Yikes!
Wow. Allie, this is really scary! I just looked up my standard products, and most of them have a moderate danger rating. Um, "moderate" sounds lovely and all, but I'd prefer ZERO! I'm now completely overwhelmed, though - can you recommend any particular brands that are safe pretty much across the board? Or a website that sells only safe stuff? (me? Not so good at the label-reading and scary-ingredient-remembering).
Hi Lara! I really like
Hi Lara!
I really like Weleda, Lavera, Burt's Bees, Yes To Carrots, Nourish, Badger Balm, Honeybee Gardens, The Merry Hempsters, and Dr. Bronners. What's great is that a lot of these products are showing up in mainstream stores now - I know Target carries Burt's Bees, Dr. Bronners and Weleda, and Walgreens carries Yes To Carrots.
You can also check out the list of companies that signed the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics - http://www.safecosmetics.org/companies/signers.cfm
You can also create a shopping list of products that meet your standards here - http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/search.php
Hope this helps!
Allie
www.AlliesAnswers.com
Socializing for Safer Skin Care
My Whole Foods offers free group classes about what ingredients to avoid, which to embrace, how to find skincare products with less packaging, etc. And honestly, nothing is more fun than mingling with girl friends while a Whole Foods team member plies you with non-bottled water and beautiful beauty care products.
Green Bean
www.greenbeandreams.blogspot.com
re: Nanoparticles
I hate to throw another one into the mix. I read a report about nanoparticles where some products were safe until they were reduced to nanoparticles and could get into your blood stream.
Check out this Consumer report overview and click through the individual tabs associated with it:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health-fitness/nanotechnology-7-07/wh...
Burt's Bee's sunscreen was on that list as it pertains to sunscreens that used nanoparticles. I don't know if they changed their formulation since this 2007 report. EWG also has a section on sunscreens as well.
On other note, Stacy Malkin wrote this amazing book called Not Just a Pretty Face, which discusses all of the above with great associated stories. A must read.
Anna www.green-talk.com