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.