The makeup and other products you use on your skin can be just as helpful or harmful as anything you put inside your body. It is necessary to nourish the body both inside and outside. From allergic reactions to hormonal disturbances to cancer, chemicals that we never avoid when buying makeup have been connected to everything.
Some of the ingredients in beauty products aren’t that good. U.S. researchers report that one in eight of the 82,000 additives found in personal care products is synthetic contaminants, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormonal disruptors. Many products include:
- Plasticizers (chemicals that hold concrete soft),
- Degreasers (used to remove auto parts)
- And surfactants (which minimize surface tension in water, such as paint and inks).
Imagine what that does to your skin and to the environment.
Making The Switch To Natural Makeup
Swapping the regular beauty ingredients for natural versions may sound like the scariest step in the transition. You’ve found a mascara that brings your eyelashes to new heights, a lipstick that helps your pout shine, and makeup that makes your face look like it’s travelled back in time. Why would you give up the stuff?
Under current law, the FDA does not require cosmetics companies to perform safety assessments on their products. Harmful chemicals can easily mask confusing or deceptive titles such as “fragrance.” They may even be labelled, plain and simple, but without messages to warn customers of their potentially harmful effects.
Toxic Chemicals In Makeup
If makeup is part of your everyday routine, it’s important to care about what you put on your face. Your pores consume what you put on them—they don’t know better! That lipstick on your teeth, huh? You ate that.
So Let’s Talk About Chemicals To Avoid When Buying Makeup:
1. Lead
We know lead is harmful to us. We stopped using it in our paint, didn’t we? Then why does it show up in our foundation, lipsticks, and even whitening toothpaste?
It is not present as an ingredient but rather makes its way by contamination. Colour additives are some of the most common sources of application. Lead is one of the chemicals to avoid when buying makeup.
Why You Should Avoid Lead When Buying Makeup:
Lead Is A Neurotoxin That May Link To:
- Miscarriage
- Decreased fertility
- And defects in females’ puberty onset
About seven years ago, the Safe Cosmetics Campaign found lead in more than half of the 33 lipstick products they tested. A more recent FDA research checked popular brands and found 400 that contained up to 7.19 ppm of lead.
Any lipstick probably ends up making it past the target area and into your belly. This could affect your health in the long term for those who wear it daily.
2. Quaternium-15 and Other formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Quaternium-15 is one of the most common products present in mascara, pressed powders, and eyeliners. Also potentially causing cancer, this component can cause skin sensitivities and irritation.
People use Quats as germicides, surfactants, preservatives, and conditioning agents. Choose items that use natural alternatives for similar functions, such as rosemary, honey, tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract, and vitamin E. Quaternium-15 is one of the chemicals to avoid when buying makeup.
Why You Should Avoid Quaternium-15 When Buying Makeup:
You may already know that processed wood, such as particleboard, can release formaldehyde, but did you know how to take care of it in your makeup?
Certain chemicals break down, and they release harmful formaldehyde gas, identified as a known human carcinogen. The main threat is by inhalation. The European Union (E.U.) is mandated to mark formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in cosmetics as such if they exceed 0,05%. For those in the U.S., we need to be careful with our ingredient vetting.
3. Phthalates
Phthalates are one of the chemicals to avoid when buying makeup. They make the products plasticize, making them more flexible or more scent-proof. From deodorant to nail polish to fragrant lip balm, the catch here is that these chemicals can be grouped under and labeled as “fragrance.” Companies say that their fragrance formulations are “trade secret” and thus do not have to specify on the label which ingredients are used.
Your best choice is to avoid products that list fragrances and choose those that use plant oils and essences to give them the “yum” factor.
Why You Should Avoid Phthalates When Buying Makeup:
The effects of phthalates can be due to their ability to mimic human hormones. Research by the University of Maryland indicated that exposure to phthalates could cause reproductive defects and decreased testosterone production in males, as well as decreased male fertility. Other studies have shown a link between phthalates and premature delivery, and endometriosis in women.
4. PEG Compounds
Polyethylene glycols, or PEGs, are petroleum-based chemicals used to thicken, smooth, and gelatinize cosmetics, making them a common element in cream-based items. They are one of the chemicals to avoid when buying makeup. The main problem with PEGs is that they are often polluted with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.
Why You Should Avoid PEG Compounds When Buying Makeup:
Ethylene oxide is a known human carcinogen that is potentially toxic to the nervous system and human health. 1,4-dioxane is a potential human carcinogen that can remain in the environment for a long period of time without degradation.
5. Butylated Compounds (BHT, BHA)
This is another harmful ingredient that enters our products so we can keep them on our shelf for a longer period of time. BHA and BHT are used as preservatives in lots of products.
Both BHT and BHA are bioaccumulating. They are used in a large variety of food and cosmetic items. Accumulation over time may lead to serious health problems. Avoid these ingredients and switch to products with natural preservatives, such as aspen bark extract and vitamin E. Butylated compounds are used in eyeliners, eye shadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, blouses, and foundations.
Why You Should Avoid Butylated Compounds (BHT, BHA) When Buying Makeup:
These chemicals are endocrine disruptors, may cause skin allergies, and are related to organ, developmental, and reproductive toxicity. This interferes with hormonal activity. Research shows that BHT mimics estrogen, which can discharge hormone function in both men and women. In certain cases, this additive can promote tumour growth.
How Do I Know If A Makeup Product Contains Harmful Chemicals?
- Read the labels of your makeup items before buying them.
- Toluene is also known as benzene, phenylmethane, toluene and methylbenzene.
- PEGs can be used as 100, 120, 14M, 30, 32, 40, 75, and so on.
- Look for makeup labels that are transparent and show all their ingredients
- Consider natural brands that are not only safe but also contain potent ingredients.
- Don’t be fast to judge a natural brand, as certain natural, plant-derived products will also turn out to be an irritant to you.
The Bottom Line
Lack of legal regulation in the U.S. ensures that each person must determine which products they feel safe to use. Avoiding products containing the ingredients listed in this article can enable people to reduce their exposure to makeup toxic chemicals.
People can also follow the EEC guidelines, which have a scoring system to indicate how toxic they are. Switching to non-toxic makeup can help a person minimize their exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
