Beauty – At What Price?

We know that to look after our health, it is important to get adequate nutrition, exercise and rest. And while it’s important to consider what we put into our bodies through our food, it is equally important to pay close attention to what we are putting on our bodies by way of cosmetics and toiletries. The chemicals found in these products are easily absorbed by our skin and can be delivered to our bloodstream, so it pays to be aware of the ingredients in the products you are using.

Here, we have listed the Top 10 Chemicals to Avoid in your cosmetics. Have a read and see if you can start to take your beauty product shopping more seriously.

Chemical	Examples	Reasons to Avoid
Urea	diazolindyl urea, imidazolindyl urea	Preservatives that release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
Parabens	butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben	Preservatives that are linked to breast cancer.
Phthalates	di-butyl-phthalate, di-ethylhexyl-phthalate	Used as a plasticiser. Known to cause damage to liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system. Suspected of causing birth defects, lowering sperm counts and a breast cancer risk.
Petroleum By-Products	mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, dipropylene, glycol, butylene glycol, disodium EDTA, tetrasodium EDTA, trisodium EDTA, polybutene, triclosan, polyethylene	Clogs pores, exacerbates acne. Highly likely to contain carcinogens that are linked to breast cancer.
Propylene Glycol and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)		Made from the same chemical that is used to make anti-freeze. Penetrates the skin easily and is linked to damage of the liver, kidneys and brain.
Sodium Laurel	Laureth Sulfate	Absorbed into the body and mimics the activity of estrogen, causing PMS, decreased fertility in men and in increase in breast cancer.
Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA)		Can react with other ingredients to form potent carcinogenic chemicals
Synthetic Fragrances	parfum, vanillyl butyl ether	Fragrances are known allergens and can cause asthma.
Synthetic Colours	FD&C Yellow 5, FD&C Red 40	Cause skin irritation and sensitivity.
Mica		Irritant to the skin and the fine dust can be problematic as it is inhaled. There is no valid data on the safe amounts of Mica for dry cosmetics such as eye shadow and powder
Nanoparticles		When particles are broken down into nanoparticles, they are very easily absorbed into the skin. Nanoparticles of zinc oxide and aluminium can collect in part of the brain and cause cell death, according to new research.