Going Clean: Top Ingredients to Avoid
Picture this:
You head in for your Target run and want to quickly pick up a facial cleanser. You head to the skin care aisle and are bombarded with leafy green packaging and marketing phrases that lead you to believe the product is good for you.
You see: Clean. Green. Organic. Natural. Non-toxic. Vegan. Cruelty-Free.
Conflicted yet?
Are you wondering, “Where do I even begin?!”
If you are like me or many others I have chatted with, finding safe products to use on your largest organ, your skin, can be DAUNTING.
But I don’t want it to be! I am here to share a few ingredients to look out for and avoid when you flip over those bottles and read their labels. I want finding clean, safe, high-performing products to be accessible, simple, and easy to navigate.
No matter what stage in “going clean” you are in, it’s important to educate yourself. The reality is that there are many ingredients in our products that can have serious health concerns. You might be thinking, “Okay, but are the ingredients really that harmful?” Yes, yes they are!
Your skin can absorb products that head directly for your bloodstream and then flow through the rest of your body. This means paying attention to what we put on our skin is crucial. For example, think about medicinal patches you can apply to your skin. You can use this method of medication instead of an oral medication. It’s absorbed through your skin and enters your bloodstream to do its job. Topically applied products can enter your bloodstream in this same fashion.
Think about it… How many products do you use to get ready in the morning? How about at night? How many times do you re-apply a product throughout the day? These may seem like small numbers at first, but then when you start adding the number of products to the number of applications by the number of days, it is a very large number of potentially harmful ingredients used on your body!
The problem is not only with the ingredients in our products, but the lack of safety data that we have on these ingredients. About 80% of ingredients in our current marketplace have never been tested for human safety. YUCK! In addition to that staggering statistic, a law governing the ingredient regulations in our personal care products hasn’t been passed since 1938.
At the end of 2016, I became aware of these statistics and joined forces with a company who set out to change the industry as a whole. This company has incredible products that are tested multiple times for safety and yet perform extremely well. While I do make an income with this brand, I also take time to research and study other clean options out on the market. I have found many other products from different companies that do fit my “safety bill” and are allowed into my home. But time and time again, I come back to my brand partner because they truly are leading the change in the industry and others are following in step. Their transparency and safety regulations are strict, like a drill sergeant, and they are relentless when it comes to influencing others to do the same.
It really isn’t about one company or one product, but about the personal care products industry altogether. It all comes down to this question: Is the company you are buying products from supporting or harming your health?
They could be unknowingly adding harmful ingredients because it’s what the government allows and they are just abiding by the minimal laws put in place. Or they have no interest in changing their formulas to safer because that takes LOTS of time, energy, resources, and money. The bottom line is that your health is valuable. Your body is worth the investment, time, energy, research, and budget, to choose something that has your best interest in mind.
Next time you are browsing the aisles of Target or finding your next refill, consider flipping over the bottle and read the ingredients section on the packaging. Here’s where a little research can be so beneficial in making educated consumer choices. With all the ingredients out there, I am sharing some of the most harmful ones and where they are likely to be found.
Top Ingredients I suggest to AVOID in your products:
Fragrance (could be labeled as perfume, parfum, or natural flavoring)
An engineered scent or flavoring agent that may contain any combination of 3,000+ chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors, skin irritants, and allergens. They are also protected by the federal law’s classification of trade secrets, therefore the ingredients don’t have to be disclosed. The documentary, Stink!, was incredibly eye-opening to me on the fragrance loophole in our products. Avoid this “chemical cocktail” at all costs! Instead, look for clearly identified essential oils or extracts from a brand you know and trust.
Commonly found in: candles, perfumes, pretty much anything containing a scent or flavor
Heavy Metals (Mercury, Lead, and others)
Heavy Metals naturally occur, but if they aren’t tested for and extracted from our products, they can be toxic and have serious health repercussions.
Mercury: It is a heavy metal that is absorbed through the skin and is a known human respiratory toxicant. Mercury can damage the kidney and impact the nervous system. It is especially harmful to a developing fetus.
Lead: It can affect the brain development of children and cause permanent nervous system damage. Lead also harms other organ systems, especially the cardiovascular system and the heart.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, skin-lightening products
Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others)
This category is a common artificial preservative known to stop the growth of bacteria or mold. Sounds like something that should be in our products, right? Well, they are hormone disruptors, in both males and females, and may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies like mimicking estrogen production.
Commonly found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, foundation
PEGs (Polyethylene glycol)
PEGs are widely used in cosmetics for a variety of reasons: as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. Depending on manufacturing processes, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which are both carcinogens. No good! It is especially important to avoid this compound while pregnant or trying to become pregnant because it can permeate through your skin and lead to possible birth defects and infertility.
Commonly found in: creams, sunscreen, shampoo, bubble baths, anti-aging products, baby products
Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others)
Phthalates are often referred to as plasticizers since they help a product be more pliable or fragrances stick to skin better. They are endocrine disruptors linked to problems of the reproductive system, especially in males, and can also be linked to asthma and allergies. They are also commonly hidden under the “fragrance” or “parfum” label.
Commonly found in: synthetic fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, plastic materials
Retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate or Retinol)
Retinyl palmitate is an ingredient composed of palmitic acid and retinol (Vitamin A). Data from an FDA study indicated that retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions. While it is very effective for fighting signs of again, there are safer, yet still effective ingredients on the market, such as Bakuchiol. Pregnant or nursing moms should avoid this ingredient completely.
Commonly found in: anti-aging products, sunscreen, SPF products
Triclosan and Triclocarban
These two ingredients can affect the thyroid and cause reproductive issues. They are also antimicrobial pesticides that can be toxic to our aquatic ecosystems. Avoid this ingredient to protect yourself and our earth.
Commonly found in: deodorant, mouthwash, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, liquid and bar soap
Let’s talk about greenwashing. According to the CambridgeDictionary.com, to greenwash means to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is. Just because something has a green leaf or “earthy” label on it does not mean it is safe. Companies can also use words like organic, clean, safe, green, gentle, or vegan to captivate you into buying their otherwise harmful product. The extremely scary part is they don’t have to provide any data to back up that marketing tactic. Again, another reason to have some basic label reading skills to help you decipher the product shelves.
I hope this was helpful when it comes to reading our product labels. Please reach out with any questions!
One last tip when it comes to going clean…
Give yourself grace,
keep educating yourself,
& tackle one product at a time.
Xoxo,
Paulina
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Please note, I am not a medical professional and do not claim to be! I have been on my own journey to health and am simply sharing information I have learned and gleaned from. I hope you take this information to heart the next time you choose a personal care product.
Resources used:
https://www.beautycounter.com/the-never-list
https://blog.beautycounter.com/peeling-back-the-curtain-all-about-heavy-metals-in-color-cosmetics/
