The U.S FDA has been known for it's disregard on ingredient safety. There are over thousands of hazardous ingredients used in cosmetics linked to hormone & endocrine disruption & cancer. Of these thousands, an estimation of only 20% of all cosmetic ingredients being tested for safety. In the EU, there have been over 1300 toxic ingredients banned from cosmetic use by the EU Cosmetic Regulations. The United States' Food & Drug Administration has removed and banned only 11. With it only taking 26 seconds for a topical cosmetic product to enter your bloodstream "toxic, caustic, carcinogenic substances" should not be common characteristics of our skin care ingredients.
Check your products for the following known toxic ingredients:
1.Mineral Oils & Petroleum
Let's start with Petroleum: while it is naturally derived it is a derivative of oil rigging and by product of the oil industry. Ultimately, this is not skin friendly nor eco friendly. Like PJ (petroleum jelly), mineral oils coat your skin clogging your pores and trapping in toxins. They also are a suspected carcinogenic, age accelerator & hormone disruptor.
2. PEGS
Propylene Glycols/Polyethylene Glycols are likely to be found in many personal care items. These ingredients are also likely to be found in products like antifreeze. PEGS are linked to kidney, brain, and liver damage.
3. Formaldehyde
Yes the same thing used to preserve your dead frog in 7th grade science. It's also used as a preservative in many over the counter cosmetics. This specific preservative is linked to symptoms and irritations like contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, immune suppressant, headaches and even depression.
4. Fragrance.
Everyone loves a good scent, am I right? But at what cost. Fragrances are typically proprietary to that brand or company meaning there could be thousands of unknown and unlisted substances in a single artificial fragrance. These chemicals are vastly under evaluated and are linked to asthma, hormone disruption, and skin irritations.
5. SLS/ SLES Sodium Lauryl Sulfates or Sodium Laureth Sulfates create that bubble, suds and foam that are so proprietary to that squeaky clean feeling. cleans. This stripping ingredient found in cleansers body washes and toothpastes leaves your skin feeling dry and tight which is the opposite of beneficial for preventing aging and skin damage.
