Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid

Our skin is our largest organ. It eliminates waste and remains the most important immune defense barrier we have. And what we apply to our skin affects it, either positively or negatively. Toxic and unnatural ingredients can clog skin and absorb into the bloodstream, making it difficult for it to eliminate toxins, leading to dull, unhealthy skin and possible health issues down the line. According to organicbeautytalk.com, always read the ingredient labels and avoid the following skin care ingredients.

Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40) is an irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more venerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. Found in many skin and hair products, fragrance, antibacterial hand washes as well as shellac and antifreeze.

DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine) are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing nitrates and nitrosamines. These chemicals are already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects. In the United States however, they are still used despite the fact that Americans may be exposed to them 10-20 times per day with products such as shampoos, shaving creams and bubble baths.

DMDM Hydantion & Urea (Imidazolidinyl) are just two of many preservatives that often release formaldehyde which may cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep. Exposure may also irritate the respiratory system, trigger heart palpitations or asthma, and aggravate coughs and colds.

FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins into the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death.

Synthetic fragrances are mostly synthetic ingredients can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and skin irritation.

Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) is a potentially carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin’s natural moisture factor. This could increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria.

Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol are gaseous hydrocarbons which, in a liquid state, act as surfactants. They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. Because PG penetrates the skin so quickly, the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. However, products such as stick deodorants contain concentrations greater than in most industrial applications.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are detergents and surfactants that pose serious health threats. Used in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers – and in 90% of personal-care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experience eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation, and even death. Your body can retain the SLS for up to five days, during which it may enter and leave residue in the heart, liver, the lungs, and the brain.

Triclosan is a synthetic “antibacterial” ingredient that the EPA registers as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment. Hormone disruptors pose enormous long-term chronic health risks by interfering with the way hormones perform, such as changing genetic material, decreasing fertility and sexual function, and fostering birth defects. Stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs and can cause paralysis, suppression of immune function, brain hemorrhages, and heart problems.