Jul 23rd

Harmful Ingredients in Cosmetics

<a target="blank" href="http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/">watch this</a>
It's so sad that almost all of the everyday personal care items stocking the shelves at Target and Walmart, even fancy department store brands are full of harmful synthetic chemicals. These bottle of creams, shampoos, etc, are brightly labeled with colorful images and promises for wrinkle reductions, whitening sun spots and repairing damaged hair -- all the while adding to the toxic burden on our bodies.

All of the below ingredients should be avoided. 

These offenders can even be found in many of the natural and organic brands.  
Be sure to read the labels! 

  • Parabens (menthyl-, ethyl-, propyl, butyl, isobutyl-) - Disrupts normal hormone function, may cause allergic reactions and skin rashes. They are known to be toxic and can be absorbed by the body through the skin.
  • Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA) - Hormone disruptor, may cause allergic reactions.
  • Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate - Causes eye irritation, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, skin rashes and other allergic reactions.
  • Petroleum/Petroleum Jelly - It has no nutritional value for the skin and can interfere with the body's own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dryness and chapping. It often creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate.
  • Propylene Glycol (PEG) - Known to cause allergic reactions, hives and eczema, potential carcinogen.
  • Fragarence or Parfum - May contain hundreds of chemicals that are neurotoxins
  • Synthetic Colors (FD&C or D&C) - Used to make cosmetics "pretty”.  They can be carcinogenic and can cause headaches, dizziness, rash, hyper-pigmentation, violent coughing, vomiting, skin irritation.
  • Aluminum – Aluminum is a heavy metal, therefore a poison and neurotoxin.
  • Talcum Powder – Contains a chemical similar to asbestos.  Talc can increase the risk of ovarian cancer and may cause lung fibrosis.
  • Phthalates - Hundreds of animal studies have shown that phthalates can damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system, especially the developing testes.
  • 1,4-Dioxane – Known carcinogen

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