All tagged parabens

Parabens

Parabens were detected in 99% of 2,548 urine samples in a 2010 CDC study. Personal care products are one of the largest contributors to our exposure of parabens.

Preservatives In Skincare

In some products, preservatives are absolutely necessary and the product would be dangerous without them, and in others they are not necessary. Preservatives in skincare have been found to impact the skin microbiome. Harmful preservatives include dmdm hydantoin, parabens, phenoxyethanol, BHT, BHA, quaternium 15, diazolindyl urea.

Phenoxyethanol

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is widely used in cosmetics and personal care products, especially products wanting to fit in the clean category. Since parabens have been associated with endocrine disruption, phenoxyethanol has become the preservative of choice for many companies looking to market a safer product. The problem is phenoxyethanol is made by a process called ethoxylation, and can leave behind toxic residual products, specifically 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide.

Ingredients to Avoid in Cosmetics

Clean marketing labels seem to be popping up everywhere. The labels make us feel like the products we are buying are safe but what really matters lies in the fine print on the back of the box: the ingredients. The truth is, “clean” is not scientific or foolproof, and there is a lot of gray area. Avoid ingredients that are used even in clean beauty products like fragrance, PEGs, phenoxyethanol.

Best Clean Beauty & Personal Care Products At Whole Foods

Shopping for personal care and beauty products while picking up groceries can be so convenient, that its tempting to just grab whatever you see. The personal care and beauty items in Whole Foods must meet certain requirements determined by Whole Foods. The requirements include a ban on over 100 ingredients like parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde donors, oxybenzone and EDTA. Additionally, organic claims must be backed up by a third-party certification. There are ingredients that are not Whole Foods banned list, but can still be harmful and should be avoided like fragrance, phenoxyethanol, and polysorbate 20.

Non-Toxic Makeup With SPF 40

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint comes in a dropper and it’s thin, spreadable consistency allows for a feathery fingertip application. Skin tint uses the safest available sunscreen ingredient, non-nano zinc oxide. This natural and non-toxic makeup has a truly unique serum formula and beautiful medium coverage.

Switching to Natural Products

Food and drugs are regulated for safety by the FDA, but did you know that personal care products do not need government approval? For cleaning products, the EPA only requires a company to list active disinfectant ingredients. Over 40 countries have banned over 1,400 ingredients that are believed to be harmful in personal care products and cosmetics, whereas the US has banned merely 11. Many of the banned ingredients have been linked to cancer, disruption of the endocrine system, and organ toxicity, and can cause allergies and other negative health effects. Switching to natural products in which companies not only strive for safety and efficacy, but maintain transparency with customers, helps you ensure a safer and healthier lifestyle and home.

Non-Toxic Lip Gloss

Most lip gloss on the shelves contain heavy metals, even though you won’t see them listed in the ingredient label. Luckily, there are non toxic lip gloss options sans heavy metals that you’ll love the look and feel of just as much as the others. Fitglow Lip Serum is my favorite non toxic lip gloss. They not only look beautiful, but contain organic, plant-based ingredients.

Foundation

Many natural foundations either lack coverage, appear caked on, look too flat and matte or too oily and shiny. True skin surpasses expectations for a non-toxic foundation and is more enjoyable to wear than conventional coveted foundations.

Eyeliner

Non toxic eyeliner is high on the priority list since it often gets into your eyes. Finding a natural liquid eyeliner with enough pigment and staying power is a challenge. Many eyeliners get their deep black pigment from unsafe ingredients like carbon black or D&C Black #2. Carbon black is color made from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. It is toxic, possibly carcinogenic, and the FDA has even found carbon black unsafe for cosmetics used around the eyes. Instead of using harmful dyes, Expressionist uses natural iron oxides as a colorant.