"The Dirty Dozen" of Cosmetics

Now that I've shared some products that I believe are good for your skin, I want to share with my readers some of the chemicals that are not. Health advocates have identified twelve ingredients (known as "The Dirty Dozen") that consumers should try to avoid, whether they are found in an "organic" or "natural" product or not.

1. Antibacterials
Label alert: triclosan
Here's a simple fact about washing: you wash with soap and water to get dirt and germs off your hands. So why do you need to kill germs if they are no longer present? Antibacterial soaps can be harmful to the environment when overused. They kill non-resistant bacteria, leaving resistant strains to proliferate (think MRSA). Triclosan, the active ingredient in hand sanitizers, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells.

2. Coal Tar
Label alert: FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Green 3Coal tar is a known human carcinogen, meaning it is "directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the facilitation of its propagation" (according to Wikipedia). This is one ingredient you may not see listed on packaging, because it's often present in other forms. You want to look out for coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash. Coal tar is also used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA)
Label alert: DEA, lauramide diethanolamine, coco diethanolamide, cocoamide diethanolamine or coconut oil amide of diethanolamine, lauramide DEA, lauric diethanolamide, lauroyl diethanolamide, lauryl diethanolamide
DEA and its chemical variants are common ingredients in cosmetics and shampoos, where they are used as to create a creamy texture and foaming action. DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, is a possible carcinogen, and depletes the body of choline (which is needed for fetal brain development).

4. 1,4-Dioxane
Label alert: ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth," and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients; sodium laureth sulfate
This is the same chemical I wrote about in my last blog entry, an ingredient that many "organic" companies are being sued for including in their products. 1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing the chemicals listed above. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains.

5. Formaldehyde
Label alert: diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium
You read that right. The same preservative we use to keep dead things from smelling can be found in baby soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive, and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium compounds. As you can imagine, formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation, and cancer in humans.

6. Fragrance
Okay, this one's tricky, because not all fragrance is bad. The problem is that the catchall term "fragrance" may mean phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Look for essential-oil fragrances instead.

7. Lead and Mercury
Label alert: hydrated silica, lead acetate, thimerosol
Neurotoxic lead may appear as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica, one of the ingredients in toothpaste, and lead acetate is present in some brands of hair color. Brain-damaging mercury, from the preservative thimerosol, can be found in some mascaras and vaccines.

8. Nanoparticles
Label alert: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide
Microscopic nanoparticles, which may penetrate the skin and damage brain cells, are rising in popularity with manufacturers of cosmetics and sunscreens. Most problematic are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, used in sunscreens to make them transparent. When possible, look for sunscreens containing particles larger than 100 nanometers. You'll probably have to call companies to confirm sizes, but a few manufacturers have started advertising their lack of nanoparticle-sized ingredients on labels.

9. Parabens
Label alert: methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-parabens
Parabens are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the European Union. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.

10. Petroleum Distillates
Label alert: petroleum, liquid paraffin
Possible human carcinogens, petroleum distillates are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics in the E.U. However, you can find it in U.S. brands of mascara, foot-odor powder, and more. Remember that petroleum means oil, so eliminating these ingredients from your medicine cabinet helps us become a little less dependent on fossil fuels.

11. P-Phenylenediamine
Label alert: 1,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine, 4-Phenylenediamine
Commonly found in hair color, this chemical can damage the nervous system and cause lung irritation and severe allergic reactions. That's why the instructions on hair color always tells you to do a patch test first. Now you know why I'm no longer a redhead!

12. Hydroquinone
Found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. Unfortunately, It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredient labels.

I found this information in The Green Guide, a magazine from National Geographic. They offer a wallet card that you can download and carry in your purse for quick reference at the drug store. You can also visit Skin Deep to check the other hard-to-pronounce ingredients in your favorite products.

Thanks again for reading, and stay healthy!
Jenny