Here’s the most comprehensive list of harmful chemical currently used in skincare, hair care, makeup, fragrances. Use this list anytime you buy a beauty product. Minimise your exposure to toxic cosmetics ingredients. Ideally, eliminate them from your routine. They are the worst enemies of your skin and hair.
- Arylic Acid: Respiratory toxin for humans; causes asthma, severe skin skins, and allergic reaction in the skin of lungs; causes renal and kidney damage in animals; causes blood tumours and skin tumours in animals
- Aluminium (Pure Aluminium Powder): Strong human neurotoxicant; causes irritation of eyes, skin, and lungs; endocrine disruptor; linked to Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer; causes birth disorders in animals
- Aluminium Chloride: Nose and Ling irritant; causes liver and bladder abnormalities in animals; causes brain disorders in animals; human endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminium compounds are neurotoxic to humans
- Aluminium Hydrochloride: Endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminium compounds are neurotoxic to humans
- Aluminium Oxide: Strong nose and lung irritant; causes skin cancer in animals; endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; aluminium compounds are neurotoxic to humans
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate: Causes skin irritation; water contaminant; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane
- Aluminium Persulfate: Strong eye, respiratory system, and skin irritant; can trigger asthma; restricted in cosmetics
- Amyl Acetate: Neurotoxin; eye and Ling irritant; lung allergen
- Benzalkonium Chloride: Immune system, lung, and skin toxicant; can trigger asthma; restricted in Canada and Japan
- Benzyl Alcohol: Strong neurotoxicant; can cause allergic reaction in lungs; causes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; causes liver damage, coma, and death in animals
- Boric Acid: Strong reproductive toxin; potent endocrine disruptor; unsafe for use on infants and injured or damaged skin; causes death and birth defects in animals; banned in Canada and Japan
- Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol): One of the strongest Ling and skin toxicants; endocrine disruptor; forms carcinogenic nitrosamine; causes allergic contact dermatitis; environmental contaminant; poisonous to wildlife
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA): Human carcinogen; causes brain and liver tumours in animals at low doses; endocrine disruptor; causes allergic contact dermatitis and skin depigmentation; banned in European Union; persistent environmental toxin
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): Endocrine disruptor; skin and lung toxicant at low doses; causes death, liver and stomach cancers; thrombosis, fibrosis, and liver and brain damage in animals; strong skin and eye irritant
- Butylene Glycol: Skin, lung, and eye irritant; environmental toxin
- Butylparaben: Skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant
- Calcium Fluoride: Neurotoxic to humans; leads to bone weakness; causes birth abnormalities and depression contaminant
- Ceteareth (with any numeral following it): Unsafe for use in broken skin; eye and lung irritant; may be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane
- Cetrimonium Chloride: Skin Abd eye sensitizer that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering; causes cell mutations and lung cancer in animal studies
- Cetyl Alcohol: Skin and eye irritant in humans
- Chloroacetamide: Strong skin, eyes, and lung irritant; toxic if inhaled; causes paralysis, goitor, and birth defects in animals; banned in Canada
- Coal Tar: Known human carcinogen; caused lung and urinary tract cancer; potent skin irritant; causes multiple cancers in animals; banned in most countries including Canada and European Union; still used in antidandruff shampoos in the US
- Cocamide DEA (Ethanolamide of Coconut Acid): Strong human skin toxicant and suspected carcinogen; caused irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs in humans; causes liver and bladder cancer in animals
- D&C Red 30 Lake: Strong nervous system toxicant; as an aluminium compound, disrupts endocrine system and linked to breast and ovarian cancer; persistent wildlife contaminant
- D&C Violet 2: Coal tar dye; skin and eye irritant; long-time use of coal tar hair dye in linked to bladder cancer
- Dibutyl Phthalate: Neurotoxicant; linked to impaired fertility and urinary abnormalities; linked to breast and ovarian cancers; contaminants wildlife
- Diethanolamine (DEA): Linked to brain abnormalities in animals; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane
- Dimethicone (Dimethicone): Petroleum derivative; environmental toxicant
- Direct Black 38: Diethanolamine-containing dye that is a confirmed human carcinogen; strong evidence of causing bladder cancer; may harm unborn child; causes liver and kidney cancer in animals; banned in European Union
- DMDM Hydantoin: Contains carcinogenic formaldehyde; skin, eye, and lung irritant; environmental toxicant
- EDTA (Disodium EDTA): This penetration enhanced is a neurotoxin linked to brain damage in animals; caused liver changes and endocrine damage in animals; caused fetal death and birth abnormalities in animals; made from formaldehyde; approved for use in cosmetic and baby food
- Ethylparaben: Skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant
- Eugenol: Endocrine disruptor; skin, eye, and lung irritant; well-recognized consumer allergen; causes death, coma, insomnia, convulsions, hematuria, pulmonary edema, and liver cancer in animals
- Ext. D&C Violet 2: This coal tar dye is a strong skin irritant; long-time use of coal tar dyes in linked to increased risk of bladder cancer; restricted in cosmetics
- FD&C Blue 1: Derived from coal tar; linked to allergies and hyperactivity disorders
- FD&C Green 3: Causes sarcomas and bone marrow hyperplasia in animals; not studied for staffers in humans; prohibited in European Union
- FD&C Yellow 5 (E104, Tartrazine): Causes severe allergic and intolerance reactions, especially among asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance; linked to thyroid tumours, chromosomal damage, hives, and hyperactivity in humans
- FD&C Yellow 5 Aluminium Lake: Aluminium compounds are neurotoxic to human
- FD&C Yellow 6: Human skin and eye irritant; causes coma, convulsions, testicular damage, and changes in leucocytes in animals; cannot be used in eye cosmetics
- Fig (Ficus Carica) Extract: Immune system toxin; cannot be used as fragrance ingredient due to potential carcinogenicity; banned in European Union: allowed in the US as fragrance ingredients in shampoos and body washes
- Formaldehyde: Known human carcinogen linked to leukaemia, pancreatic, skin, liver, lung cancer; strong skin, eye, lung irritant; irritates human liver (causes cirrhosis), stomach kidneys, and bladder; can cause skin burns; triggers asthma; hazardous air pollutant; environmental toxin; banned in Canada and Japan; determined as safe for use in cosmetic in the US
- Formaldehyde Resin: Contains formaldehyde and carries same risk; can trigger allergic reaction in the skin or lungs
- Formaldehyde Solution (Formalin): Neurotoxin in humans and animals; restricted in Canada and European Union; known human carcinogen linked to leukaemia; nasal and nasopharyngeal, pancreatic, skin, liver, bladder, and lung cancer; strong skin, eye, lung irritant; irritates human liver (causes cirrhosis), stomach, kidneys, and bladder; can cause skin burns; trigger asthma; hazardous air pollutant; environmental toxin; banned in Canada and Japan; determined as safe for use in cosmetic in US
- Glyceryl Stearate: Weak skin, eye, and lung irritant
- Hydroquinone: Eye, lung, nervous system toxin; can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; suspected liver and stomach carcinogen; causes liver cancer, and DNA and ovary mutations in animals; restricted in Canada
- Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate: Contains Diethanolamine; can affect thyroid function; gastrointestinal and liver toxicant; cannot be used in aerosols; causes allergic contact dermatitis; restricted in Japan
- Imidazolidinyl Urea (Uric Acid): Can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin
- Isobutylparaben: Skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant
- Isoparaffin: Petroleum derivative; environmental toxin; mildly irritating; produces kidney damage in animals; not carcinogenic in human
- Isopropyl Alcohol (SD-40): Human neurotoxin; skin, eye, lung irritant; vapours cause drowsiness and dizziness; caused skin dehydration; promote brown spots and premature aging of skin; petroleum derivative
- Lactic Acid: Strong skin and eye irritant; can cause skin burns; causes changes in liver, brain, and blood in animals; causes mutations and birth defects in animals; restricted in Canada
- Lanolin: Strong skin irritant and toxicant; can cause allergic reaction in the lungs
- Laureth 7 (Polyethylene Glycol Ether of Lauryl Alcohol): May be contamined with carcinogen 1, 4-Dioxane
- Lead Acetate: Possible human carcinogen and neurotoxin: skin and eye irritant; environmental toxin; banned in the European Union
- Lecithin: Can irritate lungs in aerosol form; a potent asthma trigger; forms carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds if mixed with nitrosating agents
- Manganese Sulfate: Strong human neurotoxin: harmful during prolonged exposure or inhalation; causes convulsions, DNA mutations, and protein loss in animals; toxic to wildlife
- Methamine: Strong skin, eye, nose and Ling irritant; can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; may be contaminated with carcinogenic 1, 4-Dioxane; cannot be used in aerosol cosmetics
- Methyl Methacrylate: Strong neurotoxin; strong eye and lung irritant: causes asthma and skin burns; causes cancer and stomach bleeding in animal; hazardous air pollutant; banned in Canada and US
- Methylparaben: Skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant
- Mineral Oil (Liquid Petrolatum): Causes blood and skin cancer formations in animals; eye and skin irritant; derived from petroleum; non-biodegradable environmental toxin
- Monoethanolamine (MEA): Skin and eye irritant at low dose; can be irritating to respiratory tract
- Nonoxynol (ethoxylated alkyl phenol): endocrine disruptor; skin and lung irritant; causes liver damage in animals; may be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane
- Octoxynol (10, 11, 13, 40): Strong skin and eye irritant that can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; may contain carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; causes cancer of reproductive organs in animals
- Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-4): Strong photoallergen; endocrine disruptor; produce free radicals that can increase skin aging; environmental toxicant
- Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA/PABA Ester): Has estrogenic activity; releases free radicals that damage DND when exposed to sunlight; causes allergic reactions and photoallegenic dermatitis; restricted in Japan
- Para Amino Benzonic Acid (PABA): causes allergic dermatitis and photosensitivity; produce free radicals that cause mutations, lead to cell death, and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease; causes changes in blood components and muscle weakness in animals; banned in Canada
- Paraffin (Paraffinum Liquidum, Paraffin Petrolatum): Petrochemical bleached with carcinogen acrolyn; releases carcinogens benzene and toluene upon heating; causes kidney or renal system tumour in animals; environmental toxin
- PEG-100 Stearate: Polyethylene glycols are often contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor; linked to cancel in animals; skin and eye irritant
- Petrolatum (Soft Paraffin, White Petrolatum, Petroleum Jelly): Lung irritant upon inhalation; derived from petroleum; non-biodegradable environment toxin
- Phenol: Strong respiratory irritant; toxic by skin contact; causes skin burns; causes kidney damage and cyanosis in humans; causes skin cancer, birth defects, and brain and nervous system damage in animals at very low doses; environmental contaminant; banned in Canada, restricted in Japan, permitted in US
- Phenoxyethanol: Endocrine disruptor and carcinogen in animals; linked to allergic contact uritica and dermatitis
- Picric Acid: Human immune system toxicant; toxic by inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion; causes allergic reaction in the skin or lungs; cause coma, convulsions, and body temperature increase in animals; banned in Canada and European Union
- Placental Extract: Endocrine disruptor containing estradiol and progesteron; banned in Canada
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Often contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor; linked to cancer in animals; skin and eye irritant
- Polyethylene Terephthalate: Causes cancer in animals; not studied for safety in humans
- Polysorbate 80: May be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; suspected endocrine disruptor; linked to cancer in animals; skin and eye irritant
- Potassium Persulfate: Strong irritant to eyes, lungs, respiratory system, and skin; restricted for use in cosmetic
- P-phenylenediamine: Linked to bladder and prostate cancer; human neurotoxin; skin and lung irritant; causes liver cancer and birth defects in animals; v strong environmental toxin
- Propyl Acetate: Skin, eye, nose, and lung irritant
- Propylene Glycol (PG): Can cause eye irritation and conjunctivitis, as well as upper respiratory tract irritation
- Propylparaben: Skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environment contaminant
- Quaternium-7, 15, 31, 60: Formaldehyde releasing; can cause skin and eye irritation; linked to several cancers (see Formaldehyde)
- Resorcinol (m-Hydroquinone, Euresol, 1,3-Benzenediol): Strong skin irritant; linked to adenomas in animals; suspected to trigger skin cancer in humans; environmental toxin
- Saccharin: Suspected human carcinogen; causes liver, kidney, and bladder damage in animals, as well as reproductive damage and birth abnormalities
- Silica: Linked to esophageal cancer, rental disease, pulmonary fibrosis, mesothelioma, sarcoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and bronchitis; strong Nadal and lung irritant; wildlife toxicant; accumulates in human body
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate: Skin irritant; water contaminant; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: Skin and eye irritant; in toothpaste may cause canker sores
- Sodium Metabisulfite: Immune system toxicant; eye and skin irritant; emits toxic gas when in contact with acids; dangerous for asthmatics; causes stillbirth, muscle weakness, and brain degeneration in animals
- Sodium Methylparaben: Endocrine disruptor; cause mild brain damage in animals; skin irritant causing itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering; causes depigmentation of skin; banned for use in European Union
- Sodium Monofluorophosphate: Nervous system toxin; harmful if swallowed during teeth bleaching; cause convulsions, proteinuria, osteoporosis, and changes in DNA in animals; restricted in Canada
- Talc: Even when it contains no asbestos, was proven fibrogenic (causes tissue injury and fibrosis); skin and lung irritation
- Teflon: Causes toxic pneumonitis and skin cancer in animals; not studied for safety in humans
- Tetrasodium EDTA: Contains formaldehyde; cytotoxic and genotoxic in animals; strong skin and lung irritant in humans; most widespread poison to waterways
- Thimerosal (Thiomersal, Merthiolate): Strong toxin to skin, nervous, and immune system; mercury in linked to autism; causes cancer in animals; environmental toxin
- Thioglycolic Acid: Strong human skin irritant; causes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; lung allergen; restricted in cosmetic; banned in Canada
- Toluene (Methylbenzene): Skin and lung toxicant; accumulates in fat tissue; banned in Canada
- Triclosan: Endocrine disruptor, affects thyroid hormone-associated gene expression, caused fetal death in animals; strong irritant; environmental toxicant
- Triethanolamine (TEA): Causes lymphoid, kidney; and renal tumours in animals; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; skin and eye irritant even when used in low doses
- Triphenyl Phosphate: Human neurotoxin; skin, eye, and lung irritant; causes tremors, dempressuon, and diarrhoea in animals
- Xanthene (AKA106, CI 45109): Found unsafe for use in cosmetic in US; cause cancer and various organ mutations in animals
This is not a complete list of all harmful and toxic chemicals found in beauty products. However, thee are some of the most common staples and try to avoid them at all costs
Sources: Comestic Ingredients Reviws (CIR); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); European Union: Classification & Labelling; Health Canada: List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients; EPA Water Quality Standards Database; EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants; National Library of Medicine; CHE Toxicant and Disease Database; Scorecard.org Toxicity Information; U.S. Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)