Who doesn’t want to look glam? That’s why makeup is a girl’s best friend. However you need to be on the lookout for harmful ingredients as you stock up on products. Some may cause immediate harm while others have long-term negative effects.
Ethanolamines
Diethanolamine (DEA), monoethanolamine (MEA), and triethanolamine (TEA) are ammonia compounds used as emulsifiers. Studies have shown links between these ingredients and inflammation, skin irritation and organ toxicity. When they interact with nitrosamines found in cosmetics, they form carcinogenic compounds.
Formaldehyde
This is found in shampoos, hair dye, nail polish and hair straightening products. It has been proven to cause liver toxicity, cancer and gastrointestinal problems. When reading ingredients list, look out for Formaldehyde, formalin, urea, quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, and sodium hydroxylmethylglycinate.
Phthalates
These are added to products to make them stick to a surface, thus are common in nail polish, lipstick, perfume and hair spray. They disrupt the hormonal system, affect foetal development and sexual fertility. Look for diethyl phthalate (DEP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-n-butyl phthalate. Some manufacturers sneak in phthalates as ‘fragrance’.
Dimethicone
It’s used to create a soft, smooth feel on skin and hair, thus it’s commonly found in facial serums and hair conditioners. It blocks pores from releasing toxins and absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. As a result acne and skin irritation occur. Ironically it’s an ingredient in acne products, makeup, hair care products sunscreens, and more. Check for dimethicone, dimethicone copolyol, methicone, cyclomethicone, phenyl trimethicone and dimethiconol.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
Sometimes listed as Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate. It’s used to create foam in shampoos, toothpaste, bubble bath, facial cleansers and baby bath. The problem is that they strip natural oils from the skin, resulting in dryness, allergic reactions and irritation. Check the ingredient list for sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, anhydrous sodium lauryl sulfate and irium.
Parabens
These preservatives mimic estrogen in the human body, have been found in breast tissue, may lead to impaired development of foetus and negatively affect fertility. They’re found in body washes, lotions, sunscreens, etc and are indicated as isobutylparabens, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and ethylparaben.
