Many popular beauty and cleaning products contain harmful ingredients that have been linked to cancers and others have the ability to alter hormone levels. Some commonly used products even contain the same ingredients used for engine degreasers, brake fluid and anti-freeze.
I was shocked to learn how hazardous many skincare and cosmetic ingredients were. If you scan some ingredient labels of products you already have in your bathroom or make up bag, you will probably find long lists of unpronounceable ingredients that require a science degree to decipher. Chemicals such as parabens appear to be in every product as a preservative. Parabens have been found in breast tissue, according to the Teens for Safe Cosmetics list of chemicals to avoid. This kind of information is enough to wake up anyone and encourage you to overhaul your bathroom and beauty cabinets ASAP.
I was shocked to learn how hazardous many skincare and cosmetic ingredients were. If you scan some ingredient labels of products you already have in your bathroom or make up bag, you will probably find long lists of unpronounceable ingredients that require a science degree to decipher. Chemicals such as parabens appear to be in every product as a preservative. Parabens have been found in breast tissue, according to the Teens for Safe Cosmetics list of chemicals to avoid. This kind of information is enough to wake up anyone and encourage you to overhaul your bathroom and beauty cabinets ASAP.
Green Lashes aims to avoid the following ingredients on this site:
(as and when I come across new ingredient information I will update this list).
Some ingredients to avoid:
Preservatives
Formaldehyde
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Methylisothiazolinone (MI/MCI) and Methychloroisothiazolinone
Parabens
Phenoxyethanol
Triclosan
Solvents
Butyl Acetate
Ethyl Acetate
Phthalates
Propylene Glycol
Toluene
Foaming & Emulsifying
Sodium Laureth Sulfate / Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS/SLES)
Cocamide DEA / Lauramide DEA
Other
Aluminium
Talc
Petrolateum
Fragrance / Parfum
For detailed ingredient information, please visit the following sites:
http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
http://www.teensturninggreen.org/
(as and when I come across new ingredient information I will update this list).
Some ingredients to avoid:
Preservatives
Formaldehyde
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Methylisothiazolinone (MI/MCI) and Methychloroisothiazolinone
Parabens
Phenoxyethanol
Triclosan
Solvents
Butyl Acetate
Ethyl Acetate
Phthalates
Propylene Glycol
Toluene
Foaming & Emulsifying
Sodium Laureth Sulfate / Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS/SLES)
Cocamide DEA / Lauramide DEA
Other
Aluminium
Talc
Petrolateum
Fragrance / Parfum
For detailed ingredient information, please visit the following sites:
http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
http://www.teensturninggreen.org/
2 comments:
I agree fully with all the ingredients you have listed to avoid them.
But I don't understand why you include Phenoxyethanol in your list as this is made from plant material?
Commercial cosmetics are one thing - they are absolutely polluted with chemicals however smaller companies who handmake their cosmetics need to also use preservatives, and Phenoxyethanol is a first choice.
The Soil Association approves the use of this one preservative so if they are satisfied what is the problem?
You simple cannot have cosmetics without preservatives (as we have found out ourself the hard way) so accept that as manufacturers we can only use the most suitable in line with our ethics.
I certainly respect people hold different beliefs about the use of preservatives in skincare lines. I personally choose to avoid this preservative as many resources claim it is just as concerning as parabens. The Green Beauty Guide has a good article detailing phenoxyethanol and why it may be harmful.
I've also found some fabulous organic and natural skincare lines not using phenoxyethanol as a preservative such as Weleda, Raw Gaia, Akamuti and Pai.
The Ecologist has a really helpful article also which delves into the preservative world and suggests safer and 'equally effective preservatives' such as citrus seed extract, aloe vera, lavender and cranberry extract.
I hope this answers your question about why I avoid phenoxyethanol. I learn something new every day in the green beauty and fashion world and I am open to learning so much more in order to ensure I am using and recommending the safest, natural and organic beauty products.
Green Beauty Guide - http://thegreenbeautyguide.com/?p=169
The Ecologist - http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/behind_the_label/269359/read_the_label_preservatives.html
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