Health & beauty

13 Gross Ingredients Hidden in Your Beauty Products

Lipstick that contains bug juice, soap made of human breast milk ... see what you've been slathering on your face and body

July 1, 2010 | by Molly Roemer | 82 COMMENTS

Cochineal Beetles (Dactylopius Coccus) Cochineal beetles eat the prickly pear cactus in South America. Pucker up because according to "The New York Times" when they are full of cactus juice, these insects are scraped off the plant, boiled and dried out and crushed into "carmine," which is used in a particular red dye that's used in some lipstick and blush. The good news is, by 2011 Malkan says that cosmetic companies will have to disclose any bug ingredients in their makeup.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Infant Foreskin (NouriCel-MD)

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So far from I have seen on here is gross

by Anagalia Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 03:59PM Report as inappropriate

This is gross

by Anagalia Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 03:49PM Report as inappropriate

DISGUSTING!! now i regret reading this article...think i'm feeling sick.

by 92jess11 Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 10:54PM Report as inappropriate

Simethicone and pepper are the only ones that aren't disgusting.

by Helmi Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 06:14PM Report as inappropriate

Ok I didn't expect this article to affect me much but it did. Foreskin? Bull semen? All of that is disgusting!

by NillaButterfly Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 04:30PM Report as inappropriate

Not all that gross apart from baby foreskin.... Just saying, but very informative.

by Zeaundra Monday, February 25, 2013 at 07:33AM Report as inappropriate

I don't think most of these are all that gross, plus some of them are stretched a bit to up the ick factor. Kinda lame.

by tallredamanda Friday, January 11, 2013 at 02:22PM Report as inappropriate

i've know about a lot of these but omg some of these totally grossed me out!

by rayshaviolet Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 11:47AM Report as inappropriate

Sometimes I just don't want to know.

by EricaF123 Tuesday, December 25, 2012 at 03:36PM Report as inappropriate

wow this is surprising

by aishak55 Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 09:12AM Report as inappropriate

Ok yes gross but where were the examples of products know to contain these items?

by kimihavens Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 12:34PM Report as inappropriate

Gross, but I guess ignorance is bliss. If a product works well, I don't want to know if there's something perceived as disgusting in it. It's all relative too. Some ingredients accepted widely in some places are considered disgusting elsewhere.

by robyne00 Monday, August 20, 2012 at 08:18PM Report as inappropriate

I feel like some of these products are even in our food products. Anyone heard about Starbucks using insect red dye to make their baked goods? On the bright side, thanks to consumers, Starbucks is finally changing it around and usually tomato red dye instead.

by MissXu Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10:27AM Report as inappropriate

Sometimes I just like being dumb and happy.

by beautybody Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 10:56PM Report as inappropriate

Shock Value..that's all. A great article would be ... just what ARE those ingredients in my beauty products (names I can't pronounce) and what are they suppose to do. Come on, those photos were just disgusting and belong on a creepshow blog.

by islands4me Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 08:18AM Report as inappropriate

"Snail ooze"?! Seriously, what would inspire someone to use this "ingredient" in ANYTHING?

by LUCYGOOSEY74 Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 02:48PM Report as inappropriate

Not sure if I was better off knowing OR NOT!!

by powerwoman033 Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 08:22PM Report as inappropriate

Well then....this article was just all around disturbing. I really didn't want to know what was in my Glucosamine supplements.

by SummerOrchid Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:10PM Report as inappropriate

I can handle bug juice and whale vomit, but human breast milk and placenta? That's really gross!!

by WiccanLady Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 06:05PM Report as inappropriate

I was snacking when reading this article and I lost my appetite

by talecon Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:12AM Report as inappropriate

ewwwwwwwwwwwww..... now i m scared!!!

by teema Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 01:26AM Report as inappropriate

I bet they also use aborted babies' organs or w/e in the anti-aging creams. This world is becoming more and more satanic.

by crazy Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 03:13PM Report as inappropriate

This is disgusting. Now I feel like I have to read the ingredients list of everything 10 times.

by vampirehunter Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:47PM Report as inappropriate

ewww I think the worst is the tallow for sure

by sportimonki13 Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:19PM Report as inappropriate

Don't know which of these is the worst... although the road-kill is disturbing... and how in the world are they getting HUMAN BREAST MILK for these products?!?!?! One more argument for truth in advertising!

by 1955Nurse Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:04PM Report as inappropriate

ewww....so many gross ingredients...makes me wonder how many company uses these....

by ruby_chang Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:58PM Report as inappropriate

Oh gross, it's completely disgusting to now that this is what some cosmetic companies put in our makeup!

by MissXu Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 09:44PM Report as inappropriate

Good article, but yes, it is gross!

by celinedejesus Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 09:14PM Report as inappropriate

Some of these are disgusting! I can't believe it's true :(

by patricia89 Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 07:00AM Report as inappropriate

ew wow surprising

by Nicole2814 Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 10:13AM Report as inappropriate

Awe man,, I knew natural would be a better way to go through the days

by makayla_baca Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 10:50PM Report as inappropriate

Eww. I regret reading this.

by andyv1217 Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 08:27PM Report as inappropriate

mmmmm howcome i cant see the rest of the article?

by sheri_vitalicio Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 04:41AM Report as inappropriate

The dynamite and pepper spray don't bother me but OH LORD the rest is bad, bad, bad!!!!

by sonia_silveroli Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 05:21PM Report as inappropriate

EWWWWWWW!!! I am so grossed out right now.

by msbrown822 Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 01:53PM Report as inappropriate

Gross dude!

by LittleBunny Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 10:49AM Report as inappropriate

I am extremely weirded out and sickened by all of these. Ew :(

by vfalkow Friday, September 9, 2011 at 09:26PM Report as inappropriate

I've seen glucosamine in several products. Now that I know what it is... EW!

by Shaysha Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 04:47PM Report as inappropriate

I knew about carmine. It was originally in red velvet cake, too.

by Shaysha Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 04:42PM Report as inappropriate

i just knew about the tallow, as so many bars of soaps contain it. But, whale vomit? bull sperm? bugs?ewwwwww!

by kristiannaraj Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 10:53AM Report as inappropriate

I wish that there had been a list of what companies use some of this stuff. I am definately going to start reading the labels. I think I can do without crushed bugs and whale vomit...

by taryn.romero Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 09:24AM Report as inappropriate

What grosses me out most about this list is that someone ACTUALLY said at one point in time things like: "Hmm.. I think I'll take that whale vomit and make it into perfume," or "Perhaps I'll crush up that bug to make red dye for lipstick." It's a strange, strange world we live in... Even if it is a rather creative one.

by brown_eyes23 Friday, July 8, 2011 at 03:02PM Report as inappropriate

Well, I'm not really grossed out a lot about this ingredients; indeed some of them sound gross (infant foreskin!?), but if they do work and are considered safe, I don't see why we shouldn't use them. It's not like we took the whale vomit DIRECTLY and applied to ourselves. We use it after a certain process that makes it safe for use (I hope) and hygienic. By the way, someone should spell-check this articles more often.

by EnkaOwakura Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 12:52PM Report as inappropriate

I agree with the comment made by alictasia about this article not being informative. what are thse ingredients listed as on labels? Please include information on avoiding these substances.

by connie_ely Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 09:10AM Report as inappropriate

Gross

by BellezzaBeauty Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 03:45AM Report as inappropriate

"is also your best fried" really? not best friend? I thought people got paid to edit this stuff?

by isabella_parris Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 12:04AM Report as inappropriate

hahahaha

by Bon_Bon Monday, June 13, 2011 at 09:55PM Report as inappropriate

um ok???????????

by porsha_coleman_mcdaniels Monday, June 13, 2011 at 09:47PM Report as inappropriate

This article seems to be more sensationalistic than informative :-(

by alictasia Monday, June 13, 2011 at 08:06PM Report as inappropriate

OUTSTANDING article! And Truth really IS stranger than fiction!

by GrandRN Monday, June 13, 2011 at 07:23PM Report as inappropriate

RE: Infant Foreskin (NouriCel-MD) Okay. So there IS a legitimate use for infant foreskin tissue (which is thrown away otherwise) to treat burn victims without the larger risk of skin grafts taken from cadavers, or when a patient does not HAVE enough viable skin to graft FROM. The ONLY people I can think of who would actually SEEK OUT a cosmetic made with this is PETA. After all, no ANIMALS were harmed or used to TEST the product...

by GrandRN Monday, June 13, 2011 at 07:15PM Report as inappropriate

it comforting to know that my deodorant might have dynamite ingredients in it. lol the bug thing was really gross and so was the whale vomit. very interesting article.

by stephgal Monday, June 13, 2011 at 06:46PM Report as inappropriate

This is absolutely absurd! The bugs one is especially gross, I think the worst part is knowing that some companies still keep such ingredients in their products.... So glad they now have to disclose whether or not there are bugs in them.

by MissXu Monday, June 13, 2011 at 05:00PM Report as inappropriate

euk! yes really nasty!

by crazzy79 Monday, June 13, 2011 at 04:41PM Report as inappropriate

really informative - also really nasty

by katiespeaking Monday, June 13, 2011 at 03:57PM Report as inappropriate

Great article, I really enjoyed it! Thanks:D

by awan0912 Monday, June 13, 2011 at 03:06PM Report as inappropriate

I don't know why but as long as I don't see it in my products, I really don't give too hoots. All natural! LOL

by Glisten17 Monday, June 13, 2011 at 12:54PM Report as inappropriate

Good info to know.

by MissPurple Monday, June 13, 2011 at 12:45PM Report as inappropriate

Oh yuck. I knew a lot of these, but, baby foreskin - uh, no. Good to know all these.

by Agrimony Monday, June 13, 2011 at 12:23PM Report as inappropriate

So gross!

by LittleBunny Monday, June 13, 2011 at 11:54AM Report as inappropriate

This is gross!

by gaej19 Monday, June 13, 2011 at 09:53AM Report as inappropriate

I have a cream made with snail ooze and it's really great. No kidding. It's great for brightening and recovery. Snail ooze creams are also from Europe and Korean cosmetic brands are using smail ooze too. Snail ooze cream is one of the best selling items in Korea now.

by jewelpjm Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 06:04PM Report as inappropriate

... okay thats nasty

by yckitsmary Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 09:49PM Report as inappropriate

this is so gross, good to know though

by melmilkowsky Monday, March 28, 2011 at 01:37PM Report as inappropriate

thanks for info.

by ChrisanneSkye Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 03:21PM Report as inappropriate

ewww so gross

by judyangel101 Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 01:49PM Report as inappropriate

OMG THIS IS AWFUL

by Bon_Bon Monday, February 21, 2011 at 03:16PM Report as inappropriate

Yuck!

by LittleBunny Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 08:19AM Report as inappropriate

Ew! My mom drinks glucosamine beverages for her joints. She's actually drinking chicken bone marrow!!!!!

by frankie_wessely Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 06:12PM Report as inappropriate

GROSS!!!!!!

by Toyvoo Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 02:14PM Report as inappropriate

Bottom line, in my opinion is this. If people didn't buy into the idea that we MUST have red lips, supple skin, etc., etc., there would be no NEED for any of this stuff (feces???) Why can't we allow ourselves to age with grace and dignity?

by kathryn_leona_stuelke Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 12:53PM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting, but NOT ALL the items were gross... Diatomaceous earth is very natural and only PART of what is used to make dynamite - and hardly what I would call "gross". We use it in our garden to get rid of bugs. Also, capsicum is hardly "gross" either. And again it's a natural derivative of a hot pepper. It's too bad we don't use more natural items. Personally, I'm glad they can find a use for road kill and other parts of animals that are already being killed. Isn't that what the native Americans were known for? Not wasting one bit! As long as something is natural, I'm not against it.

by kellkat Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 08:51AM Report as inappropriate

Agreed ... what's the point of grossing us out, if they're not going to give the clinical names that will actually appear on the labels? With the exceptions of tallow (which I've always found gross, but I thought was just lard from cows, not roadkill!) and glucosamine, none of these things are going to be called by their common names, so how can we avoid any of them?

by LaurieB Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 07:19AM Report as inappropriate

But the article doesn't make sure consumers have the information they need, it gives you a little bit of info thrown in with biased opinion, and doesn't even list alternative products to use instead. They don't even give a clinical name for Bull Semen, so if you use a product with it and have a reaction, how are you going to know to check for bull semen? Are you just going to bring your doctor this entire list and have them check to see if you're allergic to everything? I'm surprised that they didn't list that Johnson's uses formaldehyde releasers (Quaternium) in some of their baby products, that's worth mentioning in my opinion, since even as an adult I used to use Johnson's products. I bet they just didn't want to deal with any backlash from listing actual names of products, and in that case, what's the use of the article?

by Superlativity Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 06:20AM Report as inappropriate

iagree with cowgirl767 as to what products all these nasty things are in and the names of said products.

by gradybrd Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 08:50PM Report as inappropriate

Thank you for posting this information-its difficult to find the the source of many of these ingredients, and it gives a good explanation as to why I and others can't wear certain cosmetics and skin care products. This information is very valuable, and I very much appreciate that you have this information available. This isn't sensationalism-this is making sure consumers have information that they need to make informed choices, and to know what exactly it is that they are using-and more importantly, if there is a reaction, to know what caused it so the reaction can be treated effectively.

by hnbain1 Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 02:53PM Report as inappropriate

Interesting. While I knew of some of these ingredients and the background behind them, others I did not. A jaw dropper with the tallow possibly being derived from roadkill. Gross. But I do agree with points made in the other comments, especially OutInAPout. 6 stars, due to the added information and resources you put in- no matter how outdated it may be.

by hikaru Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 02:27PM Report as inappropriate

This is the kind of sensational journalism that is a huge turn off for me. The way it's written is obviously intended to make the reader go ICK...what happened to OBJECTIVE journalism? I second OutInAPout's comment. Keep this up and I'm outta here!

by lizzratt Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 12:55PM Report as inappropriate

Most of these things are just fine and not gross at all. There are a few actually disgusting ones, but that also includes one or two that they don't do anymore. This should have been a smaller list without such a stretch which undermines the impact.

by tartfuel Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 11:34AM Report as inappropriate

Excellent comment OutInAPout!!!!

by waterbearer Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 11:27AM Report as inappropriate

it would help to know what products these ingredients are actually in (specific brands + products)

by cowgirl767 Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 11:17AM Report as inappropriate

Remember- just because something is "icky" doesn't mean it's not good for you, or the best thing for the job. Penicillin is a mold, but it has saved the lives of 10s of million people. This article reads like it should be in the beauty section of The Enquirer. Many of these ingredients have been used for hundreds of years with good result. Others are barely used at all. It's worth pointing out that your description of tallow makes it seem like a common ingredient. In fact, Cosmetics Safety Database (quoted several times in the actual write up) lists only 2 products that contain the ingredient; both pain relief creams (not the lipsticks, soaps and eye products implied in the article.) While technically factual, this article is simply too sensationalist to take at face value.

by OutInAPout Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 01:46AM Report as inappropriate

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