Health & beauty

Dangerous Ingredients You Should Avoid

Learn what earth-friendly buzz words to look for in your skin care, hair care and makeup ... and which harmful ingredients you should avoid on your beauty product labels

April 15, 2009 | by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff | 30 COMMENTS

Avoid: Sodium Laureth (aka 1,4-Dioxane) Although it's classified as a human and animal carcinogen by the EPA, 1,4-Dioxine, a byproduct of processing harsh chemicals with ethylene oxide to make them less harsh, is prevalent on beauty shelves. Got sodium lauryl sulfate? Ethyoxylate it and you get sodium laureth -- the "eth" indicates the process. Unfortunately you also get 1,4-Dioxine, most commonly found in things that bubble.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Look for: Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydroxysultaine, Decyl Glucoside

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products mentioned

Hemp Organics Lipstick

8.5

CosMedix Purity Clean Exfoliating Cleanser

9.3

Josie Maran Mascara

7.0

Aveda Energizing Composition

8.3

Pangea Organics Facial Mask

8.4

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Interesting article.

by Zeaundra Monday, February 25, 2013 at 07:50AM Report as inappropriate

This is a really informative article. I am definitely going to check my ingredients.

by Lili04 Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 03:14AM Report as inappropriate

Good to know

by kimihavens Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 02:51PM Report as inappropriate

So many good things to know!!!

by vfalkow Friday, September 16, 2011 at 08:05PM Report as inappropriate

Great. But if there is list of which products have these that have to avoided would be really great. Also a printable version of avoid and look would be nice too.

by ebbsandtides Friday, May 27, 2011 at 09:34AM Report as inappropriate

Wow, informative and eye opening. Thanks!

by Agrimony Friday, April 22, 2011 at 08:31PM Report as inappropriate

wonderful to know!

by Rawrrr Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 07:53AM Report as inappropriate

This was a really informative article! I'm glad that there are now so many great products on the market that don't have these dangerous ingredients.

by LipglossandSpandex Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 07:57PM Report as inappropriate

Mmm true that. /:

by yckitsmary Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 02:42PM Report as inappropriate

I love argan oil

by LittleBunny Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 01:25PM Report as inappropriate

I really should start paying more attention to what I'm putting ON my body as opposed to just what I put in it. Thanks for the heads up!

by Bon_Bon Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 10:53PM Report as inappropriate

so many products we use everyday are harmful :/

by kenya Sunday, December 26, 2010 at 11:23PM Report as inappropriate

This article has proven to be very valuable....I'm in the business for this reason....A place where humans can get human/healthy producta. Simply DaVene

by DaVene Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 12:29PM Report as inappropriate

Yes all the hidden chemical ingredients in some products are shocking - at last I am finding information around the place which details and advises us as to what is actually in the products - I'm proud to be sticking to my natural organic skincare and makeup - brilliant quality products out there today !

by BeautyGu Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 02:07AM Report as inappropriate

This is a great article. I'm surprised they didn't mention parabens. Found in most lotions, soaps, etc, and also found in breast cancer tumors. Although the FDA say it isn't harmful in small doses, when you consider how many products you put on your skin that have parabens in them, sometimes 3 or 4 different kinds of parabens, it does add up! This article was also very helpful.

by BillieB Monday, April 27, 2009 at 07:34PM Report as inappropriate

Great article, I so happy someone finally posted this information. Thanks!

by dynamics Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 10:21AM Report as inappropriate

WHAT????? UREA IS ACTUALLY URINE?!!!! GROOOOOOOSSSSSSSS!!! I THREW AWAY ALL MY VICTORIA SECRET BODY LOTIONS!

by kmontes30 Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 02:16AM Report as inappropriate

I really like that you not only tell what to beware and why, but what to look for to replace these products with. It was so helpful.

by Racquel87 Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 02:11PM Report as inappropriate

Maybe the title of the article should have been: "The Bad and the Beautiful - Dangerous ingredients to avoid in your beauty products and those to embrace."

by DeLux Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 01:28PM Report as inappropriate

I am so glad someone FINALLY let everyone know about the chemicals companies put in their products!! And yes-I have found many products that state "Organic" and still found chemicals in the ingredients. I actually returned it to the store! One thing not mentioned though in this article is QUANTERNUIM anything is Fermaldyhyde and dangerous. No matter if it's polyqunaternium or just quanternium and no matter the number associated. Thanks again for making users aware. Since the lovely FDA doesn't care about our health, someone's got to!!

by Shortstop Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 09:32AM Report as inappropriate

This is awesome. I agree with the other ladies about making it printer-friendly . Thanks so much for doing this, I think everyone should know about the dangerous things in their cosmetics.

by ROdiamondUGH Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 07:17AM Report as inappropriate

I agree with chistmascar62 a list needs to be printer friendly so it can be taken with when shopping

by mogamom1 Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 06:14AM Report as inappropriate

Really important facts...needs to be printer friendly to keep in purse w/shopping list. Thanks for the great info. Makes you wonder why the FDA allows the bad stuff on the shelf

by christmascar62 Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 05:37AM Report as inappropriate

Ladies, you can also check out the SkinDeep website (cosmetic safety data base) for any products you are using. You'd be surprised at some of the name brand ingredients!

by Hearts Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 05:36AM Report as inappropriate

Can you make this great article into a printer-friendly option?

by suziesuchi Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 03:59AM Report as inappropriate

Can you make this great

by suziesuchi Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 03:54AM Report as inappropriate

This is a great website because of this type info. Could you go a step further and maybe flag or note any popular products on this site that contain these ingredients?

by JennyBeth Monday, April 20, 2009 at 10:45AM Report as inappropriate

this is very inetersting and really nice for putting these so people can avoid these

by Lankangirl Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 11:53AM Report as inappropriate

this was really interesting because it gave me the oportunity to check in my products, thanks god all of my products dont contain this dangerous ingredients!!

by beautyfannatic Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 06:05PM Report as inappropriate

the antioxidant-anti-aging link is not proven, yet it is reported on all the time as though it is. in fact, the most wide reaching study on antioxidant efficacy was halted because it produced the opposite result to what was intended.

by poodlescoo Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 06:20AM Report as inappropriate

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