Every day, we apply multiple products to our skin — moisturizers, cleansers, makeup, sunscreen, fragrance. What most people don’t realize is that many of these formulas are loaded with chemicals that can harm our health over time. From carcinogens to endocrine disruptors, the list is long (and scary).
Here’s a guide to ingredients you should avoid in your skincare and personal care products.
Preservatives to Avoid in Skincare
- Imidazolidinyl Urea (Uric Acid) – can cause itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin.
- DMDM Hydantoin – contains carcinogenic formaldehyde; irritates skin, eyes, and lungs.
- Quaternium-7, 15, 31, 60 – formaldehyde-releasing preservatives; linked to cancer.
- Phenoxyethanol – endocrine disruptor; linked to dermatitis, allergic reactions.
- Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol) – endocrine disruptor; forms carcinogenic nitrosamines; toxic to wildlife.
- Chloroacetamide – strong irritant; toxic if inhaled; banned in Canada.
- Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate – thyroid disruptor; allergen; restricted in Japan.
- Sodium Methylparaben – endocrine disruptor; caused mild brain damage in animals; banned in EU.
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Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben – endocrine disruptors linked to breast and ovarian cancers; environmental contaminants.
Fragrance and Color Additives
- Fragrance (unspecified blends) – may include hundreds of undisclosed chemicals; linked to allergies, asthma, and hormone disruption.
- Coal Tar – known human carcinogen; causes lung and urinary tract cancers; banned in most countries except US/UK shampoos.
- D&C Red 30 Lake – nervous system toxicant; aluminum-based; endocrine disruptor.
- D&C Violet 2 / Ext. D&C Violet 2 – coal tar dyes; irritants; linked to bladder cancer.
- FD&C Blue 1 – derived from coal tar; linked to hyperactivity and allergies.
- FD&C Green 3 – caused sarcomas in animals; restricted in EU.
- FD&C Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) – causes severe allergic reactions, thyroid tumors, and hives.
- FD&C Yellow 6 – irritant; linked to convulsions, testicular damage in animals.
- FD&C Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake – aluminum compounds are neurotoxic.
- Xanthene (CI 45100) – unsafe in cosmetics; caused cancers in animal studies.
Petroleum-Derived Ingredients & Silicones
- Mineral Oil (liquid petrolatum) – petroleum-derived; linked to blood and skin cancers in animals.
- Petrolatum (white petrolatum, petroleum jelly) – lung irritant; environmental toxin.
- Paraffin (petrolatum, paraffinum liquidum) – petroleum by-product; releases carcinogens when heated.
- Isoparaffin – petroleum derivative; linked to kidney damage in animals.
- PEGs (Polyethylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate) – contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane.
- Dimethicone (Dimeticone) – petroleum-derived silicone; non-biodegradable.
- Silica – linked to pulmonary fibrosis, esophageal cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Polyethylene Terephthalate – causes cancer in animal studies.
- Teflon – caused toxic pneumonitis and skin cancers in animal studies.
- Sulfates and Harsh Cleansers
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – harsh skin/eye irritant; causes canker sores in toothpaste.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) – irritant; contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane.
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate – irritant; contaminates water.
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate – irritant; contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane.
- Cocamide DEA – strong toxicant; suspected carcinogen; irritant to skin, eyes, lungs.
- Cocamide MEA – irritant; linked to cancer in animal studies.
- Laureth-7 – contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; irritant.
Heavy Metals and Toxic Elements
- Aluminum (powder) – neurotoxicant; endocrine disruptor; linked to Alzheimer’s and breast cancer.
- Aluminum Chloride – irritant; linked to bladder/liver abnormalities.
- Aluminum Hydrochloride – endocrine disruptor; neurotoxic to humans.
- Aluminum Oxide – irritant; linked to cancers; endocrine disruptor.
- Lead Acetate – carcinogen and neurotoxin; banned in EU.
- Chromium Compounds – carcinogens; lung irritants.
- Mercury Compounds (Thimerosal, Thioglycolic Acid) – immune/nervous system toxins; linked to autism.
- Cadmium Compounds – cause kidney damage, bone weakness.
- Manganese Sulfate – neurotoxicant; causes convulsions and DNA damage.
Endocrine Disruptors & Carcinogens
- Oxybenzone (benzophenone-4) – photoallergen; endocrine disruptor; accelerates aging.
- Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA) – produces DNA-damaging free radicals in sunlight.
- Hydroquinone – irritant; linked to cancer and ovary mutations.
- Dibutyl Phthalate – reproductive toxin; linked to fertility issues and cancers.
- Diethanolamine (DEA) – contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; linked to brain abnormalities.
- Triethanolamine (TEA) – linked to kidney and liver tumors.
- Monoethanolamine (MEA) – irritant; respiratory toxicant.
- Nonoxynol – endocrine disruptor; lung irritant.
- Octoxynol (10, 11, 13, 40) – endocrine disruptor; linked to cancer in animals.
- Triclosan – thyroid disruptor; linked to fetal death in animals.
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) – human carcinogen; banned in EU.
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) – endocrine disruptor; linked to cancers.
- Formaldehyde (and derivatives: Resin, Solution) – known carcinogen; linked to leukemia, lung cancer; banned in Canada/Japan.
Alcohols, Solvents & Misc. Chemicals
- Isopropyl Alcohol (SD-40) – neurotoxin; dries and ages skin.
- Propylene Glycol – irritant; causes eye and respiratory issues.
- Talc (even asbestos-free) – fibrogenic; linked to ovarian cancer.
- Boric Acid – reproductive toxin; unsafe on damaged skin; banned in Canada/Japan.
- Resorcinol – strong irritant; linked to adenomas and possible skin cancer.
- Saccharin – suspected carcinogen; damages kidneys/bladder in animals.
- Placental Extracts – disrupt hormones (estradiol/progesterone); banned in Canada.
- Picric Acid – toxic; causes allergic reactions, convulsions.
- Phenol – toxic; linked to cancers, kidney and nervous system damage.
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Eugenol – endocrine disruptor; allergen; cancerous in animal studies.
Why Natural Alternatives Are Safer
The good news? You don’t need these toxic ingredients for effective skincare. Nature provides safe and powerful alternatives:
- Plant oils (like hemp seed oil, jojoba, rice bran, squalane)
- Essential oils (lavender, tea tree, frankincense, rose)
- Botanicals (lavender, chamomile, comfrey, honey)
- Mineral clays (French Rose, Rhassoul, Bentonite)
These natural ingredients support skin health without the toxic load.
🗝️ Key Takeaway
This list shows why “paraben-free” isn’t enough. True safe skincare means avoiding a wide range of preservatives, dyes, sulfates, petroleum by-products, endocrine disruptors, and heavy metals. Choosing products made with whole plant oils, clays, essential oils, and botanicals is the safest, most effective way to care for your skin.
Recommended Sans Product
Three preservative-free essentials designed to nourish skin naturally, without harmful chemicals.
Comments
Triethanolamine and a few others on this list are found in some analgesic gels and creams. Also, I noticed that hair care products are sometimes loaded with a number of things on this list.
please advise which hair and skin products are the purist.
That’s exactly why I stick to certified non-toxic brands like Chae Organics. Have you heard of them? https://www.chaeorganics.us
Many of the ingredients in this list are in the ‘healthy’ body lotion I buy at the Health Food Store so what are we supposed to use that doesn’t include these ingredients? Any suggestions?
literally spent almost two hours going through all of my skincare products’ ingredients and the ones online i’ve been eyeing to buy, and literally every single product had at least one of these ingredients listed.
ugh i can’t believe it. and some of these products are from high-end retailers. what a disgrace.
if the public knew more about these ingredients and created an outcry, these companies would have to RUN for being called out for having these ingredients in their products in the first place smh this is what the power of being “cancelled” should be used upon
Since they are so dangerous, why is it even allowed by authorities in charge, does it mean the gain outways the risk? It’s hard to find a cosmetic product without any one or more of these chemicals, should one stop using creams and soap altogether?
Why do these chemicals even need to exist? Where is the need for these poisons?
Wow! I’m saddened by all the ingredients in sunscreen that is on this list! My go to for sensitive skin has 4 bad ingredients listed.
Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! For doing your serearch and sharing with everyone! My #1 page when I need to purchase any skin products!!
So many of these chemicals are used on products applied to our skincare and shampoos. It’s outrageous.