The Top 10 Worst Skincare Ingredients to Avoid (in 2024) + what to use instead!
Not long ago, I had no idea that I even needed to worry about what harmful ingredients and toxic chemicals might be hidden in my skincare and makeup.
I thought if it’s on the store shelves, then it must be good to use, RIGHT??
Unfortunately, that’s simply not true, especially if you live in the United States. The U.S. has VERY limited regulations when it comes to the beauty and cosmetics industries.
It turns out that there is not any mandated pre-market testing or approval required before new beauty products turn up on U.S. store shelves, and federal regulations in the U.S. have largely not changed since 1938!
Even scarier to me, many of the ingredients that we find in beauty products in the U.S. have already been banned in Europe and other countries. In cosmetics along, the EU has banned or restricted more than 1,300 chemicals while the US has outlawed or curbed just 11. Yep, 11.
And the big issue is, that a lot of the health impacts associated with these toxic ingredients are long-term. So if you develop a serious disease in 20 years from now, it’s hard to link it back to a specific ingredient in a beauty product.
This stat really got to me … recent research by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group found that between cosmetics, perfumes, personal care products and feminine hygiene products, the average American woman applies an average of 168 chemicals to her face and body every day. And 60 percent of what we put onto our skin is absorbed into our bodies.
Ugh, so scary.
Taking Charge of Your Own Health + Safety
I’ve come to realize that my personal health and safety is very much up to me. It’s my job to do the research, understand what harmful and toxic skincare and cosmetics ingredients to avoid, and find effective products that use safe alternative ingredients that work!
As I’ve slowly ditched and switched out our home’s beauty and self-care products - toothpaste, deodorant, makeup, face wash, lotion, facial cream, etc. - for safer ones, I know that I’m doing something extremely positive for my family. Plus my skin looks fresher and more rejuvenated than ever before! #WIN
It’s not always easy to do - especially when you’re not a chemistry major and you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients! That’s why I’ve put together this list of 10 of the Most Commonly Found Toxic Ingredients in Skincare, Haircare, and Makeup. Now, let’s head to your bathroom cabinets, and let’s figure out what you’ve got in there!
Top 10 Toxic Skincare Ingredients to Avoid
#1. Fragrance
The ingredient of “fragrance” is one that gives companies a large leeway in exactly what they are putting in their products. Federal law does not require companies to list out exactly what chemicals are contained in their fragrance mixture, because it is considered a “trade secret.”
Research from the Environmental Working Group found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 different well-known fragrance products, with none of them listed on the products’ labels.
Best advice? If you want to know exactly what is in your products, you’ll want to buy fragrance-free or those that use the natural fragrances of pure essential oils.
Look for fragrance in: Most personal care products including sunscreen, shampoo, soap, body wash, deodorant, body lotion, makeup, facial cream, skin toner, serums, exfoliating scrubs, and perfume.
#2. Phthalates
Phthalates are binding agents and are typically used to increase the strength and flexibility of plastics in skincare and cosmetics. They are often listed under the category of “fragrances,” and are found in many shampoos, hairsprays, stick deodorants and most fragrances in personal care products.
Phthalates may be linked to blood pressure and reproductive issues. They are dangerous to children, can cause birth defects, and can be serious endocrine disruptors throwing hormones out of balance.
Look for phthalates in: cosmetics, hair care products, lotions, soaps, body washes, and perfumes
#3. Parabens
Parabens are one of the most common offending toxic chemicals found in SO many different mainstream products - face wash, makeup, body wash, shampoo, night cream, etc. Parabens are used to preserve the shelf-life of products and my guess is that you’ll find parabens in many of your self-care products.
Parabens mimic estrogen and are hormone disrupters, which can lead to reproductive and fertility issues. The FDA has acknowledged several studies linking parabens to breast cancer, skin cancer, and decreased sperm count, but they have not yet made an official ruling that they are harmful.
Look for parabens in: shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, facial cleanser, and body wash
#4. BHT and BHA
BHA and BHA are common preservatives used in skincare that are potential skin allergens, as well as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”. In animal studies, Long-term exposure to high doses of BHA and BHT has been shown to cause liver, thyroid and kidney, and reproductive problems in mice. The European Union considers it to be unsafe in beauty products.
Look for BHT and BHA in: lip and hair products, makeup, shampoos, deodorants, perfumes, and creams.
#5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
SLS and SLES are normally found in products that foam, later, and bubble.
SLS and SLES have been shown to cause or contribute to skin irritation, canker sores, eye damage, disruptions to the skin’s natural balance of oil, and the triggering of different allergies. It also has the potential of leading to cancer and birth defects. It’s a product that has already been banned in Canada and restricted in Europe.
Look for BHT and BHA in: soaps, body wash, facial cleanser, shampoos, and toothpaste
#6. Retinol or Retinyl palmitate
This one may surprise you! But when you find out that many doctors recommend that pregnant women stop using products with retinol and vitamin A, it makes more sense that we ALL will want to avoid this ingredient in certain situations.
One of the biggest problems with retinol is when it included in products that are designed for use during the day. The concern is about photocarcinogenicity, the cancer-causing potential of retinol in the presence of UV light. So thinking about how and when you use the product is key to determining if retinol is an issue within it or not. Retinoids have been implicated in birth defects, liver toxicity, and cancer.
Look for retinol in: moisturizers, face creams, anti-aging skincare and SPF products
#7. Formaldehyde
Yes, seriously… formaldehyde! That nasty smelling toxic chemical that you probably used in science class to preserve dead animals. Yuck!
Formaldehyde has been linked to birth defects, endocrine disruption, headaches, neurotoxicity, and respiratory problems. The EPA has classified formaldehyde as a "probable human carcinogen” and that exposure to formaldehyde may cause leukemia.
Look for formaldehyde in: nail polish, perfume, makeup remover, shampoo, and body wash.
#8. Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is a depigmenting agent that is used to lighten areas of darkened skin. Concerns with using products that use this ingredient are its links to cancer and organ-system toxicity.
Hydroquinone is also linked to a skin condition called ochronosis in which the skin (our largest organ) thickens and turns bluish-grey. Exposure of the eye can cause pigmentation and permanent corneal damage. The chemical has been banned in cosmetics in the European Union and restricted in Canada.
Look for hydroquinone in: skin lighteners, facial cleanser, body wash, face moisturizers, and hair conditioner.
#9. Triclosan
Triclosan became wildly used in antibacterial products in the 1990s, even though the FDA states there are no health benefits to this ingredient.
Triclosan and triclocarban (in bar soaps) has been linked to endocrine (hormonal) disruption, disruption of thyroid function, bacterial resistance, impaired immune function and increased allergies
Look for triclosan in: soaps, mouthwash, shaving cream, deodorants, toothpaste
#10. Aluminum
Aluminum is a metal that is a common ingredient in antiperspirants that works by “plugging” sweat ducts to stop sweating. Not only is this a bad practice, as it stops your body from expelling sweat, which helps our bodies to cool down, but aluminum also can cause other issues on its own.
Aluminum exposure has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and interference with estrogen levels. When your body can’t process estrogen properly, there’s a higher risk for breast and prostate cancer.
Look for aluminum in: deodorants, anti-persperants, eye shadow, lipstickn.
What ingredients Should I Look for in Skincare that are Safe and Effective?
I’m guessing at this point you’ve likely ditched over half of your beauty cabinet, and are wondering what to do now. Because you still want to look and smell good, right?!
Now that you know what toxic and harmful ingredients to avoid in your beauty products and skincare, what ingredients should you be looking for that are safe and actually work???
Pop over to my complimentary article: 9 Natural, Safe and Effective Skincare Ingredients.
In that article you’ll find my 9 favorite natural skincare ingredients that you can look for when choosing natural beauty products and cosmetics, OR that you can use to make DIY products at home!
Hi, I'm Summer! I'm a 40-something wife and mom to 3 kids, who has ALWAYS struggled to love my skin. No matter if it was hormonal acne, forehead wrinkles, or environmental irritants, my skin has never been one of my favorite features... Until Now.
I believe that no matter your age, YOU have the ability to have the BEST skin of your life, and truly LOVE the person looking back at you.
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