Your personal care products likely contain harmful toxic chemicals
Here's 7 of them you'll want to avoid, and how
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The world of cosmetics and personal care products is notoriously under regulated in the UK. And in the US, there are currently no legal requirements for cosmetic manufacturers to test their products before selling them to consumers (what?!).
This means chemicals that studies have shown to be harmful — and are even banned in some parts of the world (we’re talking links to cancers, fertility issues, birth defects etc.) — frequently end up in the everyday toiletry items we use.
This lax governance also means companies are free to “cleanwash” their labels with words like non-toxic, organic and natural which are nothing more than marketing terms.
It should be the responsibility of decision makers to put policies in place that protect the public, regulation needs to drastically improve.
But for now, the onus largely remains on the consumer to do their due diligence.
So how is the average person supposed to identify the impossible-to-pronounce substances found in personal care items that might be doing them harm?
This is something I’ve been doing for years. I consciously select my beauty and cosmetic items based on a lot of reading and research.
And I’m sharing what I’ve learnt so far.
In today’s column:
7 of some of the most prevalent and problematic chemicals to avoid
(associated with the likes of cancers, fertility issues, birth defects, thyroid problems, reduced immunity, allergic reactions and more)examples of brands containing these chemicals
tips on sourcing safer personal care products
the personal care brands I trust and use
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Last week my brother sent me a WhatsApp
“I think it would be cool if you did a post about ingredients in everyday products - toiletries, household cleaners etc. Went down a bit of a rabbit hole last night on aluminium in deodorants and how some ingredients are mild irritants whereas others can link to cancer etc 😳”
My response was, ‘Welcome to my world!’
It’s only in recent times my brother has started to look at the list of ingredients on the food products he buys and eats. Following on from that, he is now coming to the realisation that our skin is our largest organ and what we put on our bodies should be given as much consideration as what we put in our bodies.
And so he’s begun doing the same for his personal care items too.
My brother is 30 and into health, wellness and personal growth, amongst other things. I think he is a pretty good litmus test of the average consumer’s gradual awakening to the chemicals prevalent in the everyday items we use and consume, and what affects they may have on us.
I figured if he doesn’t know about this stuff, lots of people probably don’t. And so we have my brother to thank for today’s column.
My own chemical detox journey
Whilst my brother is in the early stages of his, I have been on my own personal chemical detox journey for several years now.
It all started with “cleansing” my worldly possessions according to Marie Kondo’s advice. This purging of things that did not serve me then moved into other aspects of my life.
Bit by bit, over a long period of time, I have gradually increased the interrogation of the contents of the products I buy. From the food I eat and the paints on my walls, to my household cleaning products (see Q1) and the personal care items I use. This has resulted in a shortlist of some of my favourite brands doing good, Part 1 and Part 2.
Don’t be fooled by a higher price tag — an expensive product does not necessarily equate to a toxin-free item. As you’ll see from the examples of brand offenders below, some of them are considered quite high-end.
But aren’t toxic chemicals everywhere?
Yes, they are. We are bombarded by toxic chemicals every day, we don’t even need to leave the house.
But the general consensus by experts is that when and where we can, we should choose products that don’t increase our overall exposure to these toxins. If and when toxin exposure is within our control, to exercise that control with informed decisions.
This is particularly important when the body is undergoing a mass of cellular and hormonal changes such as during pregnancy, early childhood, puberty and the menopause.
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC)
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) is a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), a US science-based advocacy organization working to prevent breast cancer by eliminating environmental exposures linked to the disease.
I have found CSC to be an invaluable resource over the years and many of the scientific research references in this piece are courtesy of these guys.
Should you want to dive into a rabbit hole, their website is a good place to do it. They have developed their publicly available Red List of Chemicals of Concern in Cosmetics (their ‘do not use’ list), to help companies and consumers alike.
The list includes 102 chemicals found in personal care products that ‘pose serious, chronic health concerns including cancer, hormone disruption and reproductive and developmental harm’. They then expanded that list in 2018 to also include chemicals used in cleaning products and fragrances.
I certainly haven’t gone through that whole list. But I do find it alarming that there are over 100 entries.
Small steps can lead to big changes
I see two main approaches to shifting to products that can reduce your exposure to harmful toxins. You can try what my brother did and make it an overnight thing, discard everything and start from scratch in one fell swoop.
Or do it slowly and over time, like I did.
I view the change as a lifelong work in process. As one thing runs out, I take stock of what I’m putting in or on my body and update my purchase decisions with better options each time.
7 of some of the most prevalent and problematic chemicals to avoid
This is my own list based on research and the substances I’ve heard the most about over the years. It’s by no means an exhaustive list of what you would do well to avoid (my list has 7 items and as mentioned, there are apparently over 100).
I’ve included examples of brands containing these problematic chemicals, tips on how to shop for safer personal care products, plus the natural brands I trust and personally use.
I was already aware of some of this info but a lot of it is new intel for me too.
But first…
A shortcut to safer personal care products
If you don’t have the time (or inclination) to check the long list of ingredients on all of your personal care items but you still want minimise your exposure to the 7 listed below, there is a quick and easy way to do this.