The Blacklist – 101 Skin Care Ingredients That May Kill You Over Time
The ingredients in the skincare products you use every day may be killing you. Scientists, researchers, authors and public safety advocates have been trying to inform people for years.
In some cases, they have fought to have products removed from the market, but the government continues to side with the cosmetic industry. The industry has always tried to cover-up what is actually included in their products.
They list the ingredients on the package label, but the list is incomplete. They are not required to reveal the chemicals used to create the fragrances or those used in the manufacturing processes.
Most chemical fragrances are composed of aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known or probable carcinogens. Traces of the chemicals used in the manufacturing processes are found in the completed product.
Manufacturers are not required to test for contaminants. They are not required to safety test ingredients before including them in their products.
People do not usually die suddenly from exposure, although there have been instances of life-threatening allergy-related anaphylaxis. The industry blames all reactions on consumer sensitivities. They never blame themselves, but they are killing us slowly.
The ingredients popular with cosmetic manufacturers accumulate in our skin. They pass through the skin and enter our bloodstream. Once in our bloodstream, they accumulate in the tissues and organs of our bodies. For example, parabens, which are artificial preservatives, have been found in breast cancer tumors. Talc has been found in uterine tumors.
There are safe alternatives, but the safe alternatives cost more and would require manufacturers to change their processes. They do not want to change. They will not change until someone forces them to do so.
The best way to bring about change is to avoid products containing toxic chemicals. That’s why I created this list. If everyone stops buying skincare products containing the 101 ingredients listed below, then eventually the manufacturers will either have to change or they will simply go out of business.
The ingredients below can be found in major well-known brands like L’Oreal and Revlon. The price of a product is not an indicator of quality. Expensive and cheap skincare products alike contain them.
There are safe alternatives and the better companies use them. Not a single one of the 101 listed below is essential for skin care.
Most of the ingredients on the list are known to or suspected of causing cancer in humans. Mineral oil and talc for example are on the American Cancer Society’s list of known carcinogens, yet the cosmetic industry continues to maintain that mineral oil and other petroleum-based ingredients are safe. They continue to make facial powder containing talc, when it is known that inhalation of talc causes lung cancer, because it contains asbestos.
Some of the ingredients are known to combine with others to form carcinogens. For example, the antibacterial agent triclosan combines with chlorine commonly present in tap water to form trihalomethanes, which are known carcinogens.
Then there are ingredients that cause an increase in the number of free radicals present in the skin. The sunscreens on the list are examples. While they are supposed to protect us from skin cancer, they may actually contribute to it.
Free radicals cause mutations of cellular DNA changing the healthy cell into a cancer cell. So, any ingredient that causes an increase in free radicals increases our risk of cancer.
Another problem is that we tend to use a number of different products on a daily basis. So, we have multiple sources of exposure. According to the Environmental Working Group, the multiple sources of exposure further increases our lifetime risks of cancer and systematic organ failure by creating a burden on our bodies.
So, while a cosmetic company can maintain that a single ingredient is safe at the concentration included in the product, a person who uses 5 or 6 different products is exposed to 5 or 6 times the “safe” amount.
There are even a few ingredients that are not only known carcinogens. They are also toxic to the nervous system and damage the human reproductive system. Acrylamide is an example.
To make it easier for you to browse through the list, they are categorized according to what they are normally used for or where they are commonly found. A few of the ingredients might fit into more than one category, but for brevity they are included only in one.
Without further ado, here’s the black list.
101 Skin Care Ingredients That Can Kill
Antibacterial agents & Cleansers
1. Triclosan
2. Sodium laurel sulfate
3. Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS)
4. Sodium laurel ethyl sulfate (SLES)
5. Benzalkonium chloride
6. Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC)
Artificial preservatives
7. Bronopol
8. Quaternium-15
9. Parabens
10. Methylparaben
11. Ethylparaben
12. Propylparaben
13. Butylparaben
14. Isobutylparaben
15. Isopropylparaben
16. Benzylparaben
Fragrance ingredients
17. Toluene
18. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
19. Toluol
20. Benzene
21. Aromatic hydrocarbons
22. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
23. Acenaphthene
24. Acenaphthylene
25. Anthracene
26. Benz[a]anthracene
27. Benzo[a]pyrene (has the distinction of being the first carcinogen to be discovered)
28. Benzo[e]pyrene
29. Benzo[b]fluoranthene
30. Benzo[ghi]perylene
31. Benzo[j]fluoranthene
32. Benzo[k]fluoranthene
33. Chrysene
34. Coronene
35. Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
36. Fluoranthene
37. Fluorene
38. Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
39. Napthalene
40. Ovalene
41. Phenanthrene
42. Pyrene
43. Triphenylene
Skin Lighteners
44. Phenol
45. Carbolic acid
46. Hydroquinone
47. Mercury
48. Tretinoin
49. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)
Contaminants
50. Acrylamide
51. Formaldehyde
52. Nitrosamines
53. 1,4-Dioxane
54. Dioxane
55. Free Radicals
56. Ethylene oxide
57. Trihalomethanes
Ingredients added to balance pH, confer a creamy texture, or create a foaming action
58. DEA (Diethanolamine)
59. Cocamide DEA
60. DEA-Cetyl Phosphate
61. DEA Oleth-3 Phosphate
62. Lauramide DEA
63. Myristamide DEA
64. Oleamide DEA
65. MEA (monoethanolamine)
66. Cocamide MEA
67. ETA (Ethanolamine)
68. TEA (Triethanolamine)
Petroleum Based Carrier Oils
69. Liquid paraffin
70. Petrolatum
71. Mineral oil
72. Petroleum-based Waxes
73. Paraffin wax
Sunscreens
74. Oxybenzone
75. Benzophenone
76. Octocrylene
77. Octyl methoxycinnamate
78. Retinyl Palmitate
79. Micronized titanium
80. Zinc oxide nano-particles
81. PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)
82. 4-aminobenzoic acid
83. Phenylbenzimidazole (PBI)
Artificial Colors and Miscellaneous Ingredients
84. Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
85. Talc
86. CI 77499
87. D&C Red 30
88. D&C Red 7
89. D&C Red 6
90. D&C Yellow 5
91. FD&C Yellow 6
92. FD&C Blue 1
93. Chromium Oxide Greens
94. Chromium Hydroxide Green
95. Iron Oxides
96. Lecithin
97. Magnesium Alumina Silicate
98. Mica
99. PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone)
100. Silica Crystalline Quartz
101. Tetrasodium EDTA
Sources:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17015167
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165739.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8405372
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/
http://nomoredirtylooks.com/thebook/
Topics: Natural Skin Care, Skin Care, Skin Care Industry, Skin Care Ingredients, Skin Care Products, Skin Health | Comments Off on The Blacklist – 101 Skin Care Ingredients That May Kill You Over Time
Tips on Nurturing Silky Soft Skin
When you ask around about how to get soft skin, the first thing people will suggest is a moisturizer. Some might get technical and suggest an emollient. Here you will learn what those words mean and you’ll get some advice about softening.
Moisturizers and emollients are sometimes thought of as the same things. Technically, they are a little bit different.
Emollients are substances that actually soften and soothe. Often emollients have moisturizing effects as well.
Several mechanisms of action are attributed to emollients. They may work by the process of occlusion; act as a humectant or as a lubricant.
When it comes to the skin’s health and protection, the process of occlusion refers to creating a layer of oil that helps to slow water loss from the skin’s outer layers. You probably know that oil and water don’t mix. The reason is that oil repels water. This is how the oil prevents water from being lost. The oil “pushes” the water back into the skin’s cells.
Increasing the moisture content of the skin’s cells is how to get soft skin. Naturally, we have a layer of oil called sebum that works through occlusion to keep water in. But we wash sebum away as we work to maintain good hygiene.
Some oils are better than others, because they are more similar to the skin’s natural sebum. For example, the petroleum-based oils called petrolatum or mineral oil are not similar to sebum. As a result, they clog the pores. You need oil that prevents moisture loss without clogging the pores.
Grape seed oil is one of the best oils for daytime use. It dries to a lightweight film that prevents moisture loss, but does not clog the pores. That makes it an effective emollient that works through the process of occlusion.
If you really want to know how to get soft skin, never underestimate the value of a good night cream. Night creams are not like they used to be. Well, I should say that the better night creams are not like the cold creams that were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They contain ingredients that are quickly and readily absorbed. They do not leave a greasy spot on your pillow.
In fact, the best night creams contain anti-aging ingredients. The use of anti-aging ingredients could be how to get soft skin. In many cases, the roughness is caused by sun exposure and the natural aging process.
Many people are skeptical of the anti-aging creams and for good reason. The truth is that most of them don’t work as they are claimed to. What you have to do is look for specific ingredients and avoid products created by the big cosmetic companies.
The goal of the big companies is to make a lot of money quickly, before anyone realizes the products don’t work. Then they “change” the formula and call it “new and improved”. So, they get a new group of buyers.
Now that you have learned a little about how to get soft skin, you might want to learn how to evaluate the anti-aging night creams on the market, today. It could be just the information you need.
Topics: Anti Wrinkle Creams, Holistic Skin Care, Moisturizers, Sensitive Skin, Skin Care, Skin Care Ingredients, Skin Care Products | Comments Off on Tips on Nurturing Silky Soft Skin
Preventing a Major Cause of Eye Wrinkling
Here you will learn about one major cause of eye wrinkling, what you can do to prevent them and how to reduce them if they are already a problem for you. Let’s focus on squinting.
Squinting is a primary cause of eye wrinkling. You could be squinting in reaction to light or because of a problem with your vision.
In order to prevent wrinkles caused by squinting, you should wear sunglasses. UV protective sunglasses may also help prevent age-related cataracts.
You should have your eyes examined every two years at least. If you currently wear a prescription, doctors recommend an annual eye exam. In many states, the optometric prescription expires in one year. If your prescription is over a year old and you broke your glasses, you could be in trouble.
If you are squinting due to exposure to the sun, there is another problem you should know about. UV rays of sunlight are a primary cause of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.
To prevent the sun from causing wrinkles around your eyes, choose sunglasses that are large enough to protect the delicate skin around your eyes and make sure the glasses are UV protective. To reverse eye wrinkling caused by overexposure to sunlight, the solution could be a nutritional formula containing coenzyme Q10.
This is not another dietary supplement to take by mouth. Researchers have learned that applying specific forms of coenzyme Q10 directly to the skin will reverse sun damage. They assume it works by reversing the underlying free radical damage that occurs during sun exposure.
Another cause of squinting and wrinkles is smoke. If you smoke cigarettes or work in a smoky environment, your risk of eye wrinkling is greater. The chemicals in cigarette smoke cause free radical damage, similar to what occurs during UV exposure.
If you do a little shopping, you will see a variety of creams and gels designed specifically for use around the eyes. The better ones contain antioxidants, because antioxidants are the only things that will prevent and reverse free radical damage.
As we get older, research has shown that our skin contains more free radicals and fewer naturally occurring antioxidants. By applying antioxidants directly, we can hope to correct the antioxidant/free radical imbalance and possibly avoid many of the worst visible signs of aging.
Of course, not all antioxidants are the same. Some are more effective than others. Some are safer than others.
A dermatologist might suggest a cream containing the antioxidants retinol or tretinoin for eye wrinkling. Retinol is vitamin A. Tretinoin is the synthetic acidic form of retinol. Both are accompanied by unwanted side effects that include redness, itching and irritation. Those symptoms indicate underlying inflammation.
You do not want inflammation anywhere, but you definitely don’t want it around your eyes. It will cause puffiness and bags.
The better coenzyme Q10 creams do not cause the irritation. Yet they are very effective.
Remember that the area around your eyes is very delicate. Be careful about the options you choose to address eye wrinkling. You could do more harm than good.
Topics: Anti Aging, Anti Wrinkle Creams, Collagen & Elastin, Sensitive Skin, Skin Firming, Skin Wrinkles, Sun Damage | Comments Off on Preventing a Major Cause of Eye Wrinkling
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