There is growing awareness of the harmful chemicals used in store brand cosmetics. Here are 9 nasty ones. Many are switching to makeup that is proven to be beneficial instead.
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Uh oh. You spent big money on department store makeup, or cleaned out the drugstore beauty aisle buying all the latest and greatest products, colors, and formulas. Except now your face is breaking out, your eyes are itchy or your skin is drying up. What gives? It could be the ingredients in your makeup. Here are nine harmful ingredients to look out for in your makeup.
When I traveled to other countries, especially the United Kingdom, I would always notice that almost all of their beauty products were totally foreign to me. How could that be? We share a lot with our British neighbors, so why is our makeup and beauty products so different? One word: ingredients. Currently, the United States bans 11 ingredients from our cosmetics. Meanwhile, Europe bans a whopping 1,372 cosmetics ingredients from makeup and beauty products. So in addition to tea and taxation, it looks like the U.S. and Europe doesn’t agree on ingredients, either.
So what should you be looking out for? Fillers, artificial ingredients, carcinogens and even hormones might be lurking in some of your favorite products. To be fair, these things are present in a number of things we use and even ingest without consequence. It’s all up to the FDA to determine the threshold, but with that being said, here’s what you might want to look out for.
1. Talc
A more obvious issue with talc, in my experience, is formulation. It’s usually a chalky consistency that doesn’t feel good, let alone do your body good.
2. Imidazolidinyl Urea
3. Lead
4. Propylene Glycol
5. Mineral Oil
6. Triclosan
Your hippie pal with the au natural deodorant (or sans it altogether) may be onto something. The FDA is currently running tests on this ingredient because “animal studies have shown that triclosan alters hormone regulation.” They’re currently reviewing its dermal toxicity, dermal carcinogenicity and phototoxicity. Yikes. Pass the essential oils, please.
7. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate
This detergent is cheap and cleans like a machine, but it’s also harsh. It’s usually derived from petroleum (or mineral oil) and found in foamy products like cleansers. It can cause skin irritation, rashes, and dryness.
8. Formaldehyde
9. Synthetic Fragrance
When the label simply reads “fragrance,” you have no idea what’s actually inside. Scents can cause headaches, dizziness and hormone disruption.
Images: Andrew Zaeh, Isla Murray/Bustle; Danelle Sandoval
Originally appeared in Bustle.com
