Not all skincare is created equal. There are some ingredients to avoid in skincare, even if you don’t particularly care about “clean products”. 

Since we tend to use skincare every day, it is important to know that the ingredients in the products are safe for our skin. Even if they don’t cause any irritation now, we have to think about the impact it will have on us in the future. 

Using clean ingredient products will actually make you feel so much better physically, just like if you were to eat an apple over a donut. You will feel the difference. 

The following list can lead to less harmful things like rashes and irritation or they can be linked to more harmful things like hormone disruption and cancer. 

1. Phthalates

This is a carcinogenic chemical, meaning it can cause cancer. Already, that’s enough for me not to want to use this ingredient on my skin. They are actually banned in the European Union but unfortunately allowed in the United States. 

Other than being a carcinogen, it has also been linked to DNA damage in sperm and harm in the organs, immune system, and reproduction system. 

In skincare, phthalates are used as a lubricant for the other compounds in the product’s formula and it helps the fragrance stay in the products. 

Keep a lookout for phthalates in fragrance lotions, perfume, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, nail polish, and color cosmetics.

When you are looking at the ingredients in your products, know that phthalates can also be found as DEP, DEHP, DBP, and fragrance.

2. Parabens

This one is commonly known as an ingredient to avoid. That is because it is linked to hormone disruption. If you are a regular on here you KNOW the importance of keeping our hormones in balance. We ain’t gonna let parabens ruin that. But more on that in a sec. 

Parabens are used in shampoo, conditioner, soaps, lotion, sunscreen, petroleum jelly, shaving cream, face cream, makeup foundation, blush, lipstick, BB cream, and lip balm. 

They are a chemical preservative. Again, preservative is a trigger word, we should not be associating with it. 

Parabens closely imitate estrogen, therefore being a hormone disruptor. This can affect the reproductive system, especially menstruation and pregnancy. 

It can also potentially cause breast cancer as well as hives, itchiness, redness, and flaking of the skin. 

Not worth it. 

When looking at the ingredients, know that parabens can also be named methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. 

3. Polyethylene glycol

Polyethylene glycol, PEGs for short, are “penetration enhancers”, meaning that it allows other ingredients in the product to move through the surface of the skin. 

These don’t sound so bad, however, they are a by-product of petroleum, natural gas, and/or coal. Is this clean skincare? Hell no.

Some PEGs are deemed “safe” but not all. PEG-4, PEG-7, PEG4-dilaurate, PEG-100 require the use of ethylene oxide during manufacturing. Ethylene oxide is a toxic nerve gas. PEG-6, PEG-8, PEG-32, PEG-75, PEG-150, PEG-14M, and PEG-20M can be polluted with 1,4 dioxane, which is a carcinogen. 

Avoid all PEGs just to be safe. 

PEGs are commonly found in body wash, soap, skin creams, lotions, hair spray, hair gels, hair color, cosmetics, and self tanners. 

When checking the ingredients, look for PEG with any number attached to it, or any other ingredient (which denotes its compound form). 

4. Oxybenzone and Octinoxate

Oxybenzone and octinoxate are chemical ultraviolet filters that absorb or block UVA or UVB from the sun from getting to our skin. While we want to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, oxybenzone and octinoxate are not the way to go. Unfortunately, they have been seen in blood and plasma weeks after being used. They can disrupt our hormones, which is the last thing we need while protecting our skin. Chemical UV filters in general are bad for the environment. They have been found in water systems, which can eventually disrupt the coral reef.  If the coral reef is disrupted, the environment is disrupted, and we are disrupted. It is all connected. 

That being said, when trying to find a UV filter to protect the skin you're in, look for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (specifically the non-nano particle form), as this is a safer option. 

Look out for oxybenzone and octinoxate in shampoo and conditioner, body wash, foundation, day cream, face serums, lipstick, and hairspray. 

On the ingredient list it can also be listed as avobenzone, cinoxate, ensulizole, homosalate, dioxybenzone, octisalate, meradimate, octocrylene, pedimate O, sulisobenzone, benzophenone-3, benzophenone-4, and trolamine salicylate.

5. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde helps products to stay in perfect shape, preventing bacteria and mold from forming. This sounds like a good idea. However, formaldehyde is a carcinogen, as well as can cause dermatitis. Dermatitis is when the skin becomes red, swollen, and even sore, causing small blisters. We don’t want that. We want our skin to be even and glowy. 

Formaldehyde can be found in shampoo, hair gel, sunscreen, lotion, nail and eyelash glue, nail polish, makeup, makeup remover, body wash, and soap. Check the ingredients when buying these products. 

It can also be listed on the ingredients label as quaternium-15, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol, DMDM hydantoin, bronopol, polyoxymethylene urea, glyoxal, diazolidinyl urea, and imidiazolidinyl urea.

If you haven’t noticed, these are all chemical compounds that we really don’t need on our skin.

6. Ethanolamines

Ethanolamines, also seen as MEA, DEA, and TEA, extend shelf-life by being pH adjusters, as well as being surfactants, which gives the product a foamy texture. These are considered dangerous when they stay on your skin for a long time. It can create problems with your skin, your immunity, and/or your respiratory system. Some forms have also been linked to cancer. 

Ethanolamines are often found in lotion, sunscreen, makeup, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and fragrances. 

They can also be written as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA) on the ingredients list, so be sure to double check that. 

7. Coal Tar

Okay, this one just seems like a no brainer. Coal tar sounds horrendous and like it should never come near my skin. It is derived from burning coal, which makes sense based on the name. That just sounds like pollution if you ask me. 

Coal tar acts like an exfoliant, where it causes the skin to shed its dead skin cells while slowing down the growth of new skin cells. It helps to reduce itchiness and dryness of the skin.

Sounds great until we learn that it is a carcinogen, where parts of it are linked to different forms of cancer. 

Coal tar can be found in hair dye, shampoo, scalp treatments, and soaps. 

On the ingredients label, look out for coal tar solution, benzin B70, estar, naphtha, and P-phenylenediamine too.

8. Benzalkonium Chloride

We know by now that this just sounds like an icky chemical. Benzalkonium chloride is an organic salt, which doesn’t sound so bad. As long as it is used in concentrations of 0.1% or less. 

Benzalkonium chloride is used as a surfactant, creating that foam that cleansers have, as well as used as a stabilizer and preservative.

When it is used in concentrations above 0.1% (which we know people are doing), it can become a skin intoxicant and allergen. It can also be toxic to the respiratory system, the immune system, and the reproductive system. 

Benzalkonium Chloride can also be written as BKC, BAK, BAC, BZK, and ADBAC.

Clean Skincare Brands to Use:

• The Ordinary
•  CocoKind

What ingredients should I avoid for hypersensitive skin?

If you know you have very sensitive skin, you should be avoiding all of the ingredients listed above, as well as:

• Sodium lauryl sulfates
• Fragrances
• Harsh exfoliants
• Essential oils
• Denatured alcohol

Clean ingredients will help your skin feel its best as well as look its best. 

My favorite phrase about skin care is, “The best makeup is good skincare”. My goal is to not have to wear makeup because my skin looks so good & that starts with clean ingredients.

Conclusion

The amount of products that we use on a daily basis can be a lot. Between our facial cleansers, face creams, face serums, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, makeup and more, it’s hard to know all of the ingredients to avoid in skincare. It’s even harder to find skincare brands that have clean, safe ingredients. 

I hope this post has helped you learn more about ingredients. 

Especially, because we don’t quite know what these ingredients will do to us long term. We need to protect ourselves so that we can live our best lives. 

As we learned above, some of these ingredients to avoid in skincare also affect the environment, not just us. While some people don’t care about the health of our environment, I think it is good to do our best to avoid things/products that disrupt it. There’s no reason we can’t change a few products to keep our planet healthy. 

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