How Safe are your Skincare Products & Cosmetics?

There are many who are enticed by the rosy picture the Skincare Products & Cosmetics portray. If you too belong to this group and believe in the mantra of ‘ignorance is bliss’ then I suggest you do not read further, for you may end up crestfallen. However, if you really wish to open up the illusive layers that wrap your creams, lotions, moisturizers and whatnot, stay with me on this article.

But before you read on, take note of the fact that not all companies show a lack of apathy, affection and care for their customers; some say the truth on their labels. Also, not all chemicals will harm you; some have been classified as GRAS, or “Generally Recognized as Safe.” I have listed some chemicals which are “Not Regarded as Safe” but still find a place in your makeup kit.

1. Coal Tar
Coal Tar, a potentially harmful carcinogen, can be easily traced in cosmetic items. Although, its use is banned in some countries and others have restricted its use up to a certain limit, it still remains a threat for the consumers of skincare products. This chemical is used mainly in anti-lice and anti-dandruff shampoos, hair dyes, soaps, and lotions. If the product label reads – coal tar solution, tar, coal, carbo-cort, coal tar solution, coal tar solution USP, crude coal tar, estar, impervotar, KC 261, lavatar, picis carbonis, naphtha, high solvent naphtha, naphtha distillate, benzene B70 or petroleum benzene [3,4] – then try to stay away from it.

2. Carbon Black
A label reading as D & C Black No. 2, acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black or thermal black suggests the presence of carbon black in the product. This dark black powder is used in eyeliners, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick etc. as a pigment. It allegedly causes cancer and negatively affects certain organs.
3. Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives (FRPs)
These chemicals are used in a wide range of beauty and personal care products, including nail polishes, hair gels, shampoos, and liquid baby washes amongst others. While they prevent the growth of bacteria in such water-based products, FRPs can get absorbed in the skin, leading to allergic reactions and even cancer.
4. Heavy Metals
Ranging from lead to arsenic, mercury, aluminum, zinc, chromium and iron, heavy metals are widely found in cosmetics. Some are added intentionally while some get added in the form of pollutants. The presence of heavy metals in lipstick, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner, and nail color can have serious consequences like cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity and organ system toxicity. The worst part – it is difficult to avoid them as contaminant metals are not mentioned on the label.

5. Parabens
These preservatives are added to beauty products, such as shampoos, conditioners, lotions, shower cleansers, and scrubs, for preventing the growth of microbes, but they can enter our body through skin, blood, and the digestive system. Chemicals whose names end with ‘paraben’ can lead to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity and endocrine disruptions. So look closely at the label for such ingredients.

6. Synthetic Musks
The inviting scent of many perfumes, deodorants, and other beauty products comes from this chemical, which is believed to be the cause of many hormonal problems, skin allergies, and immunotoxicity. Labels that read musk ketone, musk xylene, galaxolide, or tonalide should be taken as warning signs, particularly if you are pregnant or a lactating mother.

There is probably no cosmetic today which is completely free from chemicals. Even if a product loudly says 100% natural, don’t forget to hear what it speaks in whispers in the ‘ingredients’ column. I understand that avoiding cosmetics altogether is not possible, but you can limit the use. Also, be a wise consumer for your own good and read the label carefully before you purchase.