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Harmful components in cosmetics

Stormblood

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Now, Lydia already talked about silicone some years ago. I don't remember anyone making a list of the others. I could be wrong and someone already has, but here we go.


Are traditional cosmetics toxic?
It's appropriate to make a premise: before being allowed to be introduced in the market, cosmetics need to pass a number of assessments that attest their safety. The tests and assessments performed on the products, however, refer only to their composition and almost never focus on the possible consequences the synthetic substances contained therein can determine due to their daily and prolonged use and their relatively compatibility with the environment.
That's why it is important to learn how to read the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.)


Parabens
These organic compounds are largely used as preservatives thanks to their fungicidal and bactericidal properties. The seep through the skin deeply and remain in the tissues for quite some time.
European laws classify these compounds as "potentially interfering" for what concerns endocrine functions, meaning substances that can meddle with the natural activity of the glands that produce certain hormones, above all oestrogens.
This in time could cause some dysfunctions such as infertility in men and erectile dysfunction. Recently, in Europe the use of most parabens has been forbidden. However, in some countries it was only established to reduce the allowed amount.
Parabens can be recognised by the -paraben suffix. The main ones are:

• benzylparaben
• butylparaben
• ethylparaben
• isobutylparaben
• isopropylparaben
• methylparaben
• propylparaben



SLS e SLES
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) are surfactants, meaning substances whose job is to melt dirt to make its elimination easier when rinsing. They are very cheap compounds that produce a lot of foam, characteristics that make them very used in products that clean the body.
They can derive from raw materials obtained from plants such as palm oil and rape oil but later they undergo chemical reactions.
Sodium Laureth Sulphate, like the -eth suffix suggests, is an ethoxylate, meaning a product to which they added ethylene oxide (derived from petroleum).
SLS and SLES are two aggressive compounds that, together with dirt, they tend to remove a large part of the lipid layer that protects the skin. Being alkaline substances, they make the skin pH temporarily basic. Our skin needs several hours to bring it back to normal. Because of these features, they are advised against for daily cleansing and for people who have a dry or particularly sensitive skin.
One ought also to pay attention to the usage in hair products. For example, a very aggressive shampoo tends to dehydrate the scalp. The dermis, feeling exposed, produces more sebum to rebuild the lipid film and this makes the hair greasier than before.

• Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
• Sodium Laureth Sulphate



DEA, MEA and TEA
They are fatty acids - either synthetic or extracted from coconut oil (cocamide) - included in cosmetics to make the formula more viscous and creamier or to make more foam. They are especially included in cleansers such as shampoos and body lotions, or in multiple cosmetic formulas as pH-regulators.
Because of their highly-degreasing action, comparable to SLS and SLES, they can cause skin dryness and sensitivity.

• cocamide DEA
• cocamide MEA
• cocamide TEA
• DEA-cethyl phosphate
• DEA-oleth-3 phosphate
• lauramide DEA
• lauramide MEA
• lauramide TEA
• linoleamide DEA
• MEA-laureth sulphate
• myristamide DEA
• oleamide DEA
• oleamide MEA
• oleamide TEA
• stearamide DEA
• thiethanoamine
• TEA-lauryl sulphate



Petrolata
Substances derived from the manufacturing of petroleum. They create a protective film on the skin which prevents dehydration by stopping the water in the cells from evaporating.
Their texture makes your skin appear smooth and silky. However, this is a momentary feeling: these substances do not truly nourish your skin but are limited to covering it with a oily layer.
Their filming action interferes with the natural breathing capability of the skin, preventing water from exiting but at the same time they also prevent oxygen from entering. This condition promotes the proliferation of microorganisms and bacteria beneath the protective film.
Moreover, obstructing the pores, Petrolates facilitate the development of blackheads, blemishes and other imperfections.

• Microcrystalline wax
• Mineral oil
• Paraffine
• Paraffinum liquidum
• Petrolatum
• Vaseline



Silicones
Silicones are non-biodegradable chemical substances utilised in the industrial sector and in the building industry but also in cosmetics like lotions, shampoos and conditioners. They originate from silica, a silicon compound, a material naturally available on the planet.
Utilised increasingly more often in the production of cosmetics, like petrolates they create an oily film on the skin that prevents the absorption of nutritional substances and intereferes with the natural oxygenation and hydration process of your skin: water cannot get out and oxygen cannot get in.
The feeling of a silky skin and more disciplined, smooth hair it's nothing but an illusion: the silicon film covers them but doesn't nourish them as an oil or a vegetal butter would.
Over time these substances obstruct your pores and cause the development of blemishes and blackheads, making your hair limp, heavy and more exposed to the "dirt".
Silicones end in this suffixes: -thicone, -siloxane, -silanoil.

• Amodimethicone
• Behenoxy dimethicone
• Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG Propyl Dimethicone
• Bis-PhenilPropyl Dimethicone, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearil Dimethicone Crosspolymer
• C30-45 Alkyl Dimetichone
• Ceteryl Methicone
• Cetyl Dimethicone
• Cetyl PEG/PPG-15 Butyl Ether Dimethicone
• Cyclohexasiloxane
• Cyclomethicone
• Cyclomethicone D4
• Cyclomethicon D5
• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Cyclotetrasiloxane
• DEA PG-Propyl PEG/PPG 18/21 Dimethicone
• Diisostearoy Trimethylolpropane Siloxy Silicate
• Dimethicone
• Dimethicone Copolyol
• Dimethiconol
• Diphenyl Dimethicone
• Disiloxane
• Hydroxypropylsiloxane
• Lauryl Methicone Copolyol
• PCA Dimethicone
• PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone
• PEG-12 Dimethicone
• Phenyl Trimetichone
• Polysilicone-18 Cetyl Phosphate
• Silicone co-polymers
• Silicone Resin Spheres (2, 5 & 6 micron)
• Simethicone
• Stearoxy Dimethicone
• Stearyl Dimethicone
• Trideceth-12-Amodimethicone
• Trimethylsiloxysilicate
• Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
• Trisiloxane
• Vinyldimethicone cross-polymer



PEG
PEG stands for Polyethylene glycol. They are synthetic compounds originating from petroleum and, thus, very polluting. They are used as emulsifiers in cosmetics to mix water with oily substances that don't bond naturally.
PEGs have some capabilites that, combined to toxic substances, result harmful. Thanks to their particular chemical composition, they make the epidermis more permeable and allow noxious substances to penetrate our skin layers more easily.
They are featured among the ingredients with the PEG- acronym followed by a number (i.e. PEG-40) or with the prefix eth- followed by a number (i.e. trideceth-9.)


Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is an organic substance that is found in nature in gas form. Until little ago, it was widely utilised as preservative in the cosmetic industry for its bactericidal and sterilising properties.
Recently it was banned in its pure form from all beauty products as it is highly dangerous for your health. It is now classified as type 1B carcinogenic substance (meaning it can cause cancer), following some studies from the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Unfortunately, there are indirect formaldehyde spin-offs available in the cosmetics market, meaning compounds that release molecules of this substance in an indirect way, by means of their decay or by associating with other elements. The most common spinoffs available in the market are shown below:

• 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol (Bronopol)
• Benzylhemiformal
• Diazolidinyl urea
• DMDM Hydantoin
• Imidazonidyl urea
• Methenamine
• Quaternium-15
• Sodium Hydroxymethyl glycinate



EDTA
EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a chelating agent, meaning a substance capable of holding molecules of many heavy metals. These are enveloped and trapped by EDTA atoms, creating complexes that are much less toxic and dangerous than the single molecules of the heavy metals.
It has been used for over 50 years in many areas to decontaminate environments, products of pollution by heavy metals and as a preservative. It can be found in lotions, cleansers, food and soaps. It is also employed in decontamination of waters and soil polluted by heavy metals.
In medicine, it is used as a human antidote against lead, arsenic, cadmium poisoning as well as poisoning from other heavy metals, and as anti-coagulant in vials used for blood samples.
There are many documented benefits to EDTA but also multiple side effects, especially if used in cleansers. It is a compound that biodegrades slowly and thus highly-polluting, and it's currently produced in larger quantities than nature can dispose of.
Because of it's chelating action, many studies have shown that is may turn over the heavy metal dregs that settle on riverbeds and seabeds, making them available for fish and other water animals to digest. This would make both for an environmental and health issue that would get heavy metal poisoning by feeding on contaminated sea food.
Luckily, there are alternative chelating agents, more easily biodegradable, with a better environmental impact, such as citric acid.
The main commercial-grade EDTAs are the following:

• calcium disodium EDTA
• diammonium EDTA
• dipotassium EDTA
• disodium EDTA
• EDTA
• HEDTA
• TEA-EDTA
• tetrasodium EDTA
• tripotassium EDTA
• trisodium EDTA
• trisodium HEDTA
 
Thank you too for posting this extensive list :)

This was a random commercial that I saw when visiting youtube the other day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mF9MvksTU
Probably some USA commercial thing but still. kind of funny to watch.
 
Excellent post. However, the title is very misleading. In Canada and USA, "cosmetics" is exclusively for makeup (as in, makeup that women apply to their faces), so most people won't even read this. I myself almost skipped it as I don't wear much makeup, and most men will assume this post isn't relevant to them. There are only 112 views on this, but perhaps you also posted to the main forum (hopefully you did as most people don't go through this one, and this post is very important).
 
It refers to this, when I say cosmetics: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Nomenclature_of_Cosmetic_Ingredients

Thanks for the suggestion. I will be reposting it on the main forum as well.
 

Al Jilwah: Chapter IV

"It is my desire that all my followers unite in a bond of unity, lest those who are without prevail against them." - Satan

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