Crunchy & Co

It always amazes me that the very products that are supposed to make us look better are actually irritating our skin and our bodies. Toxic ingredients go by many different names and new toxic chemicals enter the beauty industry every year. So how do you keep up? In this article, we review the most common toxic ingredients in beauty products, and the best skincare ingredients checker app on the market today to help you keep track.

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Why you should care about what you apply on your skin

Beauty and personal care products applied to the skin are absorbed through the skin barrier (or sometimes inhaled) where they enter your bloodstream. Certain toxic beauty ingredients have been linked to hormonal disruptions, allergies, and even certain cancers. In addition, they can cause skin irritations, premature aging, and exacerbate conditions like eczema or acne. It is crucial to be vigilant about the ingredients in your skincare products and opt for safer, natural alternatives to safeguard your health and well-being.

There’s a reason women more susceptible to cancer are asked to use aluminum-free deodorant and avoid certain ingredients. Rather than waiting until you have cancer, start getting rid of these ingredients in your products today!

P.S. If you’re having a hard time keeping track of all these bad ingredients, subscribe to get access to our exclusive Toxic Ingredient Cheat Sheet. Don’t shop without it!

Skincare ingredients to avoid

Toxic beauty dates all the way back to ancient civilizations. Many of the beauty products used in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome contained harmful substances like lead, mercury, and arsenic. Lead-based compounds were used in facial powders and eye cosmetics, while mercury was present in skin creams and even eye drops. And while we know today just how toxic those ingredients were, today it’s much harder to spot similarly harmful ingredients, especially as more lab-created chemicals have entered our products. Here are the top toxic ingredients in beauty and personal care products:

Parabens

Parabens, such as methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben, are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products. Studies have found that parabens can mimic estrogen in the body and disrupt hormonal balance. Concerns have been raised about their potential link to breast cancer and reproductive disorders. Parabens are frequently used in moisturizers, facial cleansers, serums, and anti-aging creams, and even hair care products.

Phthalates

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in fragrances, nail polishes, hair sprays, and plastics. They are known endocrine disruptors that can interfere with hormone function and have been linked to reproductive abnormalities and developmental issues.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

SLS and SLES are surfactants used in many cleansers, shampoos, and body washes to create lather and foam. These ingredients can strip the skin of its natural oils and disrupt the skin’s barrier function, leading to dryness, irritation, and allergic reactions. You don’t have to give up that foamy lather in the shower though! Non toxic versions work just as well. Check out our favorite body cleanser by Dr. Bronner’s. You don’t need much at all to get a good cleanse!

Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing Preservatives

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, such as DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15 have been classified as human carcinogens and can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. Be wary of hair-straightening treatments, as well as nail polishes and some shampoos.

Mineral Oil

Sounds harmless, right? Mineral oil is a petroleum-derived ingredient commonly used in skincare. It is a non-biodegradable and comedogenic ingredient, meaning it can clog pores and potentially worsen acne. Sadly, this ingredient even shows up in baby products. Avoid petroleum-based products like Aquaphor. Look for products that use plant-based oils. Something like this skin balm would be a far better option!

Synthetic Fragrances

This one is tough to avoid because people like to smell nice. Synthetic fragrances are found everywhere in many beauty and personal care products, including perfumes, lotions, and cosmetics. They often contain a cocktail of potentially harmful chemicals, such as phthalates and allergens, which can trigger skin irritation, allergies, and respiratory issues. Choose fragrance-free or products scented with natural essential oils.

Metals

By now, we all know heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium can have detrimental effects to your health, leading to death. And while these ingredients have been phased out of intentional manufacturing, they still show up in our cosmetics and beauty products by contamination since it is so prevalent in the environment. If you are worried about heavy metals in your products, the best thing to do is to reach out to the manufacturer and explicitly ask them if they do any testing for these contaminants. Based on their response, you can decide if they are a trustworthy brand.

You should know lipstick is the most common cause for concern about lead in cosmetics, and the darker the color, the more likely it is to have greater amounts of lead in the pigments. Since lead contamination is everywhere, it’s hard to guarantee that something will be 100% lead-free, but the only lipstick we trust (that is also titanium-dioxide free) is 100 percent pure lipstick.

Another metal to be concerned about is aluminum. While this metal is considered a light metal, some studies have suggested a possible link between long-term, excessive use of aluminum-containing antiperspirants and an increased risk of breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. Opt instead for aluminum-free options. Shop our favorites here.

Phenoxyethanol

Phenoxyethanol is a common synthetic preservative used in various cosmetic and personal care products, and we often see it in products who advertise themselves as CLEAN! Some individuals may experience skin irritation, redness, or allergic reactions, but what’s worse is concerns also exist regarding its potential for toxicity to the brain and the central nervous system when ingested or absorbed in large amounts. Although it is an alternative to parabens and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of phenoxyethanol on human health.

Be extremely wary of greenwashed products or health influencers recommending products with this ingredient, as this ingredient is extremely common. All the products we recommend on our shop page are phenoxyethanol-free.

The best skincare ingredients checker app

If you’re exhausted just reading that list, let me show you something that is going to help you tremendously. Yes, there’s a skincare ingredients checker app for that. If you’re read our post on food scanner apps, then you already know we love turning to technology to help us in our every day purchasing decisions.

For cosmetics and personal care products, there is definitely one app that surpasses them all, in our opinion. It’s ThinkDirty.

Think Dirty App Review: toxic ingredients checker

The Think Dirty app is a revolutionary tool designed to empower consumers and promote conscious purchasing decisions in the beauty world. The app allows users to scan product barcodes or search for specific items, to reveal detailed information about their ingredients and potential health risks. It utilizes a rating system that ranges from 0 to 10 (0 being the cleanest and 10 being the most toxic) and highlights potential harmful substances.

It’s origin story is pretty cool. The Think Dirty app was created by Lily Tse. She developed the app in 2012 after her own personal experience with breast cancer, aiming to raise awareness about potentially harmful ingredients in personal care products and provide consumers with information to make safer choices. Lily Tse founded Think Dirty Inc. and continues to lead its mission of promoting transparency and empowering consumers in the beauty industry.

The only thing that could make this skincare ingredients checker app better is if it’s free version was more generous. If you truly want to get all the value out of this app, the paid version is a must. Most of the most valuable features are reserved for paid members. It’s comprehensive and easy to use.

Yuka App Review: double-duty product ingredient checker

If you’re not that much into beauty and can’t fathom paying an annual membership fee for a skincare ingredients checker, then we highly recommend the Yuka App. With just a simple scan, you’ll get access to what’s hiding in your cosmetics for free. It is not as comprehensive as Think Dirty when it comes to cosmetics, however if you’re already using it as your food scanner, then it’s a great free option to scan your beauty products too. You can read our full review on the Yuka app here. Happy Scanning!

And if all these apps are just too much for you to handle, you can always just shop our recommended products on our Shop page. You’ll see our top picks from body wash to sunscreen to makeup brands.