In December 2009, I wrote an article on eco-friendly shampoos. Since my personal goal is to use as many environmentally friendly products as possible, I know that greening my beauty routine is an important part of that. I don’t drive every day, I don’t clean every day, but I take a shower every day. What I send down the drain has as much impact on the environment as the exhaust from my car and the food I eat. What I heard frequently from the people I interviewed for this article was the importance of ingredients:
“See if your natural and organic ingredients are outnumbered by multisyllabic chemical compounds, words like diazolidinyl urea or triethanolamine,” says Lisa Sykes, sustainability specialist at Universal Companies in Abingdon, Va. “Some companies will tout that they are organic, but their ingredient lists begin with ‘water (aqua),’ and follow that with one organic ingredient, and finish with numerous tongue tying, indecipherable ingredients. Start phasing out products that contain the so-called ‘dirty dozen’ ingredients – DEA/TEA, coal tar derivatives, BHA, formaldehyde donors, parabens, propylene glycol, hydroquinone, octoxynols, nanoparticles, phthalates, and sodium laureth sulfate – and then begin looking at the ratio of natural/organic to synthetic ingredients, increasing that ratio within your desired timeline.”
“I can tell you what I look for in a product,” says Tamara Jercha, founder and president of the National Association of Eco-Friendly Salons and Spas. “Do they contain any known harmful ingredients?”
Ingredients are important because they make up the product itself. For example, if you have celiac’s disease, you steer clear of products that contain wheat gluten. Vegetarians and vegans eschew animal products. I’m sensitive to caffeine, so I avoid anything that has a significant amount of caffeine – even chocolate. If we’re willing to avoid ingredients in food that are harmful to our health, shouldn’t we do the same with the products we don’t eat?
Companies can advertise a product as being eco-friendly, but the proof is in the ingredients they use. The best way to find out how earth friendly your shampoos, shower gels, etc., are is to read their labels.
Here Lisa Sykes’ “dirty Dozen” ingredients:
Cocamide DEA is a foam booster, emulsifier, and vicosity controller. It is a possible carcinogen, allergen, and suspected to be a bioaccumulative toxin in humans and the environment.
Coal tar is an antidandruff agent. It’s also a carcinogen, allergen, can cause organ and reproductive/developmental toxicity and bioaccumulative toxicity in humans. And the environment. Yeah, it’s coal. Blech.
BHA is an antioxidant and fragrance ingredient. It’s a carcinogen, allergen, bioaccumulative in wildlife, and toxic to wildlife and the environment.
Formaldehyde is a cosmetic biocide and preservative. It is an allergen, causes cancer, contributes to organ and developmental/reproductive toxicity, and is a suspected environmental toxin.
Parabens are a fragrance ingredient and preservative. It’s a possible carcinogen and contributes to endocrine disruption. Not suspected as an environmental toxin.
Propylene glycol is a fragrance ingredient, skin conditioner, and viscosity decreaser. It can cause cancer and skin irritations, and is suspected to be bioaccumulative in humans and the environment.
Hydroquinone is a hair colorant, antioxidant, and fragrance ingredient. It’s a carcinogen, allergen, an organ and developmental/reproductive toxin, and is toxic to wildlife and the environment.
Otoxynols: unable to find information.
Nanoparticles are microscopic particles that can pass through many substances and have many applications. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which are in many household items, including sunscreen, have been shown to cause cancer in rats. It should be noted that there are many beneficial uses to nanoparticles, but use caution.
Phthalates are plasticizers and disrupt the endocrine system. They can cause reduced sperm counts, testicular atrophy, and structural abnormalities in male taste subjects.
Sodium laureth sulfate is a cleansing and emulsifying agent. It’s a carcinogen and can have bioaccumulative toxicity in humans and the environment.
While not all long chemical names are a tip off to the toxicity of the ingredient (because some of these chemicals really do come from plant products like coconut or olive oils), they’re generally a good sign that you can find a better product. When in doubt, consult Skin Deep, the Cosmetic Data Base of the Environmental Working Group. Skin Deep rates almost every cosmetic ingredient out there on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being least toxic. Ratings include human and environmental toxicity.
Good luck. The process of reading labels and checking ingredients is kind of tedious, but it’s worth it. If you have questions, please feel free to comment here or email me.
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