The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances (58 page)

89.
Sodium Methylparaben
: endocrine disruptor; causes mild brain damage in animals; skin irritant causing itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering; causes depigmentation of skin; banned for use in European Union

90.
Sodium Monofluorophosphate
: nervous system toxin; harmful if swallowed during teeth bleaching; causes convulsions, proteinuria, osteoporosis, and changes in DNA in animals; restricted in Canada

91.
Talc
: even when it contains no asbestos, was proven fibrogenic (causes tissue injury and fibrosis); skin and lung irritation

92.
Teflon
: causes toxic pneumonitis and skin cancer in animals; not studied for safety in humans

93.
Tetrasodium EDTA
: contains formaldehyde; cytotoxic and genotoxic in animals; strong skin and lung irritant in humans; most widespread poison to waterways

94.
Thimerosal (Thiomersal, Merthiolate)
: strong toxin to skin, nervous, and immune system; mercury is linked to autism; causes cancer in animals; environmental toxin

95.
Thioglycolic Acid
: strong human skin irritant; causes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin; lung allergen; restricted in cosmetics; banned in Canada

96.
Toluene (Methylbenzene)
: skin and lung toxicant; accumulates in fat tissue; soil contaminant

97.
Triclosan
: endocrine disruptor, affects thyroid hormone–associated gene expression, caused fetal death in animals; strong skin irritant; environmental toxicant

98.
Triethanolamine (TEA)
: causes lymphoid, kidney; and renal tumors in animals; may be contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane; skin and eye irritant even when used in low doses

99.
Triphenyl Phosphate
: human neurotoxin; skin, eye, and lung irritant; causes tremors, depression, and diarrhea in animals

100.
Xanthene (AKA106, CI 45100)
: found unsafe for use in cosmetics in the US; causes cancer and various organ mutations in animals

And the list can go on and on. This is not a complete list of all harmful and toxic chemicals found in beauty products. Last time I counted, a popular hair highlighting kit contained forty chemicals that are linked to various health disorders even at low doses. However, these are some of the most common staples of junk beauty products. Try to avoid them at all costs.

Sources: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); European Union: Classification & Labelling; Health Canada: List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients; EPA Water Quality Standards Database; EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants; National Library of Medicine; CHE Toxicant and Disease Database;
Scorecard.org
Toxicity Information; U.S. Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

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