The Toxic Ten - Chemicals to Avoid in Personal Care Products

There are literally hundreds of potentially harmful chemical ingredients in personal care products. I can't emphasize this enough--read ingredients labels! Products can claim to be natural, even organic, without any substantiation necessary. After reading the ingredients, you find a laundry list of synthetic chemicals and petroleum derivatives.

A good rule of thumb: if you can read and recognize the ingredients without taking Chemistry 101, the product is probably somewhat safe. Keep in mind, however, that some natural ingredients, such as lavender and tea tree oil, have been linked to adverse health effects as well.

Ten ingredients that should be avoided in your personal care products:

1. Fragrance (synthetic): Companies can put any chemical they desire into the product and list it as fragrance, since fragrance is considered proprietary. "Fragrance" typically contains a host of harmful chemicals, such as:

- Phthalates (endocrine disruptor, damage to liver & testes, birth defects, carcinogen, linked to asthma in children)
- Parabens (possible carcinogen, hormone disrupter)
- Dioxins (carcinogens)

2. Mercury: Can you believe that mercury is still an ingredient in many eye drops and mascaras? It is listed as "thimerosal". The dangers of mercury include:

- Profound central nervous system effects
- Impairment of heart & lung function
- Birth defects

3. Phthalates: In synthetic fragrances, nail polishes and hair sprays, as well as soft plastic toys and vinyl shower curtains, phthalates can cause:

- Endocrine disruption
- Damage to liver & testes
- Birth defects
- Cancer
- Asthma in children

4. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate: Contained in about 95% of foaming products, and 50% of personal care products, it is difficult to find a product that doesn't contain it when you comb through the drug store shelves. SLS can cause:

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