Ten Ingredients To Avoid in Your Face Products

1. Petroleum and related petrochemicals The danger risk for this group of ingredients ranges from a mellow yellow to code red. Petroleum distillates are toxic solvents used in mascara, hairspray, and callus treatments. But your run-of-the-mill moisturizer probably contains something like mineral oil or paraffin in it, which are not considered dangerous per se, they’re just really, really bad for the environment and they suffocate the skin and may interfere with perspiration.

2. Lead-tainted lipstick In 2009 the FDA discovered that of 20 lipsticks it tested, 20 were contaminated with lead. In many cases, the lead levels exceeded those set by that same FDA for candy—and since they don’t set restrictions for cosmetics, this feels like a fair model of comparison, right? Not so according to the FDA, which claims that we don’t eat our lipstick. Lead is a neurotoxin and lipstick goes on our mouths, which combine to make this debate officially ridiculous. Go for organic small-batch lipstick lines, or kiss a beet instead.

3. Formaldehyde-leaching preservatives Our crusade for clean cosmetics started after the discovery of formaldehyde in a hair treatment (and later in our nail polish), but this known carcinogen is also “donated,” as the pros like to say, by preservatives such as quaternium-15, DMDM-hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea. That means it’s both pervasive and often unlisted, not appearing as an ingredient on labels. It’s considered a human carcinogen by many health agencies worldwide, and when it’s not giving rats nose cancer, it might still be giving you a rash.

5. Parabens This popular preservative group used in more than 10,000 products became very controversial when their presence was discovered in the tissue of breast tumors. What that data actually means is hotly debated but studies have shown that certain parabens mimic estrogen, the female sex hormone. This could be bad news for both men and women. Look for ingredients on the label with “paraben” as a suffix to avoid these bad boys.

8. Chemical Sunscreens We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Your best sunscreens are ones formulated from physical blockers like titanium dioxide and zinc. Popular chemical sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone is a suspected hormone disruptor that penetrates skin easily and quite possibly brings its toxic friends with. It’s also considered a common allergen that can result in a variety of unpleasant and unsightly skin reactions.

9. Hydroquinone This skin-lightning ingredient is objectionable for so many reasons: It’s incredibly toxic, it speaks to a disturbing cultural beauty standard, and it’s easily abused to detrimental effects. Exhibit A: It’s a suspected carcinogen that, according to industry “guidelines,” shouldn’t be used in formulations above 1 percent or be left on skin. But it is, and it’s available at 2 percent over the counter and 4 percent by prescription. Exhibit B: It’s banned in Europe. Exhibit C: Blue-black lesions are also a possible side effect.

10. Nanoparticles These itty-bitty particles are a new industry favorite despite how little we actually know about them or their safety. According to Dr. Michael DiBartolomeis, a toxicologist and the chief of the California Safe Cosmetics Program, a nano may be able to “get into places it shouldn’t get into—like cells or DNA.” And what else will this cat drag in? Hard to say, but some experts suspect a lot. We certainly wouldn’t want them in the same products as the nine ingredients listed above, would you?