7 Horrifying Ingredients in Cosmetics That Will Make You Squirm ...

1. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Parabens

Parabens are one of the horrifying ingredients in cosmetics that you should try to avoid! Parabens are usually used to preserve and extend the shelf life of your cosmetics. You can also find parabens in many fragrances. However, the reason parabens are so dangerous is because of their ability to penetrate the skin and affect hormone levels. In fact, parabens have been linked to breast cancer.

2. Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Sulfates are known for their foaming action, therefore you can find this ingredient in shampoos, soaps and toothpaste. Even though foaming of cleaning products gives us a feeling of reassurance that there’s some serious cleaning action happening, don’t be fooled! Instead, sulfates can dry out and irritate the skin – that’s why your eyes become so easily irritated when you get soap or shampoo on your eyes.

3. Dibutyl Phthalate

Dibutly phthalate (DBP) is mostly found in nail products, such as nail polishes, to prevent the product from becoming brittle – in other words, DBP is used as a “plasticizer.” Unfortunately, DBP can affect the reproductive system if there's a buildup of the ingredient within your body. In addition, phthalates can cause gene mutation.

4. BHA

Short for butylated hydroxyanisole, BHA is found in both food and cosmetics. In terms of cosmetics, BHA can be found in products such as moisturizers and lipsticks. BHA is used as a preservative in cosmetics but prolonged use of products that contain BHA can cause the skin to become sensitive and have allergic reactions to said products. For example, many seasoned models have sensitive and irritated skin which is prone to allergic reactions because of the extended use of cosmetics containing BHA.

5. Diethanolamine (DEA) & Triethanolamine (TEA)

DEA and TEA are used to make products creamier, thus these ingredients can be found in lotions, creams and moisturizers. However, these ingredients have been linked to liver cancer. In addition, DEA and TEA can also cause dangerous changes to your skin and thyroid.

6. Fragrances

One of the more common ingredients in cosmetics that we’re familiar with, fragrances are harmful because we directly inhale them. Whereas other ingredients take time to enter our system, fragrances are inhaled and spread throughout our body at a much faster rate. A buildup of fragrances in our bodies can lead to allergies and asthma.

7. Dyes

Also another common ingredient, dyes are not so much for the consumer’s benefit. Rather, dyes are used to make a product look more appealing. On the other hand, the side effects that dyes cause are not so appealing – dyes can increase the chance of toxins to affect the brain as well as cancer. Ironically, many dyes that are used in cosmetics are not approved to be used in foods, thus further proving the harm many dyes can do.

Research makeup alternatives to find the most organic cosmetics available to you. Although these products may come at a higher price, at least you will be saving yourself from the prolonged buildup of chemicals and preservatives from your beauty products. What are other nasty ingredients to avoid? In addition, which brands do you like to use that don’t use the above mentioned ingredients?