6 toxic ingredients you should avoid

Want to know why we only use natural products in our cleaning business? Here are just a few of the reasons we have "gone green" and a little about the toxic ingredients you should look for when buying products so that you can avoid them where possible...⁠ ⁠

PARFUM (A.K.A FRAGRANCE)

"Parfum” or "fragrance" on a cosmetic ingredients list often represents a complex mixture of dozens of chemicals. Approx. 3,000 chemicals are used as fragrances in cosmetics, perfume and deoderants. They are known irritants that can trigger allergies, migraines, and asthma symptoms.

FORMALDEHYDE-RELEASING INGREDIENTS

Used as preservatives in a wide range of cosmetics as well as vinyl flooring and toilet bowl cleaners. It is a known human carcinogen.

TRICLOSAN

Used in some antiperspirants/deodorants, cleansers, and hand sanitizers as a preservative and an anti-bacterial agent. It is also found in some laundry detergents, facial tissues, garbage bags, toys, linens, mattresses, clothing and furniture fabrics. Triclosan can pass through the skin and is a suspected endocrine disruptor (interferes with hormone production).

BHA & BHT⁠ - BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)

They are closely related synthetic antioxidants often used as preservatives in cosmetics like lipsticks as well as moisturisers (and in some foods to preserve them). They can induce allergic reactions in the skin, are hormone disruptors, PLUS the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies BHA as a possible human carcinogen!

SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE

Sometimes referred to as SLES, it's used in cosmetics and to make products bubble and foam (for shampoos, shower gels and facial cleansers). It can irritate skin and eyes and is a possible human carcinogen.

PARABENS

Parabens are the most widely used preservative in cosmetics (it is estimated that around 70 to 90% of cosmetics contain them, even at low levels). They are hormone disruptors and parabens can even mimic estrogen (the primary female sex hormone). They have been detected in human breast cancer tissues which suggests a possible association.

When you're next out and about shopping for your cleaning products and skincare, be sure to refer back to this post!

⁠And if you're looking for cleaner alternatives to toxic products, make sure you check out our online shop! ⁠