Best (and Worst) Nontoxic Antiaging Creams and Eye Lifting Products

Fragrance — “Fragrance” is either made from petroleum or botanical raw materials or both. It also contains ingredients like solvents, stabilizers, UV absorbers, preservatives, phthalates, and dyes. These types of chemicals vary in toxicity. But there is lots of mystery surrounding “fragrance” in personal care products.

Companies that make perfume buy chemicals from other companies called “fragrance houses.” This means it is possible for a brand to not even know the fragrance chemicals inside their own product. However, as companies and states are moving toward fragrance ingredient disclosure, this is slowly starting to change. The biggest problem is the mystery because no one has any idea what is inside the word “fragrance.”

Phthalates — Phthalates are another class of ingredient that is also hormone-disrupting and found in most conventional skin-aging products. Phthalates are commonly used as a solvent (a liquid that can dissolve other substances) and fixative (a substance that can help the fragrance last longer on the skin) inside fragrances.

The most common phthalate inside fragrance is diethyl phthalate (DEP) and it’s considered toxic by the Toxic Substances Portal of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The trade name of this chemical is also known as neantine, palatinol A, and solvanol.

Phthalates are lined to health impacts like obesity, and hyperactivity in children, and the kicker is infertility in men by degrading sperm quality. (In other words, wearing fragrances with phthalates around young boys is a problem.) In fact, phthalates are so problematic to male fertility, they are being restricted in places like China. Phthalates, although worse for men, is also problematic for women.

Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) — Vitamin A is essential to a healthy body, however, the synthetic version called retinyl palmitate when applied to the skin and then exposed to the sun is linked to skin damage, cancers, irritation, and sensitivity.

In animal studies, mice that had retinyl palmitate lotion rubbed on their skin and then were exposed to UV rays had faster tumor formation at very low doses. Scientists found vitamin A can spur excess skin growth, known as hyperplasia when exposed to sunlight. This could ironically be increasing cancer risk.

Ethoxylated ingredients — Ethoxylated ingredients are generally of low concern on their own. However, they can be contaminated with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, and 1,4-dioxane, reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. They may also be linked to organ toxicity and reproduction toxicity.

Polysorbates — Polysorbates are another type of ethoxylated ingredient we wanted to tell you about. They are widely used surfactants in biopharmaceutical formulations and also used as an emulsifier in cosmetic creams, lotions, and skin-aging creams, etc.

In other words, it is used to help mix oil and water. Polysorbates are not problematic on their own, but when they used for cosmetic reasons, they are treated with ethylene oxide. Products treated with ethylene oxide frequently have traces of 1,4-dioxane which is a carcinogen.

Harsh preservative combos — Although sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are safer preservatives used by lots of natural products, when you combine them it’s excessive in personal care products. Our advisors do not recommend this specific mixture of preservatives.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone — These chemicals are preservatives. Some of the hazards they pose include being an irritant to skin and to lungs when inhaled, skin allergies, especially when both are found in the same product, plus possible neurotoxicity and organ toxicity has been shown in lab studies. Most people don’t know if they or their children are allergic to these chemicals.

Parabens — These are very harsh preservatives used in many personal care products that may lead to hormone disruption because they mimic estrogen. The European Union banned these chemicals in 2012. The most controversial study found traces of five different parabens in the tumors of 19 out of 20 breast cancer patients. Make sure to avoid: Methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, and isopropylparaben.

Sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate — SLS and SLES are surfactants. Even when naturally derived, they can be harmful. The Journal of the American College of Toxicology has shown that they can be an eye or skin irritant. There is also debate on whether or not SLS is a human carcinogen; other research indicates it may damage the environment. Both can be harmful to the environment.

Formaldehyde releasers — In personal care products, formaldehyde can be added directly to the product OR it can be released from preservatives inside the product. Chemicals that release formaldehyde over time are referred to as formaldehyde releasers. These chemicals prevent microbes from growing in water-based or aloe vera-based products, but are also linked to cancer and allergic skin reactions.

Formaldehyde releasers are chemicals like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (bronopol) and glyoxal.

Trifluoroacetyl tripeptide-2 — This peptide is a reaction product of trifluoroacetic acid and Tripeptide-2(q.v.) and is known to contain PFAS “forever chemicals.”

Amino-peptides — Carrier peptides, signal peptides, collagen-stimulating peptides, enzyme inhibitor peptides, or structural peptides

Glycolic acid

Hyaluronic acid (or sodium hyaluronate)

Shea butter

Squalane

Niacinamide

Vitamin C

Retinol (for those who do not have sensitive skin)

Bakuchiol (similar to retinol but without the skin irritation)

Makeup

Lotion

Hand cremes

Soap and body wash

Liquid hand soaps

Sunscreens

Nail polish

Face wash and moisturizers

Hair styling products

Hair dye

Deodorant

Dry shampoo

Shampoo and conditioner

Shampoo bars and conditioner bars

MLM companies

Toothpaste

Dental floss

Mouthwash

Toilet paper

Head lice treatment products

Hair relaxers

Peel-off facial masks, sheet facial masks, and K-beauty facial masks

Beard oil

Self tanning products