I chemically killed myself the day I was born. Everyday that I've used soaps, lotions, any makeup, shampoos, deodorant, or any other personal care item has added a little bit of a dangerous chemical into my bloodstream - after all its absorbed into the body through the skin.
* Alcohol: Implicated in oral, tongue and throat cancer.
* Aluminum: Skin irritant. May be related to nerve damage and brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s.
* Colors (coal tar dyes): Carcinogens, often contaminated with lead and arsenic. May cause eye damage.
* Bentonite or Kaolin: Used to suffocate forest fires. May provide a suffocating barrier to the skin.
* Benzoic or Benzyl: Contains enzene rings and toluene, potential cancer causing agents, endocrine disrupters, and may also cause birth defects.
* Coal Tar Dyes: Do you eat crude oil? If you eat foods which contain synthetic dyes ("food color") then the answer is yes. These artificial colorings - which are found in familiar supermarket foods, medications, and some non-foods such as toothpaste and mouthwash - are synthesized from petroleum. They were originally made from coal tar oil, and are still referred to in the industry as "coal tar dyes." (Source: U.S. Food & Drug Administration)
What's wrong with a little petrol in my diet?
Scientists have found that these chemicals can trigger a wide number of behavior, learning and health problems. FD&C color or D&C color, may cause potentially severe allergic reactions, asthma attacks, headaches, nausea, fatigue, nervousness, lack of concentration, and cancer.
* DEA or TEA (Diethanolamine): Foam-boosting surfactant. A potential carcinogen that may form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
* Dioxins: A by-product that results from the process used to bleach paper at paper mills. Dioxin-treated containers sometimes transfer dioxins to the product itself. Recently in the news because it has been added to the list of known carcinogens.
* Flavoring or Fragrance (Artificial): Some can be potentially carcinogenic and may cause brain damage.
* Fluoride: Poison. Merck's index, the main reference book of the pharmaceutical profession, lists the industrial uses of fluoride compounds as "an insecticide, particularly for ants and roaches." Under the heading "Human Toxicity", the index says "Severe symptoms result from ingestion of 0.25 to 0.45 grams and death results from ingestion of 4 grams.
* Formaldehyde: Poison. A toxic, colorless gas that is an irritant and a carcinogen. When combined with water, formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant, fixative, or preservative. Formaldehyde is found in many cosmetic products and conventional nail care systems.
* Hair Color: Studies have linked hair coloring with certain cancers. Hair colorings made from coal-tar were given special exemption from bans when the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1938. The FDA can't order these removed even if they are proven harmful.
* Laureth (ethoxylated), or PEG: May contain dioxane, a potential cancer-causing agent, estrogen mimic, and endocrine disrupter.
* Lye: Mixed with animal fat in soaps. Serious burns result if contact is made with skin before it is diluted. Very drying to skin and bar soap breeds germs.
* Propylene Glycol: Shown to cause dermatitis, kidney and liver abnormalities in animal studies. May inhibit skin cell growth and be irritating to the skin.
* Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate (SLES/SLS): Could contain nitrosamines and dioxane (potential carcinogens). May damage children’s teeth; contain endocrine disrupters, estrogen mimics; and possibly cause hair loss. Builds up in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain. Could retard healing, cause cataracts, roughen skin, and lead to improper eye development in children under 6 years. May cause mouth ulcers.
* Sodium Fluoride: Has been shown to be a potential carcinogen.
* Talc: A carcinogen that causes ovarian cancer in mammals.
* Toluene: May be an endocrine disrupter, potential cancer-causing agent, and also may cause birth defects.
