1,4 Dioxane

Found in products that produce suds.

Concerns:

• Carcinogen
• Organ toxicity
• Birth defects

Phthalates

Found in Hairspray and synthetic fragrances.
Concerns:

• Not labeled in ingredients like “fragrances”
• May cause birth defects
• Endocrine disruptor
• A growing number of studies indicate that the chemical family of phthalates damages the male reproductive system.

Parabens

Widely used as preservatives in cosmetics. The CDC has detected parabens in virtually all Americans.

Concerns:

• According to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, certain parabens (propyl-, butyl-, isopropyl-, and isobutyl-), may disrupt the endocrine system and cause reproductive and developmental disorders.

Preservatives

Found in cleaning products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other common personal care and household products. These ingredients are also becoming increasingly common substitutions for triclosan in hand soaps (see: Triclosan).

Concerns:

• Many preservatives are controversial, and some are problematic by the very nature of what they do. However, most would agree that we need products to be preserved to last a reasonable length of time on the shelf and in our cabinets. For these reasons, we are very careful about the preservatives we allow in products. Many preservatives have a range of toxicity issues for humans and the environment. We evaluate each preservative individually to determine if it’s a MADE SAFE certified ingredient. See more.

Examples preservatives not permitted: Formaldehyde releasers or derivatives Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Parabens (see: Parabens)

SLS, SLES

Products that lather – shampoo, cleanser, soaps, body wash, bubble bath

Concerns:

• Contamination with 1,4 Dioxane
• Causes skin and eye irritation
• Can trigger allergies

Artificial Flavors

Found in cosmetics, flavored lip gloss and lip balm, flavored condoms and lube, food, and more.

Concerns:

• Like fragrance formulations, flavor formulations can be made up of many unique chemical ingredients, includinghormone disruptors and allergens.
• Artificial Flavors or Synthetic flavor formulas can be a backdoor for many chemicals to maketheir way into products. Because they are protected under federal law’s classification of trade secrets, individual ingredients in flavor formulations can go undisclosed, and can simply be listed as “artificial flavor” on packaging.

Aluminum

Found in deodorants, pesticides, medicines, and even medical devices. More than 25 different aluminum compounds are used in cosmetics. Aluminum is most well-known as a wetness and odor control in deodorant and antiperspirants. Aluminum chlorohydrate is one of the most common aluminum compounds used in cosmetics, especially in antiperspirants.

Concerns:

• Scientists do not currently adequately understand how aluminum is absorbed through the skin, and therefore cannot assess the risk aluminum presents through using personal care products. However, three European reports assessing safety concluded that aluminum is not safe for use in cosmetics as it is currently used. Because of aluminum’s potential and documented adverse effects, it is generally not allowed for use in certified products

Example aluminum ingredients not permitted:
Aluminum acetate, Aluminum caprylate, Aluminum chloride, Aluminum chlorohydrate, Aluminum hydroxide, Aluminum oxide, Aluminum stearate (see madesafe.org for reference)

BHA

Found in food, food packaging and personal care products sold in the U.S.

Concerns:

• The National Toxicology Program classifies BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” In animal studies, BHA produces liver damage; causes stomach cancers such as papillomas and carcinomas; and interferes with normal reproductive system development and thyroid hormone levels.

Chlorine Bleach

Commonly found in household cleaning products and can cause serious skin and eye damage, and irritation.

Concerns:

• Bleach is harmful to aquatic life, both acutely and chronically. The use of bleach in manufacturing processes can create dioxins.

Triclosan

Found in antibacterial hand and body soap, hand sanitizer, antiperspirant

Concerns:

• Endocrine disruption
• Toxic to aquatic environments
• Contributes to antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Artificial colors

Can be found in foods, cosmetics, hair dyes, and personal care products.

Concerns:

• Artificial colors are more commonly made from petroleum.A number of artificial colors, individually and in combination, have been associated with increased hyperactivity in children, including those with pre-existing hyperactivity and without.As a result of studies on hyperactivity, the United Kingdom banned a number of food dyes, some of which are still legal in the United States.
• Very little independent published research on artificial colorings exists, including research on mixtures of dyes, which are very common. There are significant data gaps, including very few long-term studies.However, what research exists is cause for alarm. In addition to hyperactivity in children, food dyes have been linked to hypersensitivity, allergic reactions, hastened dermal absorption in damaged skin, genotoxicity, and brain, bladder, and testes tumor growth.Red 3, though recognized as a carcinogen by the FDA and banned in cosmetics, is still allowed for use in foods.
• The use of Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 account of 90 percent of all dyes used in commerce.All three colorings can be contaminated with chemicals that are carcinogens.

Ammonium Quaternary Compounds

Quats are a typically found in antibacterials, surfactants, anti-statics, preservatives, and moisturizers. These compounds may be found in disinfectant cleaners, sunscreens, moisturizers, conditioners, hairsprays, feminine washes, and more.

Concerns:
• New research on quats suggests that two of the most commonly used quats (alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and didecyl diemethyl ammonium chloride) may be endocrine active ingredients that impact fertility in mice from ambient exposure. While this research isn’t comprehensive, it suggests that quat compounds could be endocrine active within the human body too; more research is necessary.

• Data exists linking some quats such as benzalkonium chloride to developmental, reproductive, and aquatic toxicity. Quaternium-15, which releases formaldehyde, is a known carcinogen. Quats may also cause the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines (see: Nitrosamines).

Example quaternary compounds that we look out for and do not allow in our products:

• Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs). Also called alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides (ADBACs)
• Benzethonium chloride
• Cetalkonium chloride
• Cetrimonium chloride
• Ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride (DTDMAC). Also called quaternium-18
• Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC)
• Quaternium- 7, 15, 26, 31, 60

Formaldehyde

A preservative typically used in body wash, bubble bath, shampoo, nail polish, eyelash glue

Concerns:

• Carcinogen
• Neurotoxicity
• Developmental toxicity
• Asthma
• Skin/eye irritation
• Allergy trigger

Synthetic “Fragrance”

Synthetic Fragrance is an umbrella term for man-made fragrances.

Federal law doesn’t require companies to list on product labels any of the chemicals in their fragrance mixture. Research from EWG and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name-brand fragrance products, and none of them was listed on the label.

They are common ingredients in detergents, cleaning products, beauty, bath and body care products.

Concerns:

• Fragrances can contain hormone disruptors and are among the top five allergens in the world.