Chemicals are perhaps an unfortunate reality and also very common. They are so common that it is almost impossible to avoid them completely but there are ways you can reduce them and lower chances of disease, cancer, and hormone disruption.
Not all chemicals are extremely toxic and not all chemicals are safe. This might surprise you. How would it be possible to knowingly put toxic chemicals in products that are legally sold to the public? That is very complicated and intricate but just know that it is a known fact and still allowed by regulating authorities.
Since it is the consumer who decides where their money goes and also what to buy, the real power lies with the consumer. Whatever you spend your money on, you advocate for. Whether it is organic or not, full of chemicals or not. You are telling companies that you support them when you purchase their products.
Common Place Chemicals Hide
Air Fresheners:
Air fresheners do not legally need to provide full disclosure about ingredients. Some companies refuse to report up to 90% of their ingredients. There is no way of knowing the exact type of chemicals or the amounts of them.
There are some companies that market green, organic or natural air fresheners. The issue with these is that there may be fewer chemicals in them but they mask their presence by using words like fragrance, natural fragrance, perfume or perfum. All of those listings are actually huge concoctions of chemicals that are also unknown and legally disguised as something more natural sounding. You may feel like fragrance is more natural but fragrance can contain over 300 chemicals in itself.
This wonderfully fun smelling product typically contains over 100 chemicals. Studies conducted have found that over 20% of people exposed to air fresheners react negatively to them. Some common reactions include headache, dizziness, asthma attack, respiratory problems, and rashes.
Phthalates- Known to damage reproductive organs, liver, kidney, lungs, birth defects.
Ethanol- developmental and behavioral changes in children, cancer, liver failure, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure.
Benzene- harms reproductive organs, drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, cancer, vomiting, confusion.
Formaldehyde- watery or burning eyes, nausea, wheezing, rashes, cancer.
Laundry Detergent
Chemical cleaning products are not required to list ingredients or warn consumers about potential health harzards. Legal litigation has attempted to change this but has yet to be successful. However, the state of California madates that certain chemicals be added to labels and companies websites but this only applies to a few.
Sodium lauryl sulfate- skin irritation, endocrine disruption, cancer, depression, diarrhea.
1,4 dioxane- liver and kidney damage, respiratory problems, central nervous system disruption.
Phosphates- kidney damage, heart disease, decreased bone density, premature aging, and diabetes.
Phenols- Negatively impact the central nervous system, lungs, kidneys, and heart, shown to cause breast cancer.
Formaldehyde- watery or burning eyes, nausea, wheezing, rashes, cancer.
Shampoo/ Conditioner
Shampoo and conditioner are categorized as cosmetics which means they are not regulated and only need to comply with proper labeling laws. Shampoo and conditioner usually contain a very high number of chemicals ranging from scent to lathering agents. Below are a few common ones to watch out for.
Polysorbate- eye irritation, reproductive problems, cancer, developmental issues in children.
Phenoxyethanol- impacts the central nervous system, damages kidney and liver, causes cancer.
Triclosan- hormone disruption, cancer, weakened immune system, asthma, eczema, alters reproductive organs.
Sodium lauryl sulfate- skin irritation, endocrine disruption, cancer, depression, diarrhea,
Fash Wash
Face wash is classified as a personal care product and thus is considered a cosmetic. Cosmetics do not need to be approved by the FDA to be sold on the market. This means that with very few exceptions as far as proper labeling is concerned, fash wash can contain many harmful chemicals and the consumer does not need to be made aware. Below are just a few of some of the most common chemicals in fash wash.
Parabens- hormone disruption, breast cancer, damage to liver and kidney.
Diethanolamine (DEA)- skin and throat irritation, liver and kidney damage, male reproductive problems, cancer, and respiratory problems.
Sodium lauryl sulfate- skin irritation, endocrine disruption, cancer, depression, diarrhea.
Makeup
There is almost no federal regulation of makeup and ingredients in the USA. This means that companies can pretty much put anything they want in products that you put on some of the most sensitive areas like eyes and lips. These chemicals are ingested through the mouth, pores, eyes, and nose.
The European Union has banned the use of over 1,300 chemicals in cosmetics. The USA has banned just 11. Quite a drastic difference since these chemicals that are banned in the EU are being used in the USA.
Toluene- Damages the liver, kidneys, and lungs, weakens the immune system, damages reproductive organs, birth defects.
Oxybenzone- Disrupts hormones, damages reproductive organs, skin allergies
Sodium lauryl sulfate- skin irritation, endocrine disruption, cancer, depression, diarrhea.
Parabens- hormone disruption, breast cancer, damage to liver and kidney.
Phthalates- Known to damage reproductive organs, liver, kidney, lungs, birth defects.
Soap
Soaps are often categorized by the FDA as cosmetics which are loosely if ever regulated. This means that chemicals will usually make their way into your favorite soap. Any claims that state a soap offers skin benefits or healing properties automatically classifies the soap as a cosmetic.
Triclosan- hormone disruption, cancer, weakened immune system, asthma, eczema, alters reproductive organs.
Formaldehyde- watery or burning eyes, nausea, wheezing, rashes, cancer.
1,4 dioxane- liver and kidney damage, respiratory problems, central nervous system disruption.
Parabens- hormone disruption, breast cancer, damage to liver and kidney.
Diethanolamine (DEA)- skin and throat irritation, liver and kidney damage, male reproductive problems, cancer, and respiratory problems.
Consumer Awareness
As a consumer, it is very easy to assume that every product on store shelves has been approved for safety and federally regulated. As you can see there are a lot of grey areas and safety is not necessarily guaranteed when purchasing a product.
Furthermore, many companies are now marketing products as “green” or “natural” in an attempt to capitalize on the recent consumer awareness of ingredients. As a consumer, it is important to investigate, read labels, look up ingredients and make informed choices. Choices that reflect your values and safety concerns.
