When I turned 25 a few months ago, I decided it was time to start caring about my skin. No more sunscreen-free beach days or going to bed with a face full of makeup. I’m an adult now. I started by cleaning out my cosmetics bag that had spilled over into a cosmetics shelf. After throwing out old concealers, lipsticks, eyeshadow pallets and a bunch of other stuff that I had been hoarding for no reason, I decided to “invest” in some good moisturizer with SPF. Like I said, I’m an adult now.
I got a ton of of suggestions from friends and brought them to my local Sephora, where a very nice lady helped me pick out a moisturizer from Origins. I was drawn to the earthy green tub and the promise of “all natural” ingredients. After three days of using it, my skin reacted terribly. My usually baby-soft face felt like sandpaper and it was terrifying.
I started Googling and fell into a serious Internet hole after finding out that cosmetics do not need FDA approval. I read page after page about all the “dangerous” chemicals in cosmetics and even downloaded an iPhone app called Think Dirty, which scans barcodes and lists the potentially dangerous ingredients in your makeup bag. As I scanned my items, the app listed “dangerous” chemicals in red font but gave little to no information on why they were harmful, which I found very frustrating.
Some more Googling brought me to a site run by Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells called Beauty Lies Truth. She and a friend had a similar experience to mine and created a blog dedicated to educating consumers about what’s in their makeup products. They have a guide on the 10 “worst” ingredients which, according to the site, are banned or restricted in Europe but not in the U.S. I was troubled by the lack of links and evidence in their guide. Overwhelmed with information I didn’t understand. I decided to find an expert. I took Beauty Lies Truth’s list of the 10 worst ingredients and sent it over to Marie Leger, MD Phd and assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, and she was nice enough to answer my near frantic questions. Let’s start by breaking down some common ingredients:
Propylene Glycol (What some people call “a fancy word for anti-freeze”)
What is it?
LEGER: Propylene glycol is used as a solvent [dissolves stuff] and humectant [keeps things moist] in cosmetics and in many dermatologic medications. Yes it is also in anti-freeze, but it is the newer, “safer” antifreeze — it has been used to replace the older ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic and tastes sweet. Obviously not a great combination!
Is it safe?
LEGER: Oral exposure to single very large doses of propylene glycol has been shown to be harmful in animals, resulting in convulsions and a lack of coordination. There is very little data on long-term oral exposure to smaller amounts of propylene glycol — the animal studies have been for relatively short periods of time (most on the order of months, with the exception of a 2-year study of 10 dogs in the early 1970s). The European Union has stricter guidelines than the FDA regarding the concentrations allowed in food, which resulted in the US-manufactured “Fireball” liqueur recently being pulled from shelves in Sweden and Finland. Given the scarcity of long-term data on oral ingestion, I personally wouldn’t recommend eating a whole lot of it. There also is a real lack of data on its safety when inhaled, which is really concerning given how popular e-cigarettes have become.
That said, I don’t hesitate to use it topically (either myself or in my practice). Recently, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (an industry trade association supported by the FDA that publishes results in peer-reviewed journals) revisited its safety data and recommendations, concluding that at concentrations of up to 50%, it is safe to use topically. Its molecules do not penetrate the skin deeply; they appear to remain confined to the superficial epidermis.
Propylene glycol, however, is a relatively common cause of contact dermatitis. That is to say that it is possible to develop allergies to it over time and then to develop itchy, irritated skin with subsequent exposures. It can also be just plain irritating. In my practice, I often have to use topical medications and recommend cosmetics that don’t contain propylene glycol for this reason.
TLDR: You can put it on your skin, but you may develop an allergy to it over time. Just don’t eat a lot of it!
Mineral Oil
What is it?
LEGER: Mineral oil is a derivative of petroleum, a common ingredient in many cosmetics. Vaseline, for example, is 100% petroleum jelly. It is one of our favorite ‘go to’ agents in dermatology — for wound healing, dry lips and for moisturizing really dry skin. This is because there isn’t evidence that it causes cancer or is harmful during pregnancy. In addition, one of its major benefits is that it is extremely rare for people to be allergic to it.
Is it safe?
You are much more likely to be allergic to henna, tea tree oil or other herbal additives, for example, than to petrolatum. I use it a lot in my practice.
TLDR: Mineral oil is fine.
Formaldehyde
What is it?
LEGER: Formaldehyde is used in cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners as a preservative and to prevent bacterial growth. It is also used as an artificial nail hardener and in hair straightening products — mostly those designated for use in salons. In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an alert concerning the aerosolization of formaldehyde in hair straightening products and how this affects the safety of salon workers with long-term exposure. Canada and France have taken some of these hair care products off the market.
Is it safe?
LEGER: In high doses, formaldehyde demonstrates carcinogenic and teratogenic properties. There is convincing animal and epidemiological evidence in humans that inhaled formaldehyde can cause nasopharyngeal cancers and leukemia. The US and Europe, however, do consider formaldehyde to be safe in limited concentrations in cosmetic products.
Formaldehyde is also a relatively common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. I think it makes a lot of sense to try to limit your formaldehyde exposure.
TLDR: Try to avoid formaldehyde. Do you really need that Brazilian blowout?
Parabens
What is it?
Parabens is used as an antimicrobial preservative in foods, cosmetics, medicines and deodorants. One of the major concerns raised about parabens is whether or not it is linked to malignancy. The observation that many breast cancers occur in the upper outer quadrant of breast tissue led to the hypothesis that this may be due to an application of underarm products and there is a group of researchers who support this theory. Parabens are known to have a low level of estrogenic activity, which can play a role in the development of breast cancer, and they can also be absorbed systemically through topical application. However, there is an absence of epidemiological data showing an association between underarm deodorants and breast cancer.
Is it safe?
LEGER: The US, Canada, and the European Union recommend the same limitations on parabens in consumer products and consider it safe in limited concentrations; they have reviewed the data available on parabens and breast cancer and concluded that it is insufficient. The link between parabens and cancer is less convincing so far than the link between formaldehyde and malignancy.
Parabens, however, is a relatively common contact allergen — people can become allergic to it after repeat applications and I have seen this often in my patients. There are many parabens-free cosmetic and personal care products available, though, for consumers who want to limit exposure to them.
TLDR: There’s no convincing link between parabens and cancer, but if you’re not willing to take the risk there are many parabens-free products available.
Coal tar dyes
What is it?
LEGER: Coal tar, which contains polyaromatic hydrocarbons, has been shown to have many carcinogens in both animal and occupational studies in workers with long-term use. It is used by dermatologists to treat psoriasis and sometimes eczema, and it is an active ingredient in many shampoos used to treat psoriasis and dandruff. It is not as widely used today, largely because of concerns about malignancy in high doses for long periods of time.
Is it safe?
LEGER: A large cohort study of 13,200 patients with psoriasis and eczema that were followed for a median of 21 years did not find an increased risk of any kind of malignancy — these patients were treated, however, for relatively short periods of time.
TLDR: You should make an effort to avoid coal tar dyes. Heads up, they’re most commonly found in shampoos and scalp treatments, soap, hair dyes and lotions
Got a question about another product or ingredient? Ask your doctor. They definitely know better than you! Asking will save you lots and lots of crazy unsuccessful Googling. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I rethought my makeup situation after talking to Dr. Leger. I’ll leave you with my basics:
Clockwise starting from the top left:
- bareMinerals blush in ‘rose’ [$19]
- bareMinerals Original foundation in ‘medium beige’ [$27]
- Clinique All About Eyes eye cream (for those dark circles) [$31]
- Make Up Forever Rouge in ‘N9’ (for everyday use) [$20]
- Bite Cashmere lip cream in “Deep Wine” (for when I’m feeling fancy) [$28]
- bareMinerals Stroke Of Light in “Luminous 2” (the best thing I own) [$22]
- Buxom Lash mascara [$19]
Shiseido moisturizer (what I bought after my Origins breakout) [$45]
