Toxic Ten: Skincare Guide

From washing your face to applying serum for a youthful complexion, our daily skincare routine may involve using as many as 16 personal care products. This means that we’re exposed to 100s of chemicals every day, many of which are harmful to our health and the environment.

Here’s a list of the top 10 harmful chemicals to avoid when shopping for skincare products. Click the Toxic Ten chemicals below to find out where they hide.

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Toluene

Talc

Siloxanes

Phthalates

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Parabens

Oxybenzone

N-Ethylpentedrone (NEP) & N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)

Formaldehyde & formaldehyde releasing agents

BHA and BHT are used as preservatives in hair products, makeup, sunscreen, deodorant, fragrances, and creams. They are linked to endocrine (hormone) disruption and skin irritation.

Toxic Secrets

Fragrance, Aroma, Parfum

DID YOU KNOW?

Fragrance ingredients are not required to be disclosed on product labels because fragrance is a company’s “trade secret.”

Fragrances are not only found in perfumes and colognes, but also in most personal care products, cosmetics and cleaning products. Even unscented products may contain fragrance to mask odour.

Don’t be tricked by the words fragrance, aroma or parfum on a product’s ingredient label. These words usually represent dozens of hidden chemicals, which often include phthalates and synthetic musks that are harmful to our health.

Say NO to toxics

Take action

Canada’s law that regulates toxics, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), is over 20 years old. We need a stronger law that:

ensures protections from harmful chemicals in cosmetics,
protects vulnerable communities like nail salon workers and racialized women who are often marketed highly toxic products like hair relaxers and skin whitening creams,
and ensures hazardous chemicals in fragrances are disclosed for products.

But the clock is ticking – take action today!

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Where do the world’s wealthiest nations stand when it comes to the most important environmental issues of our time: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution? And what does Canada intend to do given our incredibly privileged position and capacity for action? The joint statement from the recent G7 environment and energy ministers’ conference in Japan…

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This is a guest blog by Dr. Ingrid Waldron There’s a toxic mix of factors that impact the health of racialized communities, and only some of these factors are the chemical properties of the hazards we are exposed to through our products, communities and occupations. These start with the cumulative health impacts of daily toxic…

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This week, the federal government discussed their ambition to tackle highly hazardous and cancer-causing chemicals regulated under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Improvements were made to Bill S-5 when it was introduced in the Senate. We are watching with bated breath to see if chemical industry resistance and lobbying will take precedence over protecting…

Consumer product recalls highlight urgent need for mandatory labelling

You may have seen toxic products in the news a lot lately – from cancer-causing benzene in dry shampoo to carcinogenic formaldehyde in hair straighteners and PFAS’ forever chemicals’ in school uniforms. Since the dry shampoo recall, dozens of injuries have been reported. These upsetting incidents highlight the disproportionate impact of toxic exposures on vulnerable…

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