Ingredients to Avoid in Concealer

Would you rather drench your skin in beautifying ingredients or toxic chemicals?

Welcome to my monthly round up of GROSS ingredients to avoid.  I’ll pick a different product every month and focus on common toxins found in these products.

This month: Concealer

Why?

It’s crazy to me that skincare is not more regulated, like food and medications.  Just because we only put it ON our body, doesn’t mean that it’s not going IN our body.

There are so many toxic ingredients in products we use every single day.  When I first started looking at the ingredients in my products, I was shocked. It made me oh so sad. AND WORRIED! What was I doing, putting all of this stuff on my body that could be absorbed right into my bloodstream?!  As we all know, our skin is our largest organ. It can absorb up to 60% of what we put on it.  Would you go slather toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer on any of your other organs? I don’t think so.  Skincare ingredients can be linked to SO many health problems, like hormone disruption, allergies, cancer, and reproductive issues.

SO, while I’m still in the learning phase and can’t possibly know every single toxin out there at the moment…I can at least give it a start with some of the most common (and most gross) ingredients to avoid.  If you see any of these on your products, it’s time to start looking for a replacement!  Check out some of my reviews for help with this…

Since I’m going to work on replacements for products SLOWLY over time (progress, not perfection), today we will talk about products to get rid of pesky dark circles.

Here are FIVE toxic ingredients commonly found in concealers

If you see these ingredients, RUN! Run as fast as you can….

PEGs.

What is it?  PEGs (Polyethylene glycols) are petroleum-based compounds used to thicken or soften cosmetics. They can also used to increase skin penetration of ingredients (great for those healthy ingredients, scary for those toxic ingredients).

Why to avoid?  The problem with PEGs is that they can be contaminated with known carcinogens Ethylene Oxide and 1,4-Dioxane. Ethylene oxide can also be harmful to the nervous system.

*Sneaky ways it can show up on labels: look for PEG followed by a number. The lower the number, the more easily it is absorbed by your skin.*

PFAS.

What is it?  PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) include thousands of chemicals.  Ever heard of Teflon? Nonstick pans?  Yeah, that’s the stuff you are putting on your skin!

Why to avoid?  PFAS have been linked to some serious health issues, including cancer.  They can also affect the immune system and create hormone imbalances.  Stay away if you are pregnant, because they can also harm a developing fetus! 

*Sneaky ways it can show up on labels:  look for “flouro.”*

BHA and BHT.

What is it?  BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) are synthetic antioxidants used as preservatives in cosmetics.

Why to avoid?  Long term exposure has been shown to cause liver cancer in animals. Why would you want to use something that could potentially be a tumor promoter? No, thank you!  There’s also the risk of reproductive issues and skin allergies. 

Phthalates.

What is it?  Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. They can also be used as a binding agent.

Why to avoid?  These have been linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity and breast cancer.  It’s even banned in the EU, yet we still see them all over in the US.   

*Sneaky ways it can show up on labels:  phthalate, DEP, DBP, DEHP and fragrance.*

Parabens.

What are they?  Parabens are preservatives used to prevent products from growing bacteria. They can be found in many makeup and skincare products.

Why to avoid?  Parabens are endocrine disruptors, as they mimic estrogen in the body.  This can lead to hormone imbalances, reproductive issues, or possibly even breast cancer.

*Sneaky ways it can show up on labels:  methylparaben, proplyparaben, isopropylparaben, and isobutylparaben*

That’s some scary stuff right there!

Check your concealer for these ingredients and if you see one…it’s time to make some changes.  You can start by reading some of my product reviews here.

*All information on this site is my opinion only.  It is not professional or medical advice.*