Women use an average of 12 products a day, containing 168 different chemicals. Men use fewer products, but still put 85 chemicals on their bodies. Meanwhile, "The FDA virtually has no power to regulate the products we use everyday." - Scott Faber, EWG

Because of this, Skincare companies all “talk the talk” when it comes to their high-quality products, but many don’t “walk the walk” with their ingredients. They don't even crawl.

We're conditioned to think that expensive pricing, bold claims & nice packaging = better for you. It’s the magic of advertising, (or dark magic if you see past the flash and allure).

Some of the most “elite” skin care products on the market are loaded with harmful ingredients.

You might ask, rightfully, "how do major companies get away with selling poison in skincare?"

Well, in the USA, the law doesn’t require any FDA approval for products labeled as “cosmetic.” (besides color additives)

Great! I won’t be killed by the color purple. Thanks, FDA.

Now, if you have reproductive organs, kidneys, a thyroid, … or skin. Keep scrolling.

Here is a list of ingredients, and what they look like listed on your skin care bottles. They can be nasty, and don’t get checked by the FDA.

Look for:

• DBP (dibutyl phthalate)
• DINP (diisononyl phthalate)
• BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate)
• DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate)
• DEHP (di-2-Ethylhexyl phthalate)
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate)
• DIDP (dodecyl phthalate)
• DEP (diethyl phthalate)

What are they? Phthalates

What they do? Traditionally, they make plastics more flexible. In skincare, Phthalates are used to increase the longevity of cosmetics, and are used in fragrances as well.

For example body lotions allows the lotion to cling better to the skin, and in hair products; it allows the product to cling better to the hair and keep it stiffer longer. But phthalates go far beyond these two examples.

Why they are nasty. Most notably, ****Phthalates are “endocrine disruptors” which affect hormones. Common issues with phthalates include, cancer (including breast cancer), fertility loss, thyroid disruption, and a high concentration of phthalates is linked to obesity. Just to name a few leading issues.

Look for:

• methylparaben
• propylparaben
• butylparaben
• ethylparaben

Or, any other ingredient ending in -paraben.

What are they? Parabens

What they do? Parabens are the most widely used as a preserving agent in cosmetics and can also act as fragrance ingredients. However, because they're not listed on the label most people don’t know about it. Trade secret laws keep these chemicals secret so we have no way of knowing whether or how much paraben is actually present when buying products online without testing them ourselves or seeing a full list of ingredients A study conducted by researchers at Nottingham University found that up to 75%+of popular beauty brands contain some type petroleum-based derivative such s pentane.

Why they are nasty. Parabens easily penetrate the skin & can mimic estrogen, the primary female sex hormone. They have also been detected in human breast cancer tissues, suggesting a possible association between parabens in cosmetics and cancer. Parabens may also interfere with male reproductive functions. What’s more, when exposed to UBV light, methylparaben (the first one in the list) can lead to skin aging and DNA damage.

Feel free to copy and paste the lists of ingredients on this page! Use it as a guide for yourself.

This is just the start, and this list will grow as we continue to add EXACTLY what you should be looking for on your bottles. 

If you want to see some products that we recommend and know are clean, click here.