Most of us tend to think that environmental pollution is a problem that is 'out there'. However, your greatest exposure to toxic substances is right in your own home, and every toxic product you use in your home ultimately ends up in the general environment in which we all live. Toiletries and cosmetic products are a ubiquitous part of modern life. Unfortunately for the chemically sensitive nearly all of those in common use are again based on petrochemicals and thus pose a threat as a trigger for symptoms.

The most troublesome are perfumes, aftershaves and deodorants/antiperspirants which by their very nature contain potent VOC’s. Along with these being the most powerful chemicals, another factor which makes them a particular problem is that by using them you are constantly exposed to them throughout the day, every day. Chemical fragrances are also found in almost all other common toiletries from soaps and shampoos down to even toilet paper.

Along with perfumed products there are also a number of other powerful chemicals, such as solvents and alcohols, present in products that most people commonly use such as hair sprays and nail polish/nail polish removers. A basic indicator of the volatility of particular chemicals is how strong they smell so you’ll recognise that these products are particularly volatile.

The following is a list of the most common problem products:

· Fragrances – perfumes and aftershaves
· Deodorants – sprays, roll-ons, antiperspirants
· Hair Products – spray, gel, mousse, dye
· Cosmetics – nail polish and remover, make-up
· Other toiletries – fragranced soaps, shampoos and bath products, shaving foam, moisturisers


Manufacturers of toiletries are required to disclose the product contents on the labels. However many give the chemical names of products which means most consumers are not sure which products to avoid and which are relatively safe. Advertisers lead us to believe that the products they are selling us are nothing but beneficial to our health and beauty. But these adverts hide a frightening truth.

Propylene glycol is used in make-up, hair care products, deodorants and aftershave - but it is also the main ingredient in anti-freeze and brake fluid;

Polyethylene glycol which is found in most skin cleansers is a powerful solvent often found in oven cleaners;

Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) which is used in toothpastes, shampoos and just about every personal cleaning product is a harsh detergent commonly used as an engine degreaser.

These ingredients readily penetrate the skin, having an adverse effect on our health. Some are irritants, some are allergens, some can damage internal organs and some are carcinogenic.

But the most dangerous chemicals we put in and on our bodies belong to a family or hormone-disrupting chemicals that are water-soluble ammonia derivatives. DEA (diethanolamine) is almost always in products that foam including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. Whilst causing irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, DEA and its related compounds TEA (triethanolamine) and MEA (monoethanolamine) are not considered to be carcinogens. However, once they are added to the products, these chemicals react readily with any nitrates present to form the carcinogenic nitrosamine NDELA.

Nitrates get into products in several ways. They can be added as anti-corrosive agents and they can be present as contaminants in raw materials. They can also be the result of the presence of formaldehyde-releasing or formaldehyde-containing chemicals such as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (also known as BNPD or Bronopol) and Padimate-O (octyl dimethyl PABA), DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolindinyl urea and quaternium 15.

Inadequate and confusing labelling means the consumer may never know which products are likely to be contaminated. In two 1991 reports, 27 out of 29 products tested were found to be contaminated with NDELA.

Many manufacturers say that DEA and its relatives are safe in products designed for brief or discontinuous use, or in those that wash off. However, there is evidence that DEA is quickly absorbed through the skin. And this argument does not explain why these chemicals crop up regularly in body and facial moisturisers.



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