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Ingredients to Avoid

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Article: Artificial preservatives to avoid

Artificial preservatives are one of the main causes of irritation and allergic reactions. They are also known to release small amounts of formaldehyde which is an irritant, a carcinogen and neurotoxin. The following ingredients contain formaldehyde, may release formaldehyde or may break down into formaldehyde:

2-bromo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol
Diazolidinyl urea
DMDM hydantoin
Imidazolidinyl urea
Quaternium 15

Other preservatives that can cause an allergic reaction and irritation are:

Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone
Parabens (butyl, ethyl, methyl, propyl)

Carcinogenic linked ingredients

Many cosmetics contain DEA or TEA. Neither is carcinogenic on its own, but if the product contains nitrites (which are not always disclosed on labels) it can cause a chemical reaction, leading to the formation of nitrosamines which are carcinogenic. Two other chemicals that pose similar hazards to nitrosamine formation are:

Chemical 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1, 3-diol (Bronopol)
Padimate-O (found in sun screens)
1,4-Diosane

Ingredients that are likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane are:

PEG, Polethylene, Polyethylene Glycol, Polyoxyethylene, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, eth (as in sodium laureth sulphate)
Lanolin.

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