The Sunscreen and Lotion Monster
There are no federal regulations for green or natural sunscreen, lotions or cosmetics labeling. Those companies that place the label “safe” on the products are misleading you. These products are not safe for your body or the planet.
Read the ingredients list for everything you purchase.
Below is a list of unsafe chemicals in most sunblocks, lotions and cosmetics:
Benzophenone-3, (Oxybenzone)
Chemical in sunscreen.
Eye irritant
Once you use it it immediately circulates in your body. (97% of us have this in our bodies.)
People use so much sunscreen at the beach that it is directly responsible for bleaching the coral in the ocean.
Avobenzone, also a benzophenone
Chemical in sunscreens.
When exposed sunlight it increases free radicals in the skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
Cylcopentasiloxane / Cyclomethicone
These are silicone based ingredients in skin and hair care products.
These are toxic ingredients that cause problems to ocean life and are being investigated as hormone disruptors.
Formaldehyde, Diazolidinyl urea, Quaternium-15, DMDM Hydantoin and Hydroxymethylglycinate
Formaldehyde was banned but it is released by other preservatives in products that replace parabens. It is categorized as a human carcinogen (cancer) and ecotoxin (toxic to the environment).
Homosalate
The FDA only allows 10% of this in sunscreen. It penetrates your skin and accumulates at a fast rate. It is thought to disrupt hormone function.
Methylisothiazolinone
Used as a preservative in sunscreen and considered an irritant and sensitizer. Can cause allergic reactions and lab tests suggest it is a neurotoxin (affects nerve tissue) and an ecotoxin.
Microbeads
Used in toothpaste, cleansers and other personal care products. Wastewater plants can’t filter microbeads so they end up in the ocean and have been found in fish.
Nano particles
Insoluble zinc oxide particles 100,000 smaller than a human hair. Studies found that even small amounts caused significant problems to ocean life.
Octocrylene
Used in sunblock to boost SPF and absorb UV rays. Can cause allergic reactions and accumulate in the body.
Octinoxate / Octyl methoxycinnamate
Used in sunscreens. It has been found in human fluids such as urine, blood and even breast milk. It can disrupt hormones and is known as a direct cause of coral bleaching.
Parabens
Propylparaben, benzylparaben, methylparaben and butylparaben are used to prevent the bacteria, yeast and mold in shampoo, lotions and sunscreens. The parabens are estrogenic (mimic estrogen and other hormones in the body.) They can also cause breast cancer.
Phthalates
Found in men’s cologne. Can block male hormones and can interfere with normal genitalia development and cause low testosterone can interfere with normal brain function.
Quaternium-15
A preservative that is suspected to release formaldehyde. Used in small amounts can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system. It is considered one of the top causes of allergies in children.
Retinyl Palmitate
Found in cosmetics and skin care products. When exposed to UV light or sunlight the retinoid compounds it is made of produce free radicals that damage the skin. The FDA has stated that women who are pregnant and use this daily build up a high enough level of it to be toxic to the growing fetus.
Sodium lauryl and laureth sulfate (SLS/SLES)
A toxic chemical that produces lots of lather. Said to be derived from coconuts. There are nearly 16,000 studies in the PubMed science library about the danger of this chemical which becomes worse in the long run. This chemical also damages ocean life.
Zinc Oxide
Pollutes the ocean and kills ocean life.
The Flame Retardant Monster
Halogenated hydrocarbons chlorine and bromine are used to make flame retardants products. These have been in use since the 1970s.
Below is a list of flame retardant products:
Children’s clothing, especially pajamas
Bed linens and mattress covers
Children’s mattresses
Car seat covers
Nursing pillows
Transportation products, such as the seats and carpeting of automobiles and airplanes
Building and construction materials, including electrical wires and insulation materials
A study in 2012 showed that flame retardants are not safe. They increase the risk of death in a house fire and contain chemicals that produce invisible toxic gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide (the leading case of fire deaths).
Many mothers and children tested positive in studies for TDCIPP (Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate). The concentration was found to be five times higher in children than in mothers.
Below are the side effects of flame retardants.
Endocrine and thyroid disruption
Damaged immune system
Reproductive toxicity
Cancer
Adverse effects on fetal and child development
Reduced neurologic function
Infertility
Kidney and liver damage
Hormonal changes
Affect male reproductivity
Neurodevelopmental issues in children
Thyroid function in pregnant women
Produce toxic smoke clouds during a fire
Do not use flame retardant products. Buy cotton and other natural fiber products instead.