• a very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that can strip your skin's moisture and natural immune barrier
   

• can make you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses
   

• is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative
   

• is found in shellac and antifreeze as well as many skin and hair products,
  fragrance, antibacterial hand washes
   

• it can act as a "helping agent" accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin
   

• it may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin
   

• it may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia, and coma (according to a Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients)
   

• The fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less
   

• restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects
   

• hormone - disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing nitrates and
  nitrosamines
   

• in the United States they are still used despite the fact that many Americans may be exposed to them 10-20 times per day in products such as shampoos, shaving creams and bubble baths
   

• Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) says that repeated skin applications - of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer. The FDA's John Bailey says this is especially important since "the risk equation changes significantly for children."
   

• often release formaldehyde (see below) which may cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep
   

• exposure may irritate the respiratory system, trigger heart palpitations or asthma, and aggravate coughs and colds
   

• possible side effects include weakening the immune system and cancer

• synthetic colors made from coal tar
   

• contain heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation
   

• absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death
   

• animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.
   

• synthetic fragrances can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many could be toxic or carcinogenic
   

• symptoms reported to the FDA include headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and skin irritation
   

• clinical observation proves fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes
   

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• baby oil is 100% mineral oil
   

• petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores
   

• interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders
   

• can slow down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging

• a very harsh preservative designed to work for long periods
   

• counters the benefits of any natural ingredients (herbs, keratin, proteins) contained in a product
   

• toxic to the mucous membranes in the mouth with prolonged usage
   

• oral toxic accumulation via the bloodstream

• potentially carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin's natural moisture factor
   

• could increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria
   

• used in cleansers to dissolve oil and grease
   

• adjusts the melting point and thickens products
   

• used in caustic spray-on oven cleaners
   

• gaseous hydrocarbons which in a liquid state act as "surfactants" (wetting agents and solvents)
   

• easily penetrates the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure
   

• commonly used to make extracts from herbs
   

• strong enough to remove barnacles from boat
   

• the EPA considers PG so toxic that it requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles and to dispose of any PG solutions by burying them in the ground
   

• PG penetrates the skin quickly
   

• the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities
   

• there isn't any warning labels on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration of PG is greater than in most industrial applications

• detergents and surfactants that pose serious health threats
   

• When combined with other chemicals, SLES and SLS can create nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens. It is frequently disguised in semi-natural cosmetics with the explanation "comes from coconut"
   

• used in 90% of personal-care products that foam
   

• Exposure to SLS can lead to a burning sensation, coughing, wheezing, laryngitis, headache, nausea, and vomiting, according to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the U.S. government
   

• animals exposed to SLS experience eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation, and even death
   

• SLS denatures proteins of eye tissues - impairing eye development permanently. SLS extends the healing time of the cornea surface to 10 days... far beyond the norm of 2 days -Dr. Keith Green, PHD, D.Sc., Medical College of Georgia
   

• children under six are especially vulnerable to improper eye development
   

• can cause cataracts in adults and delay healing of wounds on the cornea
   

• SLS may damage the skin's immune system by causing layers to separate and inflame; - Journal of the American College of Toxicology; Vol. 2, No. 7, 1983

• is routinely used in clinical studies to deliberately irritate the skin so the effects of other substances can be tested
   

• when combined with other chemicals, SLS can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens
   

• SLS is a potent carcinogen when contaminated with nitrosamines. - FDA Report 1978
   

• your body may retain the SLS for up to five days, during which time it may enter and maintain residual levels in the heart, liver, the lungs, and the brain
   

• SLS is a mutagen. It is capable of changing the information in genetic material found in cells. SLS has been used in studies to induce mutagen in bacteria. -Higuchi, Araya and Higuchi, school of medicine, Tohoku University: Sendai 980 Japan
   

• Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is an essential ingredient of hair removers - its function is to remove the protective film of Sebum from the scalp

• a synthetic "antibacterial" ingredient that has a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange
   

• the EPA registers it as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment
   

• it is classified as a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans
   

• its manufacturing process may produce dioxin, a powerful hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects measured in the parts per trillion; (one drop in 300 Olympic-size swimming pools)
   

• hormone disruptors pose enormous long-term chronic health risks by interfering with the way hormones perform, such as changing genetic material, decreasing fertility and sexual function, and fostering birth defects
   

• it can temporarily deactivate sensory nerve endings, so contact with it often causes little or no pain
   

• internally, it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse, and convulsions
   

• stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs, and can cause paralysis, suppression of immune function, brain hemorrhages, and heart problems
   

• Tufts University School of Medicine says that triclosan is capable of forcing the emergence of "super bugs" that it cannot kill. Its wide-spread use in popular antibacterial cleansers, tooth pastes and household products may have nightmare implications for our future.