6th Report on Carcinogens from the General Accounting Offices of our government on Propylene Oxide, (propylene glycol is a derivative)

PROPYLENE GLYCOL(MSDS)
Called a humectant in cosmetics, it is really "industrial anti-freeze" and the major ingredient in brake and hydraulic fluid. Tests show it can be a strong skin irritant. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on Propylene Glycol warn to avoid skin contact as it is systemic and can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.

Propylene glycol - What products its in and  and what its used for

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) (MSDS)
Potentially, SLS is perhaps the most harmful ingredient in personal-care products. SLS is used in testing-labs as the standard skin irritant to compare the healing properties of other ingredients. Industrial uses of SLS include: garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. Studies show its danger potential to be great, when used in personal-care products. Research has shown that SLS and SLES may cause potentially carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins to form in the bottles of shampoos and cleansers by reacting with commonly used ingredients found in many products. Large amounts of nitrates may enter the blood system from just one shampooing.

FACT: ... These products were temporary wrinkle removers. The formulas contained a bovine serum albumin that, when dried, formed a film over wrinkles thus making wrinkles less obvious (Brumberg).

MYTH: This is a naturally occurring mineral used in facial masks. It differs from true clay, kaolin, in that when mixed with liquid it forms a gel. It can have sharp edges which scratch the skin. Most bentonites can be drying to the skin (Hampton).

FACT: Bentonite is used in formulations and masks. It forms films which are gas impermeable, effectively trapping toxins and CO, in the skin which needs to vent and escape, suffocating the skin by shutting out the vitally needed oxygen.

BIOTIN (Vitamin H)

MYTH: An exotic ingredient promoted as being necessary and beneficial for skin and hair care.

FACT: A deficiency of this vitamin has been associated with greasy scalps and baldness in rats and other experimental animals. Fur-bearing animals, however, have a very different hair growth from human beings. Biotin deficiency in man is extremely rare. Biotin is considered a worthless additive in cosmetic products (Chase). The molecular size of Biotin is too large to penetrate the skin.

COLLAGEN

MYTH: Some companies imply that collagen can support the skin's own collagen network. Others claim it can be absorbed to moisturize skin.

FACT: This is a clear, syrupy liquid made by chemically combining water and fat. The water splits the fat into smaller components – glycerol and fatty acids. It improves the spreading qualities of creams and lotions and prevents them from losing water through evaporation. Glycerin, however, has a tendency to draw water out of the skin and so can make dry skin dryer (Chase). A solvent, humectant and emollient in many cosmetics, it absorbs moisture from the air and therefore helps keep moisture in creams and other products, even if the consumer leaves the cap off the container (Winter). SEE HUMECTANTS. Unless the humidity of the air is over 65%, glycerin will pull the moisture out of the skin, drying you from the inside out.

FACT: Liposomes are one of the newest entries in the "Fountain of Youth" arena. According to one recent theory, cellular aging involves the edification of skin cell membranes. Liposomes, which are tiny bags of fat and thymus gland extract suspended in a gel, are supposed to merge with your aging skin cells, revive them and add moisture to them. Current scientific understanding does not support the rigidification theory. The cell membranes of young and old persons are alike. As a result, it is likely that liposome-containing moisturizers represent nothing more than another expensive allure (Novick).

MINERAL OIL

MYTH: A beneficial moisturizer.

FACT: An oil manufactured from crude oil. It is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons separated from petroleum. Dr. T. G. Randolph, an allergist, has found that this and many other cosmetic chemicals cause petrochemical hypersensitivity. The allergic reactions can become quite serious in time leading to arthritis, migraine, hyperkinesis, epilepsy and diabetes. Taken internally, mineral oil binds the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E and carries them unabsorbed out of the body, and although little mineral oil is able to penetrate the skin, this tendency is so dangerous that Adelle Davis in Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit says that she "personally would be afraid to use this oil even in baby oils, cold creams and other cosmetics" (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1970, p. 46). The fact that mineral oil does not penetrate the skin well makes it inappropriate for use in an absorption base in a skin cream of any kind. In fact, mineral oil-containing cosmetics can produce symptoms similar to dry skin by inhibiting the natural moisturizing factor of your skin. Petrolatum, paraffin or paraffin oil and propylene glycol are other common cosmetic forms of mineral oil. Toxic. Avoid them (Hampton). Has tendency to dissolve the skin's own natural oil and thereby increase dehydration. Mineral oils have been found to be probably the single greatest cause of breakouts in women who use a new product (Chase). Serious carcinogens are commonly found in Mineral Oil.

NATURAL COSMETICS?

MYTH: No artificial ingredients. Pure or from nature.

FACT: There is no legal definition for "natural" which is why you see it everywhere. A chemist's definition of organic simply requires that the molecule contain carbon (Hampton). In cosmetic terminology, the term "natural" usually means anything the manufacturer wishes. There are no legal boundaries for the term. There are no guidelines surrounding what can or cannot be inside a "natural" product. Most cosmetics called "natural" still contain preservatives, coloring agents and all the other things you can think of that sound very unnatural (Begoun).

PLACENTAL EXTRACT

MYTH: Promoted for reiuvenating and nourishing aging skin.

FACT: Placental extracts are another big hype. In moisturizers, these ingredients allegedly supplement the vitamin and hormone content. The manufacturers of these products take advantage of the belief that since the placenta nourishes the developing embryo, an extract of it can nourish and rejuvenate aging skin. Placental extracts can do no such thing (Novick). The value of a cosmetic depends on its active ingredients and with cosmetics containing "placental extract" it is impossible to tell what you are getting (Chase). Temporary means temporary, but it's still nice, every now and then, to be able to get a smoother look. Some ingredients include sodium silicate, bovine serum albumin and human placental protein (Bromberg). Worst yet many may come from aborted fetuses or might not be properly sanitized.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

MYTH: Being promoted as being a beneficial humectant.

FACT: It is the most common moisture-carrying vehicle, other than water, in cosmetics. It has better permeation through the skin than glycerin and is less expensive, although it has been linked to more sensitivity reactions. Its use is being reduced and it is being replaced by safer glycols (Winter). A moisturizer that has been shown to provoke acne eruptions (Chase). See HUMECTANTS.

ROYAL BEE JELLY

MYTH: Promoted to nourish and moisturize the skin.

FACT: This substance is found in beehives. It is secreted from the digestive tubes of worker bees. The male bees and the workers eat royal jelly for only a few days after they are born, but the queen bee eats royal jelly all of her life. Because royal jelly is associated with the health and long life of the queen bee, it was believed that this substance could have some age-retarding properties. It does not. There has been extensive research done on the value of royal jelly and the scientific consensus is that it is worthless for humans. Anyone who claims that it has special powers is a fraud (Chase). Eggs, milk, honey and royal bee jelly are other favorites of some moisturizer manufacturers. Without question, eggs are nourishing for the embryo, milk nourishing and life-sustaining for infants, and honey and royal bee jelly nectar for bees. When applied to the skin, however, they do little for you, although they may give a moisturizer a smoother consistency or a lush look (Novick). Highly touted as a magical ingredient in cosmetics to restore one's skin to youthfulness. If stored for over 2 weeks, royal jelly loses its capacity to develop queen bees. Even when fresh, there is no proven value in a cosmetic preparation (Winter).

SEAWEED

MYTH: Promoted to nourish and moisturize the skin.

FACT: This plant has gelatinous properties. It is the major ingredient of the thin, clear masks that peel off in one piece. These masks allow the skin to build up a supply of water. Seaweed is also used in face creams and lotions where it gives body and substance to the products, not to the skin (Chase).

SODIUM CHLORIDE
(Salt - NaCI) Used to increase the viscosity in some cosmetics. Can cause eye and skin irritation if used in too high concentrations (Hampton). Its usually used to make a cheap, watery consistency product look thick and rich instead.

SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES)(MSDS)
Chemical name: Sodium Lauryl "ether" Sulfate An ether chain is added to SLS. Called a premium agent in cleansers and shampoos. In reality it is very inexpensive but thickens when salt is added in the formula and produces high levels of foam to give the concentrated illusion it is thick, rich and expensive. Used as a wetting agent in the textile industry. Irritating to scalp and may cause hair loss (Wright). SEE SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE.

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS)
No one making any claims about this one – and for good reason. We examined an anionic detergent, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which is commonly found in soaps and shampoos, that showed penetration into the eyes, as well as systemic tissues (brain, heart, liver, etc.). SLS also showed long-term retention in tissues. In soaps and shampoos, there is an immediate concern relating to the penetration of these chemicals into the eyes and other tissues. This is especially important in infants, where considerable growth is occurring, because a much greater uptake occurs by tissues of younger eyes and SLS changes the amounts of some proteins in cells from eye tissues. Tissues of young eyes may be more susceptible to alternation by SLS (Green). Forms nitrates, a possible carcinogen when used in shampoos and cleansers containing nitrogen-based ingredients. These nitrates can enter the blood stream in large numbers from shampooing, bubble baths, bath and shower gels and facial cleansers. These synthetic substances are used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. They can cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff and allergic reactions. They are frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetic explanation "comes from coconut." Let's save the coconut from defamation of character and NOT use products with sodium lauryl sulfate, etc.! (Hampton) Dr. David H. Fine, the chemist who uncovered NDELA contamination in cosmetics, estimates that a person would be applying 50 to 100 micrograms of nitrosamine to the skin each time he or she used a nitrosamine-contaminated cosmetic. By comparison, a person consuming sodium nitrite-preserved bacon is exposed to less than 1 microgram of nitrosamine (Hampton).

TYROSINE

MYTH: An amino acid which can help you attain a deep. dark tan.

FACT: Some tanning accelerator lotions do contain Tyrosine. You can be sure they'll advertise it if they do – an amino acid that's essential to melanization (darkening) of the skin. But, melanization is an internal process and spreading lotion on the skin's surface does nothing to fuel it. Similar logic would have us trying to rub food through our pores to satisfy hunger (Matarasso). Manufacturer's claims for the efficacy of tan accelerators remain unproven; a recent, independent study of these products failed to demonstrate any augmentation of tanning. Indeed it is doubtful that sufficient amounts of tyrosine can penetrate to the level of the skin where it could enhance melanin production (Novick).

AHA's ( FDA Website - Alpha Hydroxy Acids, i.e.: Glycolic, Lactic and others)

MYTH: Exfoliates the skin to remove wrinkles and expose young skin.