Bad Ingredients in Your Body Care Products

What's in your body care? If you get your body care at a chain store (be it a pharmacy, grocery store, big box store, or even a "natural foods market"), it probably has questionable ingredients.

Take a look at the labels and I guarantee you there's at least one unpronounceable item that you are unsure of (unless you use Boline's products, of course!) We took a look at the two "big name" allegedly "natural" body care companies- Tom's of Maine and Burt's Bees and were astonished at what we found.

Tom's of Maine's  products have been recalled numerous time by the FDA. Here are some other ingredients in Tom's:

Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry which include methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl. They are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to cancer as well as an environmental contaminant.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,which are used as surfactants “lather agents” in most shampoos, are known skin and eye irritants as well as an environmental contaminant. Not only are they harmful but extremely drying to the hair and skin and sadly found in most cosmetic products on the market today because they are an inexpensive ingredient and make mass production cheaper. Consumers have become accustom to “suds” in their cleansers.

Phthalates, DBP, DEP, DEHP, DMP are endocrine disruptors, because they mimic the body’s hormones and have, in laboratory animal tests, been shown to cause reproductive and neurological damage. Most often used to create fragrances in cosmetic products.

Use of carrageenan often carries with it contamination concerns especially in a mass produced facility (in China). So much so that Environmental Working Group (EWG) calls it a hazard. It leads to organ (non-reproductive) system toxicity. Other ingredients with severe contamination concerns are present in Tom's products, too - like cocamidopropyl dimethylamine, 3-dimethylaminopropylamine, and nitrosamines.

There is also this crazy sounding ingredient in some Tom's toothpastes: cocamidopropylbetane. That sounds scary, right? It is. EWG names it as an ecotoxicology hazard, specifically with causing horrible allergies/immunotoxicity reactions.  

Burt's Bees is no longer an artisinal body care company in North Carolina. It is owned by Clorox and its formulas are made in China, mostly. It has been cited by the FDA as having heavy metals in its lip balms. Even their "Baby Bee" products are problematic. It also is written up as having problems with its fragrances  (ecotoxicology, allergies/immunotoxicity, irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), and organ system toxicity (non-reproductive).

Burt's Bees uses grapefruit seed extract (which is NOT an ingredient I recommend using in formulas nor on its own): It has serious contamination concerns (benzethonium chloride, methylparaben, and/or triclosan)

Additionally, Burt's Bees has ingredients like amylcinnamaldehyde, linalool, and sodium benzoate. These are toxic.

Your body care should be as clean and pure as the food you choose. Eat organic when you can? Your skin absorbs toxins, too. Choose products from Boline Apothecary and know that you are clean and safe.