Most people are completely unaware of the harmful ingredients that exist in the thousands of cosmetic and skin care products in the market. Everything from shampoo and conditioner, to nail polish, make-up, cologne and perfumes, lotions, and sunscreens are considered cosmetic products. Many of these products contain harmful and even toxic chemicals that enter the body by penetrating the skin. These shampoos, lotions, and hair products are loaded with potential irritants, carcinogens, neurotoxins, and hormone disrupters. Toxins from cosmetics can enter the body when we absorb, inhale and even ingest them during daily use.

Despite this, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for regulating cosmetic products, has little authority when it comes to enforcing these regulations. The FDA lacks basic authority needed to ensure that products are actually safe. The FDA cannot require companies to test products for safety before they are sold, does not systematically review the safety of ingredients and does not set limits for common, harmful contaminants in products. The FDA also does not require contaminants to be listed on product ingredient labels. Because listing contaminants is optional, cosmetic products ingredient labels are often on partially complete, leaving consumers completely unaware of what they are buying and its potential health risks. Additionally if a company does test their products, the FDA has no authority to review the records. Even though most cosmetic companies test their products, the National Research Council found that "of the tens of thousands of commercially important chemicals, only a few have been subjected to extensive toxicity testing, and most have scarcely been tested at all.

What raises greater concern is a number of the products these toxic ingredients appear in are made for children. Recently toxic chemicals were found in children's bath products. Laboratory tests commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found these products are commonly contaminated with formaldehyde or 1,4-dioxane, chemicals that are linked to cancer and skin allergies. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1,4-dioxane is a probable carcinogen.2 The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission states that ‘the presence of 1,4-dioxane, even as a trace contaminant, is cause for concern. 1,4-dioxane is a chemical that is produced as a byproduct of a chemical processing technique called ethoxylation, which is used to make petroleum-based cosmetic ingredients that smooth and moisturize skin. 1,4-dioxane can be easily removed, but manufactures are not required to under federal cosmetic safety standards. The tests, performed by an independent laboratory in Petaluma California, found that 61% of the children's bath products that they tested contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. A total of 48 products were tested for 1,4-dioxane and 28 products were tested for formaldehyde.

Another ingredient that raises concern is propylene glycol. PG is considered a hazardous chemical and the EPA has very strict guidelines on how to proper handle and dispose of it. One of those guidelines is that if the solution spills on the ground, even a solution where the PG is diluted to only 20%, the spill must be contained and the contaminated earth dug up and transported a toxic waste dump. However, this chemical is one of the most common ingredients in personal-care items. It is found in almost every shampoo, conditioner, soap, mouthwash, toothpaste lotion, aftershave, and deodorants in much higher concentrations. It is also the active component in antifreeze; and there is no difference between what's used in industry and what you apply to your skin! Industry uses it to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of); it's so strong that it can take barnacles off the bottom of boats. Is that really the kind of chemical you want to put on your head and skin?

Another toxic ingredient commonly found in skin-care items is triclosan. Triclosan has antibacterial properties, and is thus an ingredient found in many detergents, dish-washing liquids, soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, antimicrobial creams, and at least one brand of toothpaste. However, the safety of triclosan has been questioned in regard to environmental and human health. While the companies that manufacture products containing this chemical claim that it is safe, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered it as a pesticide. The chemical formulation and molecular structure of this compound are similar to some of the most toxic chemicals on earth, relating it to dioxins and PCBs. The EPA gives triclosan high scores both as a human health risk and as an environmental risk. Additionally, Triclosan is a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals which is suspected of causing cancer in humans.

Additionally, coal tars or petroleum, where color additives for cosmetics are derived from, are some of the toxins that easily absorbed by the body through the skin, making them much more hazardous to your health. Color additives are the single group of ingredients in cosmetics that are required to be tested for safety. Because so many have found to be carcinogenic, the list of approved color additives had decreased from over 200 in 1960 to 45 as of the late 1990's.

Though the European Union, Japan, and Canada have banned or placed heavy restrictions on most of the toxins found in American cosmetics due to their serious health risks, the FDA still allows these ingredients to be used in countless products that used on the skin. Just like you read nutrition labels of food, it is important to read ingredient labels on cosmetic and skin care products.