5 Toxic Ingredients You Want To Avoid In The Shower

Do you take steps to eat right? Do you avoid toxic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) in canned food and food storage containers? Then it only makes sense to avoid similarly harmful chemicals in your shower.

To avoid bombarding your hair and skin with hormone disrupting chemicals and other ingredients that have been linked to cancer and more, read the ingredient lists of your shower and bath products carefully.

Here are some specifics to avoid, with the information courtesy Dr. Frank Lipman’sbook, Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again.

1. DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine)

These three chemicals can disrupt your hormonal balance and form cancer-causing agents. They are commonly found in shampoos, soaps, bubble baths, and facial cleansers.

2. Phthalates and Parabens

Banned by the European Union, phthalates and parabens are a group of chemicals commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. They keep hair sprays sticky and bacteria and fungus out of things like nail polish and perfume. Both have demonstrated themselves to be carcinogenic and particularly linked to breast cancer.

3. Fragrance

“Fragrance” is a euphemism for nearly 4,000 different ingredients. Most “fragrances” are synthetic and are either cancer causing or otherwise toxic. “Fragrances” are found in most shampoos, deodorants, sunscreens, skin care and body care products.

4. Quaternium-15

Quarternium-15 commonly causes allergic reactions and dermatitis, and breaks down into formaldehyde. Quarternium-15 is used as a preservative in many skin and hair care products.

5. Triclosan

Triclosan is synthetic antibacterial ingredient used in soaps and disinfectant gels. The Environmental Protection Agencyregisters it as a pesticide, highly toxic to any living organism. It is also classified as a chlorophenol. In other words, it is in a cancer-causing chemical class. Triclosan disrupts hormones, can affect sexual function and fertility, and may foster birth defects.

For more ingredients to avoid click here