Each morning, primping is part of the daily routine for many people in order to look and feel their best. Beauty enthusiasts watch the latest beauty blogs or read up on the latest products that their favorite stores have available. However, do we ever really stop to think about what we’re putting on our face or body? Too often, consumers purchase products without thoroughly researching the ingredients, no matter how harmful they may be. BeautifiedYou.com did some digging and here are 10 chemicals you’ll definitely want to avoid when purchasing your beauty products.

1. Alcohol/Isopropyl: It can be found in a variety of products like hand wash, skin and hair products, and fragrance. At best, it’s known to leave your skin dry and at worst, it leaves you more susceptible to bacteria and virus since it removes your skin’s natural immune barrier.
2. FD&C Color Pigments: Scientific studies in animals have shown this type of pigmentation to be carcinogenic in animals, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer. Synthetic colors contain heavy metal salts that not only lead to skin irritation but more severely, deplete the body of oxygen.
3. Dioxin: You’ll have to do your research on this one because you won’t find dioxin listed in the ingredients of a beauty product because it’s actually a sub-ingredient of Sodium Laureth Sulfate (which we’ll talk more about in a minute). This deadly chemical causes cancer, nervous system disorders, and even linked to birth defects and miscarriages.
4. Formaldehyde: Banned in other countries, it can be found in U.S. products like shampoo, hair dye, and nail polish. Considering this chemical isn’t even used on dead bodies anymore, given its link to cancer, it’s amazing it’s allowed in any beauty products at all.
5. Lead: This ingredient may be the hardest to identify in your beauty products like lipstick and hair dye as it is a contaminant and therefore does not need to be listed. Lead can lead to both learning and behavioral issues, especially in children.
6. Mercury: In the last five years, the FDA found toxic levels of mercury in imported skin lightening products. Mercury poisoning is extremely serious, known to cause memory loss or changes in vision or hearing. If you use skin lightening products, stick to those made right here in the United States.
7. Parabens: They go by many different names, one harder to pronounce than the next (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben), but beware of these ingredients found in deodorants. Parabens were once linked to breast cancer as well as sterility, hormone imbalance, and early puberty.
8. Polyethylene glycol (PEG): Often found in sunscreen and baby care products, polyethylene glycol contains dioxin as a byproduct. This product, which is also used in oven cleaners, can actually increase aging and reduce your immune system.
9. Propylene Glycol (PG): You can often find it in products that include herbal extracts but avoid at all costs. After all, if it’s strong enough to remove barnacles from boats and requires gloves and goggles when handling, it definitely doesn’t belong on your skin!
10. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): Shockingly, SLS and SLES can be found in nearly 90% of foaming beauty products. These harmful chemicals can cause serious skin irritation and eye damage as well as depression.