To begin this leg of the journey, please listen as your animated helper orient you to the page.
We will hold this class at the Ship’s Library. Bring your laptop, notebook and drink. Find your favourite place to sit, read the chapter, make notes, and watch the videos. There will be a small download at the bottom of the page.
Firstly, let’s review and expand upon skin sensitivities to essential oils and natural products. We will then move on to other compounds in commercial products. Natural products aim to nourish or heal. Yet, the cosmetic creator must stay up-to-date and aware of potential problems that can develop even with natural products.
Keep the amount of essential oil you use very low; always dilute it with carrier oil, hydrosols, or water, and be aware of potential sensitivities. It is also helpful to read up on each oil to see the recommended dermal level, if mentioned, and how likely it is to be a skin sensitizer.
SKIN SENSITIVITIES
Below are some ingredients that cause skin irritation and reactions. However, if you wish to use and make natural products, always research before creating them, mainly if they will be used by those with allergic, sensitive, or eczema-plagued skin.
For instance, search the internet for phrases like allergy, sensitivity, eczema, or acne to get a broad idea. Try bopping into forums that address the health issues you are targeting. Search your ingredients well before concocting blends. Some people will react to even the most conscientiously put-together blends, but you want to avoid known allergens and sensitizers.
Avoid essential oils or botanicals that cause you or your client dermal issues. 8-15% of people with eczema and contact dermatitis may react to even natural scents. Use only safe essential oils in cosmetics and stay within the dermal limits specified for each oil.
Allergies and Sensitivities to Botanicals & Natural Plants Video
Our Shipmate Maurice will Narrate while Pepe the Parrot Looks On
Review the toxicity chapter in Level One Practical Potion to review this topic. https://www.northernstarcourses.com/lesson/d-toxicology-introductory-brew-your-potions-safely/
The following chart can also act as a reminder.
The Tisserand Society does ongoing research on this topic, as does Julia Lawless.
Allspice–Sensitizing Component: Eugenol. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.15%.
Bergamot–Sensitizing Component: Bergapten (furanocoumarin). Dermal Limit: Maximum 0.4% (for bergamot oil expressed).
Cassia–Sensitizing Component: Cinnamaldehyde. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.05%.
Cinnamon Bark–Sensitizing Component: Cinnamaldehyde. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.07%.
Cinnamon Leaf–Sensitizing Component: Eugenol. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.6%.
Clove Bud–Sensitizing Component: Eugenol. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.5%.
Fennel–Sensitizing Component: Anethole. Dermal Limit: Up to 1.0%.
Lemon–Sensitizing Component: Limonene and Bergapten (phototoxic). Dermal Limit: Maximum 2.0% (for cold-pressed).
Lemongrass–Sensitizing Component: Citral. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.7%.
Lime–Sensitizing Component: Limonene and Furanocoumarins (phototoxic). Dermal Limit: Maximum 0.7% (for cold-pressed).
Oregano–Sensitizing Component: Carvacrol. Dermal Limit: Up to 1.1%.
Peppermint–Sensitizing Component: Menthol. Dermal Limit: Up to 5.4%.
Tea Tree–Sensitizing Component: Terpinen-4-ol. Dermal Limit: Generally 2-5%, lower for sensitive skin.
Thyme–Sensitizing Component: Thymol. Dermal Limit: Up to 1.3%.
Ylang Ylang–Sensitizing Component: Isoeugenol. Dermal Limit: Up to 0.8%.
Every essential oil has a dermal limit, and we constantly learn more about this. Most of the essential oils in your course have a dermal limit beside them, usually based on Tisserand’s work. Be sure to check this out before making a commercial product. Remember, these dermal limits are guidelines based on general recommendations and can vary based on individual sensitivity and the context of use. If you need more clarification, do a patch test and consult a professional.
Skin Reactions-
Photosynthesis occurs when the sun or ultraviolet light reacts with essential oils. This reaction can cause severe burns and darkening of the skin because of furocoumarins in the oils. Cold-pressed citrus oils, especially bergamot, lemon, and lime, are the worst culprits. Steam-distilled essential oils from the same plants do not cause the same reaction.
Contact Allergy– Over 6% of people with rosacea will react to Balsam of Peru, making it one of the most common essential oil allergens.
Skin Sensitizers- Old and Oxidized Essential Oils—Cold-pressed fruit peels (bergamot, lime, lemon, tangerine, orange, etc.) and needles and woods (spruce, pine, cedar, etc.) can cause skin sensitivities if they are older and have been exposed to oxygen. Keep these essential oils in a cold place in dark bottles. Ensure the bottles are the right size, as bottles that are too large with only a little oil are prone to oxidation.
Latex Allergies– Natural latex from plants may cause allergies in less than 1% of people in North America. Some common plants that have latex are dandelion root, papaya, especially the unripe green fruit, and aloe. If a little gel remains on the skin, it might cause an issue for sensitive people.
Relatives of Ragweed—These may cause histamine reactions, including itching and swelling of the skin, to people allergic to Ragweed. Some Asteraceae or Compositae families are in this category—dandelion, arnica, safflower, sunflower, chamomile, yarrow, echinacea, and feverfew. The sesquiterpene lactones may be the problem, especially the oil-loving parts of these plants. I react to a few of the plants on this list, but not all. Carefully approach the herb or oil if you suffer from a ragweed reaction.
Soya Oil and Vitamin E (Alpha-tocopherol) may cause skin allergies. If this is a problem, please check to see what your antioxidants are made from. This allergy may also cross over to nut allergies.
Looking At Your Current Skin Care Regime
What is my goal for skincare?
What might I improve in my current skin regime?
Why should I make changes?
However, what if your current regime is straightforward? In my book, simplicity is a good strategy, but the environment differs from what it once was.
What Might You Be Reacting To? You Might be Sensitive or Allergic to Almost Anything!
Why not use soap and tap water to clean the skin?
Water has chlorine, and it is drying to the skin. Sometimes, water is no longer pure and has been through someone’s bladder several times. Purified water is a better idea. Hydrosols or floral waters, if appropriately made in a sanitary manner, are a sublime way to rinse and tone skin. We use distilled water when creating products to eliminate possible bacteria.
Many skin care creams presently on the market harm skin and health. The problem is often introduced through an emulsifying agent that binds the cream’s oil and water components together.
Yet, it is essential to strike a balance when creating products. You need to use ingredients that work. Emulsifiers hold oil and water together. Later in this course, you will find a few that are Eco-Certified.
Emulsifiers—Although these products bind oil and water to create creams and face and body care products, which are invaluable to cosmetic makers, they can cause skin disruptions and sensitivities. This is one ingredient to check if your client has sensitive or acne-prone skin. They may well be a culprit in causing acne reactions in some users.
Some emulsifiers may also cause overall moisture loss in the skin with prolonged use. Eco-certified emulsifiers are safe, but people with sensitivities might still experience reactions.
Preservatives are also necessary, as non-preserved products that contain water can introduce bacteria and fungi, which is dangerous. Yet, not all preservatives are equally safe. You can choose the ones that are right for your creations. There is much to learn, and information and product selection change quickly.
Peg-2 Stearate, Peg-9 Stearate, Stealth 10, and Stealth 21 cause accelerated moisture loss in some mixtures. A 2020 study confirmed PEG oleyln and acetyl ether emulsifiers change the lipid content and organization of skin, reducing the ability to hold water.
Preservatives are essential, as nonpreserved products that contain water can introduce bacteria and fungi, which is dangerous. Yet, not all preservatives are equally safe. You can choose the ones that are right for your creations. There is much to learn, and information and product selection change quickly.
Detergents and surfactants are used in cosmetics to clean home surfaces, hair and skin.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and other anionic ingredients can produce a nice foam and cleanse the skin, but they can also cause skin irritations for some people.
Cocamidopropyl betaine is another surfactant considered mild and natural. However, it can sometimes harbour impurities that may aggravate people with eczema.
Silicones used in cosmetics to carry pigments and create a silky feel can negatively affect your skin barrier and cause acne breakouts. Instead, try using a broccoli carrier or another natural silicone carrier.
Isopropyl Myristate-
It can be a contact irritant for those with eczema.
Benzalkonium Chloride is a detergent compound that can cause skin redness, itching, blistering, peeling, and dryness.
But you can just read on to discover which other common ingredients can be problematic. Some are universal toxins, but other ingredients might be personal sensitivities relevant to your client or yourself, but safe and effective for most people.
Video- Toxins In Your Products
TEAS and DEAS are chemicals that appear in hundreds of commercial cosmetic products. They are not harmful themselves but may become contaminated with NDELA. This happens when TEAS or DEAS take nitrogen molecules from the air. Kurt Schnaubelt, an aromatic pioneer from the 1990s, says it occurs in about 1/2 of cosmetics with TEAS and DEAs. The skin absorbs the NDELA into the bloodstream. It does not have to be swallowed to be dangerous. Up to 35% of the nitrosamines may enter the bloodstream, according to Schnaubelt. We apply 50 to 100 mcg. N-nitrosamine is added to the skin each time we use contaminated cosmetics. To get an idea of the magnitude of this issue, a person consuming sodium nitrite-preserved bacon is exposed to less than one mcg of N-nitrosamine.
The Food and Drug Administration has determined that TEAS and DEAS penetrate the skin and attack red blood platelets. They can also be responsible for dry skin. They can, therefore, cause the problem that moisturizing creams are used for. Products containing TEA and DEA appear in both commercial and natural products.
Using essential oils and carriers rather than commercial creams can eliminate problems caused by many commercial lotions and skin creams. For example, use carrier oils as a body rub rather than commercial lotions.
You can choose the carrier oil right for your skin type from the earlier lesson on carrier oils.
Phthalates, a chemical found in plastic and vinyl, are used in cosmetics to create colours and fragrances. However, phthalates may also cause problems. Animal studies suggest a link between high exposure to phthalates and cancer, congenital disabilities, and reproductive issues. These chemicals were banned in Europe, but we have slowly banned them in North America.
There are a mind-boggling number of toxins in commercial personal care products, such as makeup, shampoo, and cleaning products. It would be a full-time occupation to keep up with what is harmful. A general rule is that the simpler the product, the fewer the ingredients, the better. The organization Skin Deep has done a lot of research into ingredients. I have included links here for you to look over.
Although homemade products do not last as long and are not always as quick to penetrate the skin, they are a much safer lifestyle strategy. Be careful when adding emulsifiers and colours because even some natural ones can be problematic. We can create products for ourselves, our families and even the marketplace that are tailor-made and pristine. We can keep the ingredients simple, clean and safe. Investigating what is out there is fascinating and often enough to make even a hardened commercial product connoisseur re-think their strategy. Safe Cosmetics also offers an app to help make clean cosmetic purchases.
These are but a few chemicals in our cosmetics that may cause problems with repeated use. Yet, even though we may develop problems due to them, it is challenging to trace the results back to the products. Remember, even essential oils can cause reactions or become toxic if you use too much or are sensitive or allergic to that plant.
For more information about the chemicals listed below, please visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website.
Acids for skin peels–
These acids, commonly used as skin peels, might be problematic for about 2.5% of people, especially those sensitive to Salicylic Acid- i.e. aspirin. Sticking to 2% or less of these acids in formulations has been found to produce beneficial effects while avoiding irritation for most people.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid
Beta Hydroxy Acid
Glycolic Acid
1,4-dioxane
Not listed on ingredient labels, 1,4-dioxane is a contaminant linked to cancer found in products that create suds, such as shampoo and liquid soap.
Acrylates
Acrylates (ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate) are ingredients in artificial nail products.
Benzophenone & Related Compounds
A chemical linked to cancer, benzophenone is used in cosmetics such as lip balm and nail polish to protect the products from UV light.
Butylated Compounds
Concerns about organ-system toxicity and endocrine disruption led the European Union to prohibit the preservative butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) from cosmetics.
Ethanolamine Compounds (MEA, DEA, TEA, And Others)
Diethanolamine (DEA) is a type of ethanolamine, a chemical widely used in cosmetics. The European Union prohibits DEA in cosmetics because of concerns about the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Formaldehyde And Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Cancer-causing formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are often found in shampoos and liquid baby soaps.
Fragrance
Many products list “fragrance” on the label, but very few name the ingredients that make up a “fragrance.”
Homosalate
Homosalate is a widely used chemical in sunscreens and SPF-rated skin care products. It is also a potential endocrine disruptor.
Hydroquinone
One of the most toxic ingredients used in personal care products, hydroquinone, is primarily associated with use in skin lighteners.
Lead And Other Heavy Metals
Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury contaminate personal care products, including lipstick, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner, and nail colour.
METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE and METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE
They may be hard to pronounce, but they can be even harder on the body. Methylisothiazolinone is a preservative that causes many skin problems. Please stay away from it.
Mica
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral dust often used in makeup foundations, as a filler in cement, and
Asphalt, and as insulation material.
Nail polish removers
A severe concern for nail salon workers and pregnant women, nail polish removers are linked to reproductive harm and organ toxicity.
Nitrosamines (These are from the TEAS and DEAS mentioned earlier in this lesson).
Nitrosamines are impurities linked to cancer that can show up in an array of cosmetics ingredients—including diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA)—and products.
Octinoxate
Octinoxate is an endocrine disruptor that mimics estrogen. It is found in hair colour products, shampoos, sunscreen, lipstick, nail polish, and skin creams.
PABA
PABA and PABA derivatives are commonly used in sunscreens as ultraviolet B (UVB) filters.
Petrolatum, petroleum jelly
Petrolatum, or petroleum jelly derived from petroleum, is often used in personal care products as a moisturizing agent.
Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative in cosmetic products and a stabilizer in perfumes and soaps.
Polyacrylamide
In facial moisturizers, anti-aging products and more, polyacrylamide can break down into the known carcinogen acrylamide.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Aka Teflon®)
Teflon® in your makeup? Yuck.
P-Phenylenediamine
Consumers and salon workers may be exposed to p-phenylenediamine through many permanent hair dyes called oxidative dyes.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives used in a wide variety of personal care products. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals can be absorbed through skin, blood and the digestive system.
Phthalates
Although phthalates have been banned from cosmetics in the European Union, they are widely used in colour cosmetics, fragranced lotions, body washes, and other products sold in the United States.
Quaternary ammonium compounds- Quats- New studies suggest these compounds inhibit mitochondria and cellular estrogen response. They are found in toothpaste, mouthwash, lozenges, nasal sprays, eye drops, shampoo, lotion, intravaginal spermicidal sponges and household cleaners. Exposure to mitochondrial-inhibiting compounds is linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and neural tube congenital disabilities.
Quaternium-15
Quaternium-15 is a known skin toxicant, an allergen that may be especially dangerous for hairdressers and janitors.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol is commonly used in hair dyes and acne medication.
Retinol and Retinol Compounds
Retinol is the chemical name of the essential micronutrient vitamin A, which can be helpful or harmful when added to cosmetics. The source of retinol is important.
Synthetic Musks
Synthetic musks are chemicals added as scents to personal care products, including perfumes, lotions, and many cosmetics.
Talc
Some chemicals may contain the known carcinogen asbestos; therefore, they should be avoided in powders and other personal care products.
Titanium Dioxide
In its inhalable form, as it is in loose powders, titanium dioxide is considered a possible carcinogen.
Toluene
Toluene is found in nail polish and hair dyes and is restricted for the European Union but not in the United States.
Triclosan
Triclosan, linked to hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance, can be found in soaps, detergents, toothpaste, deodorants, and more.
Go to the downloads below for a small article.
The American Contact Dermatitis Society has a warped sense of humor and awards yearly prizes for natural or synthetic compounds that cause skin irritation.
This list is available on Wikipedia under Allergen of the Year.
Note – the Fragrance category includes some essential oils. Always stay within safe dermal limits for the essential oils you use; less is more in many cases.
Check Out
2024- Sulfites
2023- Lanolin
- 2022 – Aluminum
- 2021 – Acetophenone azine
- 2020 – Isobornyl acrylate [2][3]
- 2019 – Parabens (Non) Allergen[4]
- 2018 – Propylene Glycol[5]- acts as a humectant. It’s a bad idea for people with rosacea or eczema.
- 2017 – Alkyl Glucoside[6]
- 2016 – Cobalt[7]
- 2015 – Formaldehyde[8]
- 2014 – Benzophenones[9][10]
- 2013 – Methylisothiazolinone[11]
- – This chemical is used as a preservative in many cosmetics, lotions, and makeup removers; its side effects include flaky or scaly skin, breakouts, redness or itchiness, and moderate to severe swelling in the eye area.
- 2012 – Acrylate[12][13]
- 2011 – Dimethyl fumarate[14][15] – Dimethyl fumarate is the chemical associated with ‘poisoned chairs’ and ‘toxic sandals.’
- 2010 – Neomycin (antibiotic)[16][17]
- 2009 – Mixed dialkyl thiourea[18][19] – Neoprene rubber is a common source.
- 2008 – Nickel[20][21]
- 2007 – Fragrance[22]
- 2006 – p-Phenylenediamine[23][24] – PPD is the hair dye chemical used to augment black henna tattoos. It has been shown to cause severe blistering and scarring, and its topical use is banned in some countries.
- 2005 – Corticosteroids[25]
- 2004 – Cocamidopropyl betaine[26][27]
- 2003 – Bacitracin[28][29]
- 2002 – Thimerosal[30]
- 2001 – Gold[7][31]
- 2000 – Disperse Blue Dyes[32]