Why Are Some Ingredients Considered “Dirty”?

July 14, 2025•Ingredients

Let’s explore a few of the big no-no ingredients in clean beauty and why they’re avoided: - Parabens: These are preservatives (like methylparaben, propylparaben) used to prevent mold and bacteria in products. They were very common. Studies found parabens can mimic estrogen in the body (they’re xenoestrogens), raising concerns about hormone disruption and links to breast cancer. While the science isn’t settled and they’re used in tiny amounts, many consumers choose to avoid them out of caution. Clean products often use alternatives like potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate, or newer preservatives, or avoid water (since water-free products don’t need strong preservatives). - Phthalates: Often used to make fragrances last longer or to soften plastics. The big one in cosmetics was diethyl phthalate (DEP). Phthalates have been linked to hormone disruption and reproductive issues. Notably, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) was used in nail polish and got attention for possibly causing birth defects (hence banned in EU cosmetics). Clean beauty tends to be fragrance-free or uses natural fragrances to steer clear of phthalates (since “fragrance” in ingredients can hide phthalates). Many brands tout “phthalate-free” as part of their clean ethos. -Formaldehyde & releasers: Formaldehyde was once used in some hair smoothing treatments and is also released by certain preservatives (like DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15, urea compounds) over time in the product. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen when inhaled. While it’s mostly an issue for salon workers in poorly ventilated spaces, clean beauty says “why risk it?” They avoid these preservatives in favor of safer ones. You’ll see “formaldehyde-free” on many clean product descriptions. - Sulfates (SLS/SLES): Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are effective cleansing agents (surfactants) that make shampoos and body washes foamy. They aren’t linked to long-term health damage per se, but they can be harsh on skin (stripping oils) and sulfates can be environmentally harsh in production and after use (they can cause skin irritation and possibly trigger allergies for some). Clean shampoos and cleansers use alternatives like coco-glucoside or decyl glucoside (derived from coconut or corn sugars), which are milder. -Mineral Oil/Petrolatum: These are derived from petroleum. They themselves aren’t really toxic (cosmetic grade petrolatum is highly purified and safe by FDA standards), but clean beauty often avoids them on environmental and occlusivity grounds – they’d rather use plant oils that also moisturize but biodegrade.

There’s also a perception issue: something that comes from crude oil processing just doesn’t sound “clean,” even if it might be innocuous on skin. So clean brands often use jojoba oil, shea butter, etc., instead of petroleum jelly. - Chemical Sunscreens: Not all clean brands avoid these, but some do – specifically ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone. There are health and environmental concerns here: oxybenzone has been implicated as a potential hormone disruptor and has been found in human urine, blood, and breast milk (which worries some researchers). Plus, certain chemical sunscreens are known to contribute to coral reef bleaching, which led places like Hawaii to ban oxybenzone and octinoxate. Clean suncare products often use mineral filters like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide which sit on top of skin and are generally recognized as safe (just watch out for nano-particles, which is another nuanced discussion).

Using mineral sunscreens aligns with both health caution and eco-friendliness. - Talc: Especially in light of high-profile lawsuits showing some talc contaminated with asbestos (a deadly carcinogen) in powders, many clean beauty advocates steer clear of talc entirely. They opt for alternatives like arrowroot powder, rice powder, or synthetic mica. Even asbestos-free talc is something some brands avoid to err on side of caution, given lingering concerns about ovarian cancer risk with long-term talc use in the pelvic area. - Triclosan: An antibacterial once common in soaps and toothpaste, now banned in hand soaps by FDA. Clean beauty avoids it across the board. It’s linked to hormone disruption and creating resistant bacteria. Natural tea tree or just proper preservation suffice instead.

That’s not an exhaustive list, but it shows the mindset: if an ingredient has serious question marks around health or environmental safety, a clean brand will likely formulate without it. And since the U.S. hasn’t updated its cosmetics regulations significantly since 1938, clean beauty often prides itself on being proactive –banning ingredients on their own accord rather than waiting for government action. There was a Personal Care Product Safety Act in the works to push the FDA to regulate more, but progress has been slow (though as of 2022, the MoCRA act passed to expand FDA authority somewhat). Clean brands often mention such facts to justify why they hold themselves to a higher standard than required.

Why Are Some Ingredients Considered “Dirty”?

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