This post is going to talk about what ingredients you should avoid if you wish to avoid ingesting toxins through the skin. As profiled in the last blog post, you need to avoid toxins that have a molecular weight lower than 750 to avoid absorbing the toxin.
FD & C Colors/Pigments:

Talc:

Polyethelene Glycol:

Molecular weight of this product varies with application from 300-6000.
Phthalates:

Molecular weight 300-600 is typical.
(So-called) Fragrance:

We cannot give you a molecular weight without knowing actual ingredients, and by law, a company does not have to give one.
Siloxanes and methicones (these products have ingredients that end with -siloxane or -methicone as part of the word):

Molecular Weight: varies based on which formulation, but 300-600 is typical in cosmetic applications.
DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), & TEA (triethanolmine):

Molecular weight of DEA: 105.14
Molecular weight of MEA: 61.08
Molecular wight of TEA: 149.188
Parabens:

Molecular weights range from: 152.15 to 194.23.
Propylene Glycol:

Implicated in contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities; can inhibit cell growth in human tests and can damage membranes causing rashes, dry skin and surface damage. May be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption. May cause eye irritation. Exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache and vomiting, central nervous system depression. (Material Safety Data Sheets)
Propylene Glycol causes a significant number of reactions and was a primary irritant to the skin in low levels of concentrations. -The American Academy of Dermatologists, January 1991
Molecular weight: 76.09
Mineral Oil:

A molecular weight cannot be determined, because there are many formulas to make a mineral oil.
Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) (Also known as sodium dodecyl sulphate, dodecyl sodium sulphate, lauryl sodium sulphate, sodium laurylsulphate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sulphuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium salt):

It's in so may US shampoos, liquid soaps and bubble baths, and toothpastes that many just assume it is safe. It's not a major ingredient in other countries and here is some science warning us away:
SLS can damage the immune system; causing separation of skin layers and inflammation of skin. --Journal of the American College of Toxicology; Vol. 2, No. 7, 1983
To prevent canker sores, avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which is often used in toothpaste. --Brad Rodu, DDS, Oral Pathologist, University of Alabama At Birmingham School Of Medicine, in "BottomLine Personal"
"Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), the most widely used detergent in toothpastes, has been reported to cause adverse effects on oral soft tissues. This double-blind cross-over study indicates that sensitive patients may contract mucosal irritation through SLS in toothpastes. Less toxic detergents,..,are desirable in oral hygiene products." --Herlofson BB, Barkvoll P., Department of Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine, Dental School, University of Oslo, Norway. "Oral Mucosal Desquamation Caused By Two Toothpaste Detergents In An Experimental Model," Eur J Oral Sci 1996 Feb
SLS denatures proteins of eye tissues - impairing eye development permanently. --Dr. Keith Green, PHD, D.Sc., Medical College of Georgia
SLS is a mutagen. It is capable of changing the information in genetic material found in cells. SLS has been used in studies to induce mutagen in bacteria. --Higuchi, Araya and Higuchi, School of Medicine, Tohoku University: Sendai 980 Japan
The molecular weight of SLS is 288.38 which can easily pass into the cells. In studies, it has been found lodged in the heart, lungs, liver and brain up to five days after initial exposure. Seeing as we have multiple exposures a day, SLS accumulates and is constantly present until we stop using products containing it. In fact, SLS is often added to medicines to transport the active ingredients into the body.
Aspartame:

Molecular Weight: 294.3
Fluoride:

If you have children, you probably find it difficult to stop them from ingesting some of their toothpaste, especially as it has been made to be tasty to encourage brushing. But what could it be doing to their bodies?
In 1998, Dr A K Susheela of the India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, presented a report of her research entitled "Scientific Evidence On Adverse Effects Of Fluoride" to MPs in Westminster. She discovered that "fluoride from these toothpastes enters the circulation within minutes".
Given the evidence of how toxic this product can be, this is troublesome:
In 1992 a randomized double-blind study was conducted in which healthy male volunteers were given either sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP) tablets (both common ingredients in toothpaste) for seven days.
Before the trial, both sets of volunteers had their stomach linings assessed. This was repeated again at the end of the trial. Those in the MFP group showed no significant changes but seven out of ten in the Sodium Fluoride group had significant stomach lesions, including acute haemorrhages and free blood in their stomachs. (Gastroenterology 1992; 30: 252-4)
Sodium Fluoride is a hazardous waste by-product from the aluminum smelting process. It can also be derived from the pollution scrubbers of the phosphate fertilizer industry. This by-product is too toxic to be dumped in the environment and it is classified as a poison. It is found in toothpastes in concentrations of up to 1500 parts per million (ppm).
Molecular Weight: 18.9984
Rest assured, we never include any of these products in Haven Herbs products and continue to educate ourselves on ingredients and the body care industry to educate others about good choices.
2 comments
You are most welcome, Amanda. We consider education one of the main things that we do here at Haven. We value your safety and health!
Thanks for all of the information about these ingredients. It’s often difficult to find unbiased information about the chemicals and ingredients in personal care products. But I do feel so much better just avoiding them all.