Our Banned Ingredients List

We take clean living very seriously. The brands that we work with have been carefully screened and vetted against our banned ingredients list below to ensure that anything we offer is free of toxins, ethically-sourced and made with love.

To learn more about each banned ingredient and why we don't stock products with them, we reccomend visiting EWG's Skin Deep® Ingredients Database linked below.

Our Banned Ingredients:

Used in deodorants, antiperspirants and sunscreens.

  • Linked to brain disorders and Alzheimer’s
  • Possible factor in breast cancer
  • Neurotoxin that binds and sticks to our red and white blood cells
  • Aluminum in sunscreen might contribute to oxidative damage in the skin, increasing the risk of cancer

Commonly used in acne treatments.

  • Possible tumor promoter, mutagen, produces DNA damage
  • Causes redness, irritation, itchiness and a burning sensation for some skin types

Used in hand sanitizers, soaps, sunscreens, lotions – expedites the delivery of the active ingredient they contain.

  • PCOS, infertility, premature delivery, miscarriage, and other reproductive effects in women
  • Reduced libido and sperm quality, and altered sex hormone concentrations in men
  • Altered thyroid function
  • Obesity and diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Impaired liver and kidney function
  • Impaired immune function
  • Inflammation
  • Neurobehavioral deficits such as aggressiveness, hyperactivity, and impaired learning

Preservative in many lipsticks and moisturizers.

  • Endocrine disruptor, interferes with hormone function
  • Causes allergies
  • BHA is also a possible carcinogen

Used in beauty products to increase it's longevity and stability.

  • Can enhance the capacity of other chemicals to cause genetic mutations
  • Endocrine disruptor, toxicant
  • Affects reproductive systems – harm unborn child, impair fertility
  • Asthma
  • Damage immune and nervous systems
  • Causes liver and kidney failure in young children after long exposure

Found in many products, including sprays, tampons and shampoo.

  • Extremely toxic, has a score of 10 on the EWG database
  • Won’t appear in the list of ingredients. Often found in antibacterial products, cleansers etc
  • Causes cancer reduced immunity, nervous systems disorders, miscarriage, birth deformity
  • Endocrine disruptor

Includes DMDM Hydantoin (Quaternium-15), Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea and Methenamine. Found in many products – lotions, nail polishes, eyelash glue, hair gels, shampoos, deodorants etc.

  • Weakens immune system
  • Human carcinogen
  • Can cause irritation of the eyes and difficulty breathing

Some gluten ingredients are hidden in toothpaste, lipstick, facial cleansers and many more.

  • Cause allergic reactions and even asthma, in some cases

Used in various cosmetic products – lipstick, mascara, foundation, concealers, eye shadow, eye liner etc

  • Builds up in the body over time and produces symptoms that are mistaken for other illnesses (ie: headaches, dizziness, numbness, chronic pain etc)

Found in foundations and makeup.

  • An unstable chemical linked with endocrine disruption and thyroid disorders.

Widely used as a preservative in many cosmetic products.

  • Suspected of interfering with hormone functions (endocrine disruption)
  • Imitates estrogen in the body which can cause breast cancer
  • Studies indicate that methylparaben applied on skin combines with UVB which leads to skin aging and DNA mutation

Enables products to give your hair/skin/lips shine.

  • Absorbed through the skin; toxic to brain, kidney, respiratory system
  • May be contaminated with PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH). Extensive use may cause skin cancer

Includes Cyclomethicone and ingredients ending in “siloxane” (e.g., cyclotetrasiloxane). Used to soften, smoothen and moisten.

  • Interferes with hormone function and damage the liver
  • Also known as D4 and D5 which are endocrine disruptors.
  • High amounts may cause uterine tumors, is harmful to the reproductive and immune systems

When exposed to sunlight, reactions occur between the sunscreen’s active and inactive ingredients and the epidermis.

  • May cause inflammation, dermatological effects, allergic reactions and photo genotoxic (DNA altering) effects.
  • Cause cancer
  • Sunscreen doesn’t allow your skin to absorb Vitamin D
  • Oxybenzone increases production of harmful free radicals that attacks human DNA
  • Mimics estrogen, causes breast cancer.
  • Causes melanoma
  • Octyl methoxycinnamate is ironically particularly toxic when exposed to sunshine. Triggers biochemical changes that cause mutation and cell death upon exposure.
  • Reproductive toxicity.
  • Organ system toxicity, especially in the liver.
  • Retinyl Palmitate when exposed to sunlight may cause skin lesions and tumors.

Gives products a pleasant fragrance
Complex mixture of chemicals that triggers allergies and asthma.

  • Linked to cancer and neurotoxicity
  • Most chemicals are irritants and can trigger allergies, migraines, asthma symptoms
  • Most chemicals are known endocrine disruptors

Found in baby powders, face powders and body powders.

  • Causes ovarian cancer (especially using too much baby powder, frequent use in the female genital area)
  • Travels through reproductive system and embeds in lining of ovary
  • Very closely related to asbestos, a potent carcinogen

Also includes Cocamide DEA, Diethanolamine, Lauramide DEA. Makes cosmetics creamy/sudsy and acts as a pH adjuster.

  • Hormone disruptor
  • Possible human carcinogen
  • Causes allergic reactions
  • In high doses, causes liver and kidney cancer, precancerous changes in skin and thyroid