Clean Beauty Routine

Which ingredients should you avoid for a clean beauty routine?

Not all cosmetic ingredients are equally skin-friendly. Some can disrupt your hormone balance , while others are less environmentally friendly or can cause skin irritation . Here's a handy overview, sorted from the most important to avoid to the least harmful, but not ideal .

The products in this "Clean Beauty Routine" do not contain hormone disruptors . If you want an extra clean beauty routine, you can avoid the list below entirely.

HORMONE DISRUPTORS

These substances can affect your hormones and cause harmful long-term buildup in your body. Avoid them as much as possible!

🚫 Parabens (Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben)
→ Used as a preservative, but can mimic estrogen and disrupt your hormone balance.

🚫 Phthalates (Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Diethyl Phthalate (DEP), Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP))
→ Are linked to hormone disruptions and fertility problems.

🚫 Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3) & Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate)
→ Often found in sunscreens, they can disrupt your hormones and are harmful to the environment (coral bleaching).

🚫 Triclosan & Triclocarban
→ They have antibacterial properties, but can affect your hormones and cause antibiotic resistance.

🚫 Undecylenamide DEA
→ May contain nitrosamines, which may be hormone disruptive and carcinogenic.

Ingredients to avoid if you want extra clean beauty:

They're not directly hormone disruptive, but they can cause irritation or be less sustainable. Want to keep your skincare extra pure and environmentally friendly? Then you can avoid these.

⚠ Phenoxyethanol → Commonly used preservative, safe in low concentrations, but may cause irritation on sensitive skin.

⚠ Alcohol Denat. (SD Alcohol 40-B) → Can have a drying effect, especially on dry or sensitive skin.

⚠ Silicones (Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane) → Not harmful, but can form a occlusive layer and are less environmentally friendly.

⚠ BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) & BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) → Preservatives, may be harmful with prolonged use.

⚠ Mineral oils & paraffin (Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum) → Derived from petroleum, less environmentally friendly and can clog pores.

⚠ Formaldehyde & formaldehyde-releasers (DMDM Hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Diazolidinyl Urea) → Preservatives that may release small amounts of formaldehyde.

⚠ Microplastics (Polyethylene, Acrylates Copolymer, Nylon-12) → Polluting the environment and unnecessary in care products.

⚠ Synthetic fragrances (Fragrance, Parfum) → May contain allergens or irritants.

⚠ Sulfates (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulfate - SLES)
→ Not direct hormone disruptors, but they can affect the skin barrier, making it easier for harmful substances to be absorbed.
→ They create foam, but can dry out and irritate your skin.

⚠ PEGs (such as PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate)
→ May be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a possible carcinogen.