The service for checking the composition of cosmetics for naturalness and safety was created at the numerous requests of our readers and Ecobloggers.
The main task is to enable anyone to quickly and independently check the composition of a cosmetic product by simply copying the composition into a window. It’s best to copy from the manufacturer’s website, but you can also copy from the website of an online store.
These strangely named chemicals have their own effects related to endocrine problems and have also been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, early breast development in girls, and reproductive congenital problems in men and women.
This substance is commonly used in antibacterial products and, unfortunately, can interfere with reproductive hormones and cause skin irritation. Recent studies have also linked the effects of triclosan to resistance to certain antibiotics.
Additionally, there is no evidence that antibacterial hand-washing soaps, for example, are any more effective than regular soaps. In addition to these soaps, triclosan can be found in toothpastes and deodorants. These two substances can be found in more than 90% of available personal care products. Causes irritation to skin, eyes and lungs. Additionally, these are items that, when in contact with other chemicals, combine to form carcinogens - these combinations can also cause breathing and kidney problems.
The service is based on a database of many thousands of ingredients with ratings and brief description. When forming assessments, we rely on world-famous standards natural cosmetics(Firstly BDIH, Ecocert, Cosmos), data Greenpeace, paper publications, encyclopedias and other open sources on the Internet. In addition, we use expert advice and our own experience.
They are easily found in shampoos, body soaps and skin cleansers and acne treatments. This highly carcinogenic product has been linked to cancer in the nose and throat. In addition, formaldehyde causes skin allergies and is harmful to the immune system. It can be found in nail polishes, body soaps, conditioners, shampoos, eye shadow, skin cleansers, and nail products.
You probably remember hearing something about formaldehyde-based products being used to straighten hair. Here is another substance derived from petroleum and coal tar. Toluene may also appear on product labels as benzene, phenylmethane, or methylbenzene.
Important: We analyze not only the standard INCI names of components, but also other formulations of manufacturers. And this is a significantly more difficult task.
We are constantly expanding our knowledge base about components used in cosmetics in order to better and better analyze formulations and ingredients online.
If you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make the service more convenient and useful, please do not hesitate to write to , we will be grateful to you.
The fact is that toluene is a powerful solvent that can affect our respiratory system, cause nausea, skin irritation and problems in the immune system. Pregnant women should be very careful with this substance: it increases the risk of fetal development. Toluene can be found in nail polish and nail polish in general, as well as paints and bleaches.
This alcohol often appears in the formula for skin products, and although these items are formulated to care for the dermis, due to the fact that propylene glycol sometimes causes dermatitis and hives. This alcohol is found in moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup, conditioners, shampoos, and hair sprays.
How the Service rates
We give a cosmetic product a rating if we find at least one ingredient in it with a rating of 1 or 2. In this case, it doesn’t matter to us what the other ingredients are.
Example: The product contains 30 ingredients. We recognized 25 of them. One of these twenty-five has a rating of 1 or 2. We don't care about the rest, we NOT We approve the remedy.
Research into this product has shown that it can harm our intestinal flora, which is an open door for nasty and dangerous parasites to emerge. In addition, isopropyl alcohol has been linked to some cases of cancer, migraines, dizziness, depression, vomiting and coma. It is a substance found in hair dyes, body soaps, moisturizing lotions and aftershave lotions.
Spermaceti is a natural oil obtained from the skull of the sperm whale.
Don't worry, we have compiled a list of the best mobile apps that will help you spot the wrong ingredients to avoid. Ready to boost your beauty routine? The time it takes to clean the bathroom has a knock on it. You receive an offer simply by scanning your barcode.
We rate a cosmetic product if we find all the ingredients in our database, and all the ingredients have a rating of Three, Four or Five. We approve with pleasure.
Results without evaluation
Reason - Ambiguous ingredient.
There are many of those.
Example: The product contains 30 ingredients. We recognized 25 of them. One out of 25 has no rating - Parfum. Sometimes manufacturers indicate such abstract concepts instead of ingredients: (. Some of them have Parfum consisting of essential oils. And for others, Parfum is a synthetic fragrance. We don’t know this, which means we can’t approve the product.
Synthetic structure-forming components have complex and poorly understood names: glycerol monosterate, stearate, distilled monoglyceride. In the cosmetic field, these substances are used as thickeners. Without them it is simply impossible to make cream. So you have to put up with these “unnatural” components
This application analyzes the composition of your cosmetic products, this indicates whether your cosmetics contain risk products or not. It is designed to detect the following unruly ingredients. Simply scan your beauty product's barcode or search for it in the database. The fire turns green or stays red depending on whether the composition is correct or not.
Results without evaluation
The reason is that we were unable to recognize all the ingredients.
There are a lot of them too.
Partly because our knowledge base does not know everything. Partly because some manufacturers accidentally or deliberately allow oddities in the composition. We minimize the first reason every day; it is more difficult to influence manufacturers.
The good news is that they will soon be banned. Free and only available on English language, he works like his sisters, simply scanning the barcode of their cosmetic products to discover the bottom of the formulas. If you still have doubts, you can also take a look at The Truth About Cosmetics and look for ingredients that upset you. We hope you can now start spring cleaning your bathroom and pruning to select your organic beauty products.
Don't take any risks when choosing our blissfully organic and vegan skincare, free of all the harmful substances and controversy that we have made sure to ban with our very demanding specifications. We wish you a nice day and we will see you soon. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Example: there is an ingredient Water. Aka Aqua, aka Water. And our Service knows that it’s all water.
But sometimes manufacturers invent. Example: " pure water", "water from an artesian well" and so on. We try to add these options to our database, but we cannot keep up with the imagination of the manufacturers.
In such cases, we ask you to send a letter with a request to expand the knowledge base to
List of used literature
This is a list of ingredients that should be mentioned on the packaging of cosmetic products. It's quite difficult to read. Here's all the information you need to read and understand it. It was created by European regulations that prohibit or restrict the use of a number of substances considered harmful.
Ingredients are listed in Latin or English name and in descending order of most dosed at least dosed. They provide valuable information about the main actives and consistency of a cosmetic. The following ingredients are for secondary assets.
Separators between ingredients
The composition must contain ingredients separated by commas or the conjunction “and”. This is customary in almost all online stores and almost all manufacturers’ websites.
Explanations in parentheses
We do not attempt to recognize everything in parentheses; the contents of the parentheses are ignored. If there are important ingredients in brackets, then the brackets should be removed and the ingredients separated by commas.
"Natural" ingredients are listed in Latin and English: Latin name of the plant name in English of the type of substance. Molecular names and common names are given in English. Examples: - water = water; - Honey - honey; - Collagen = collagen.
The main risks associated with cosmetics are skin: more or less severe irritation, allergies, photosensitivity. The ingredients below must be avoided. In it they are either prohibited or replaced with ingredients of natural origin. They are used as texturizing agents to provide a more velvety appearance to care products. Made from petroleum, they form an occlusive film on the skin, preventing it from breathing and do not provide nutrients. They can cause allergic reactions, dry skin and clogged pores.
For example, we see in the composition a fragment of Unimoist U-125 (Glycerin, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolizate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Alanine, Creatine).
It is better to replace it with Glycerin, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolizate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Alanine, Creatine.
In this case, the service will recognize 7 components.
Typos in compositions
Unfortunately, there are frequent typos in ingredients on the websites of online stores and manufacturers. Our search algorithm and knowledge base can handle many typos, but not all. Sometimes you can correct an obvious typo yourself and thereby increase the completeness of the analysis.
Moreover, their ecological balance is catastrophic. IN organic cosmetics: They are replaced by vegetable oils. Often used in shampoos and body washes, they are semi-occlusive to the skin and rinse-resistant. They are completely synthetic. If not rinsed properly, they can build up on your hair and skin. Without biodegradation, it takes hundreds of years to decompress in nature.
Emulsifiers and surfactants
Termination in -cone or -siloxane. Examples: “Dimethicone”, “Cyclom-ethicone”. They are based on petroleum derivatives. They are designed to “lather the product”. However, the foam does not clean and irritates the skin or scalp. In organic cosmetics: they are replaced by sugar derivatives, plant or animal waxes.
What if the composition has not been fully analyzed?
The main thing is don't get upset. If we have not identified any ingredient, but you are very interested in it, just write to us and we will try to quickly add it to the database and inform you about it.
Market professionals
To cosmetics manufacturers and their representatives:
It plays an important role in conservation. There are several types of alcohol. Some are liquid and quite drying; This is the most common form in traditional cosmetics. Other fats; they are good emollients that stabilize and emulsify cosmetics.
Examples: “Alcohol denat” or “Isopropyl alcohol”. In organic cosmetics: only fatty alcohols obtained from vegetable oils are used. Examples: "Cetyl alcohol" or "Lauryl alcohol". Some are primarily used as antiperspirants in deodorants and are known to be mildly irritating.
If the composition of your funds has changed, but our project shows the old one, please report it to.
We will be happy to update the information.
For those connoisseurs in the field of ingredients used in cosmetics:
If your arguments are convincing and the source is trustworthy, we will gratefully use your recommendations.
Natural bacteriostatics include propolis, extracts from eucalyptus leaves, bird cherry, birch
Conflicting studies on the dangers of aluminum salts in deodorants continue to follow each other. If a final conclusion has not been reached this moment, French health authorities recommend limiting aluminum. They are necessary for the good preservation of organic and conventional cosmetic products that contain a lot of water and therefore a bacteriological risk. However, synthetic preservatives are suspected of being allergenic, carcinogenic or even mutagenic.
Most cosmetic products are complex multicomponent formulations based on substances of organic and/or synthetic origin. The components in cosmetic products are selected taking into account the form of release, the direction of action and the type of skin. The components used in the production of cosmetics are traditionally classified depending on their purpose and function: emulsifiers, structure formers, plasticizers, antioxidants, preservatives, etc., as well as by chemical nature (fats and fat-like substances, high molecular weight fatty acids and alcohols, low molecular weight alcohols and acids, alkaline substances, etc.).
Since the 1990s, we have wondered about their toxic effects, particularly as endocrine disruptors. This suggests that they can be "metabolized" while cosmetics should not penetrate the skin. Ethoxylated materials. . Petroleum-based compounds are used as emulsifiers, gel bases, binders, emollients, and sometimes as preservatives. These components can make the skin permeable and allow harmful substances to pass through.
Phenoxyethanol, a suspected endocrine disruptor, also has high allergenic potential. These materials do not decompose well and remain in environment after unloading into pipes. Organohalogenated compounds. . They consist of molecules that carry chlorine, bromine or iodine. All of them have significant allergic potential. They can decompose and cause damage by penetrating tissue.
TO animal fat bases include lanolin, lard, fish oil.
Lanolin (Lanolinum, Adepslanae) is an animal fat that is the main component of sheep sebum, which is obtained by washing sheep's wool.
Lard (Axungia Porcina, Adepssuillus) is a hard fat that is easily applied and evenly distributed over the surface of the skin, is well tolerated and has high conductive properties.
On the packaging Compound words with “bromine”, “chlorine” and “iodine”. Aldehydes and formaldehyde emulsifiers. . These are common chemical preservatives that can release formaldehyde into cosmetic formulas. Formaldehyde is an inhalation hazard, an allergen and an irritant. Formaldehydes have now been partially replaced by parabens, which are also harmful to health. They are found only in nail polish. They are not biodegradable.
It can very strongly fix other elements and especially heavy metals and thus facilitate penetration into the body. This contributes to the stability of some cosmetics. It is very irritating to the eyes and very persistent. It is increasingly frowned upon because it is unlikely to biodegrade.
Fish oil (Oleumjecoris Aselli) is usually extracted from the liver of cod fish (cod, haddock, pollock) and contains vitamins A, B, E, a small amount of iodine, bromine, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus.
The value of lipids is that they are able to replace sebum in case of impaired sebum secretion, thereby maintaining normal water balance skin, protecting from harmful atmospheric influences and temperature changes.
Vegetable oils used both in pure form and as a component of an oil “mixer” (emulsion). They can be used to soften the skin, cleanse it of dust, dirt, scales, and crusts. Research by a number of authors has established that vegetable oils actively penetrate through the epidermis diffusely and through the mouths of hair follicles. Apricot and castor oils have the greatest penetrating ability. In addition, vegetable oils can help increase the production of sebum, therefore, their use is advisable as part of preparations that normalize the skin's fat metabolism.
Phospholipid bases contain phospholipids (phosphatides) - fat-like substances whose molecules contain phosphorus. The composition of phospholipids, along with other acids, includes essential fatty acids - linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic, necessary for normal metabolism. Lecithin is a phospholipid that is obtained from soybeans and peanuts. Lecithin in cosmetics (1–3%) penetrates the skin quite quickly and has a softening, moisturizing and toning effect. Lecithin promotes deeper penetration of various biologically active substances into the epidermis. There is also evidence of the antioxidant properties of lecithin. However, a significant disadvantage of lecithin is its susceptibility to microbial deterioration and oxidation; therefore, its use in cosmetic preparations is possible only with the parallel introduction of highly effective preservatives and antioxidants.
TO fat bases include petroleum jelly, mineral oils, naftalan oil, trihydric alcohol glycerin, yellow petroleum jelly, paraffin paraffin, ozokerite. Mineral oils are successfully used in moisturizers due to their ability to form a thin protective film on the skin surface that prevents moisture loss.
- Vaseline oil is a purified fraction of oil obtained after distilling kerosene. Vaseline oil is quite stable, does not decompose, does not irritate the skin (biologically neutral), is not absorbed, and has a pronounced healing effect for various erosive and ulcerative skin lesions.
- Naphthalanum liquidum raffinatum oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and resins. It is a thick liquid of black-greenish color with a peculiar specific odor. Naftalan oil and naftalan have a softening, absorbable, disinfectant, antipruritic and slight analgesic effect on the skin and mucous membranes.
- Trihydric alcohol glycerin (Glycerinum) is a transparent viscous liquid with a sweetish taste. It promotes good mixing of the ingredients of the shaken suspension, keeps them suspended for a long time, ensures uniform distribution of the powders and their “sticking” (adhesion) to the skin. In the form of diluted solutions (up to 30%), glycerin penetrates the skin quite easily and, by irritating receptors, improves blood circulation. However, prolonged use of glycerin in concentrated form can cause darkening of the skin and the formation of acne. Glycerol can also be obtained from the hydrolysis products of starch, wood flour, hydrogenation of the resulting monosaccharides or fermentation of sugars.
- Yellow Vaseline (Vaselinum flavum) and chemically bleached white Vaseline (Vaselinum album) are hydrocarbons obtained during the distillation of petroleum. They can be used in their pure form only for ointments with a disinfectant effect and for removing hyperkeratosis and crusts.
Waxes is a historically established name for products of different composition and origin, mostly natural, whose properties are close to beeswax. Waxes and waxy substances are used to prepare ointments with a dense consistency - cerates. These bases, unlike fats, do not go rancid and do not irritate the skin. Plant waxes cover the leaves, stems and fruits of plants with a thin layer, thus protecting them from soaking in water, drying out, and harmful microorganisms; sometimes they are included in the seeds as reserve fats (for example, jojoba oil). Fossil wax (ozokerite) is widely used in physiotherapy - for the procedure of ozokerite therapy.
Animal waxes include yellow or white wax, spermaceti, wax and spermaceti ointments, as well as beeswax and lanolin. Beeswax is secreted by special glands of honey bees, from which they build honeycombs. In cosmetology, beeswax is actively used as a natural thickener for ointment creams, as a structure-forming component of lipsticks and solid perfumes.
A popular animal wax is lanolin, which is produced from boiled sheep wool by releasing free fatty acids and mineral impurities. Lanolin is widely used in the cosmetics industry as one of the best and cheapest skin care substances. It is necessary for the manufacture of pharmaceutical and medical products. Lanolin has bactericidal properties, which is very actively used to treat various dermatoses. However, allergic reactions to lanolin are not uncommon.
Synthetic bases have a number of advantages over other drugs. They are well tolerated by the skin, penetrate it quite easily and are easily removed from the surface, do not oxidize or decompose, do not irritate even sensitive and damaged skin, and, importantly, are cheap to manufacture and store. Synthetic foundations do not make the skin oily, weakly prevent evaporation and emulsify well. Currently, the following synthetic bases have been developed and used:
- bases made of ethylene oxide polymers (polyethylene glycols),
- silicone anhydrous bases (contain polyorganosiloxanes),
- cellulose derivative bases.
One of the components of cosmetic products is ethanol. In medicine, ethyl alcohol is widely used as an effective bactericidal drug. At concentrations of more than 50%, ethyl alcohol can excessively destroy (dissolve) the fatty layer of the skin, which leads to dryness, peeling and inflammation. To care for dry, normal and oily skin, it is more rational to use ethyl alcohol in concentrations of 18–22%, 22–30%, 30–35%, respectively. In emulsions, ethyl alcohol is also used as a solvent for essential oils, extracts and other biologically active additives. At a concentration of more than 15%, ethyl alcohol is a fairly effective preservative. In addition, ethyl alcohol can have an antifreeze effect.
They are often used in cosmetic care products squalane, which is a hydrogenated version of the natural component squalene without double bonds, which is stable and can be stored for more than 2 years without oxidizing or going rancid. There are two main types of squalane used in cosmetics - squalane from olives (olive squalane) and from shark liver (shark squalane). Olive squalane is the most popular, it is used in cosmetics. Less commonly used is squalane, obtained by fermenting sugar cane. Squalane is a high-quality emollient (softening agent). Thanks to its affinity for the skin, it easily penetrates the epidermis without leaving a greasy feeling, while leaving the skin feeling soft and silky.
D-panthenol(dexapanthenol) is a derivative of pantothenic acid (vitamin B), has many useful properties: stimulates skin regeneration, normalizes cellular metabolism, increases the strength of collagen fibers, has a regenerating and mild anti-inflammatory effect. An increased need for pantothenic acid is observed when the skin or tissues are damaged. Optimal molecular mass, hydrophilicity and low polarity make it possible to penetrate into all layers of the skin.
Emulsifiers - substances that ensure the creation of emulsions from normally immiscible liquids. Among the popular emulsifiers used in cosmetology are the following: agar, pectin, gelatin, chitosan, lanolin, cholesterol, lecithin, carbopol, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and some others.
Plasticizers - These are organic substances that, when incorporated into solid polymers, give them elasticity. In cosmetics, plasticizers are added to nail and hair varnishes and mascara.
Thickeners traditionally used to create a cosmetic product of the required viscosity and density. The most common thickeners are cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, carnauba wax and stearic acid. In production, cetearyl alcohol is a thickener and viscosity stabilizer for the oil-in-water system. It has a number of useful properties: softens the skin, tightens pores, does not cause irritation (biologically inert), disinfects, retains moisture in the skin, gives the skin velvety and silky, improves the consistency of water-free products such as lipsticks, body scrubs, improves hair structure, making them easier to comb. Natural thickeners include xanthan and guar gums, gelatin, and carob gum. Mineral thickeners include silicon, bentonite, magnesium aluminum silicate. Synthetic thickeners are perhaps the most commonly used type of all thickeners. The most common of these is carbomer, a polymer of acrylic acid that swells in water and can be used to create crystal clear gels.
Preservatives- these are substances that are introduced into cosmetic preparations to prevent the growth of microbial flora in them. Alcohols (benzylic), phenols, organic acids (benzoic, citric) are used as preservatives. essential oils(lavender, mint, etc.). Preservatives are introduced into cosmetic preparations, first of all, to protect against the proliferation of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) for a long time. Preservatives are most often added to cream bases. When formulating cosmetic products, much attention is paid to selecting the effectiveness of preservatives that provide reliable protection of creams from microbial contamination.
In a broad sense antioxidants- These are substances that prevent oxidation. Antioxidants are introduced into the formulation of cosmetic products in order to prevent peroxidation of cosmetic components. One of the main sources of antioxidants is plants. The leader among plant antioxidants is green tea extract. Its specific abilities are due to the high concentration of polyphenols. Sodium sulfite, sodium metabisulfite, Trilon B are introduced as antioxidants that protect water-soluble components (for example, vitamins B, C) from oxidation. Fat-soluble antioxidants are butyloxyanisole, butyloxytoluene, gallic acid preparations, vitamin E.
Fragrances are introduced into cosmetic products in order to mask the possible unpleasant odor of the raw materials and give the product a more pleasant aroma. Natural essential oils or specially created synthetic compositions can act as fragrances. As a rule, fragrances are more likely to be understood as synthetic flavors, while essential oils are a natural alternative. Perfume (aromatic) compositions are a mixture of substances designed to impart a special aroma and/or mask the smell of ingredients in cosmetic products.
Dyes are chemical substances of natural or synthetic origin intended to impart color to cosmetic products. Dyes used in cosmetics should not irritate the skin or cause allergies, that is, they should be biologically neutral. In addition, the dye must maintain the required color throughout the entire shelf life of the cosmetics. Dyes include acidic, alkaline and neutral dyes.
List of used literature:
- Dribnohod Yu. Yu. Cosmetology. 10th edition / Ed. Phoenix, 2013.
- Zheterova S.K., Talgaeva E.V. Basic and auxiliary substances used in cosmetology / Bulletin of KazNMU, 2014.
- Samuilova L. V., Puchkova T. V. Cosmetic chemistry. 2nd edition / Ed. School of Cosmetic Chemists, 2015.
- Nordmann L. Cosmetology - the basics. 2nd edition / Ed. Astrel, 2006.