Clean Beauty Guide

Written By Ashley Deeley

Welcome to a curated selection of genuinely clean beauty products I personally use which saves you hours of research.

To learn why I picked these brands, read my criteria at the end of this article.

Below is a snapshot of the products I use:

My Top Recommendations:

Living Libations

🌱 Packaged in glass

🌱 Known for treating melasma and under eye circles

🌱 Wild harvested and only organic ingredients (so clean you can eat it!)

Code: ASHLEY10

🌱 Packed in glass

🌱 Infused with organic herbs rather than essential oils

🌱 Organic honey, organic essential oils and grass-fed pasture raised tallow are main ingredients

Code: ASHLEY15

🌱 Packaged in Miron glass

🌱 Infused with organic herbs rather than essential oils

🌱 Small batch, family owned and made with grass-fed pasture raised tallow

🌱 100% Titanium Dioxide free make-up

🌱 Made with organic ingredients

🌱 100% nano particle free

Code: ASHLEYDEELEY

🌱 Stored in Miron glass

🌱 The use living, raw enzymes and incorporate royal jelly(!!!)

🌱 Micro-batch, organic, wildcrafted, and bio-dynamic

🌱 Better than Botox roller

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱 Small batch products curated with local and organic essential oils

Code: Deeley15

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱 Biodynamic, grass-fed, pasture raised tallow

🌱 Small batch

🌱 Made with mostly organic ingredients

🌱 Clean and fun shaped soap for kids

🌱 Made in small batches

Elate 

Code: ASHLEYDEELEY2024

🌱 Glass tube

🌱 Recyclable and Re-fillable

⛔ Many of their products contain Titanium Dioxide, but the mascara and eye liner do not (these are the only products I use & recommend)

Code: ASHLEYDEELEY

🌱 Stored in Miron glass, tins or cardboard

🌱 Made with grass-fed pasture raised tallow

🌱 The only GHK-CU copper peptide tallow lotion on the market!

Code: ASHLEYDEELEY

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱Made with organic ingredients & Paleo certified

🌱100% nano particle free

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱 ECOCERT Greenlife certified and regenerative farmed natural and organic animal fats and herbs grown the USA

🌱 Made in small batches

Code: Ashley15

🌱 Stored in Miron glass & tins

🌱 Wild harvested & organic ingredients

🌱 Small batch

COde: ASHLEYDEELEY

🌱 Packaged in glass

🌱 Many ingredients come from organic farming

🌱Cold-pressed oils

🌱 All organic ingredients

🌱 Known for their food-based face powder

🌱 Packed in glass

🌱 Packaged in glass

🌱 Many ingredients come from organic farming

🌱 Cold-pressed (non-seed) oils

🌱 3 ingredient soap: grass-fed raw milk, saponified tallow, filtered water

🌱 All products are ethically sourced and sustainable

🌱 Small batch and family owned

Code: ASHLEYD30

🌱 2 ingredients: distilled water and oxygen

🌱 Sponges are biodegradable

🌱 The high oxygen concentration flood your pores and clear out acne-causing bacteria

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱 All ingredients are organic (and waterless!!!)

🌱 Ethical and sustainably sourced ingredients

🌱 All ingredients are organic

🌱 Stored in glass

🌱 Fair trade and wild harvested

toothpaste

Code: ASHLEY15

🌱 All ingredients are organic

🌱 Many products stored in glass

🌱 Made in small batches

Code: ASHLEYd10

🌱 Battery operated for a richer experience

🌱 Flat T-bar tool is great for stimulation around the eye and forehead

🌱 Spa like experience which keeps skin taught

🌱 Small-batch ingredients you can pronounce

🌱 Works like a dream (and stays on too!)

🌱 No mica, oxides, or dyes

Code: ASHLEY15

🌱 Stored in miron glass

🌱 Organic and wild harvested ingredients

🌱 The night cream has royal jelly (my favorite!)




Shop with Caution:

1. BeeYou Organics *This company uses seed oils in many of their products. Some of their products are made without seed oils which I love, but others contain seed oils. Shop with caution.

2. AnnMarie *This company uses seed oils in some of their products. They also use sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate. Shop with caution.

3. Nature’s Brands *This company uses grapeseed oil & ‘natural flavoring.’ I appreciate they do not use nano particles, but some products are stored in plastic. Shop with caution.

4. Primally Pure *This company uses SOME seed oils, but only in a few products (be sure to read the ingredients!). The baby balm and body butters are amazing. Shop with caution.

Greenwashing Brands I DO NOT recommend:

  1. Attitude Living ⛔ (they use seed oils, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, and Polyglyceryl-6 laurate)

  2. Babor ⛔ (they use seed oils, perfume, and toxic chemicals)

  3. BeautyCounter ⛔ (they use toxic red 7, PEG40, and seed oils)

  4. BioQuantum ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, and Nylon-12 a microplastic)

  5. Christina’s Natural Qualities ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide, violet oxidies— a known carcinogen, palm oil and safflower oil)

  6. Crunchi ⛔ (they use Dimethicone, grapeseed oil, palm oil, and other toxic chemicals such as Propanediol)

  7. Codex ⛔ (they use seed oils and other low quality ingredients)

  8. Desert Harvest ⛔ (they use seed oils, citric acid, and xantham gum)

  9. DIME Beauty ⛔ (they use seed oils, and Dimethicone)

  10. Ever Eden ⛔ (they use seed oils, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, and titanium dioxide)

  11. Facescandada ⛔ (they use Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, BHT, and Poloxamer 407)

  12. Farmaesthetics ⛔ (they use seed oils & the essential oils are not organic)

  13. Fat & the Moon ⛔ (they use sunflower oil)

  14. GIA ⛔ (they use safflower oil, soybean oil, and laureth-4)

  15. Gressa ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide, Red 40, Red 7— known carcinogens)

  16. ILIA ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide, PVP - polyvinylpyrrolidone - and other toxic chemicals)

  17. Jones Road ⛔ (they use RiceBran Wax, PVP, Stearic Acid, VP/Eicosene Copolymer)

  18. Kari gran ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide & seed oils)

  19. Kew Organics ⛔ (they use seed oils & titanium dioxide)

  20. Klee Naturals ⛔ (they use seed oils, titanium dioxide, and red 28)

  21. Kosas ⛔ (they use Titanium Dioxide, seed oils, and toxic chemicals)

  22. Klur ⛔ (they use seed oils and preservatives)

  23. Jovy ⛔ (they use Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, and flavors)

  24. Lawless Beauty ⛔ (they use propanediol, rice bran wax, and hydroxyacetophenone)

  25. Living Earth Beauty ⛔ (they use seed oils, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and Titanium Dioxide)

  26. Loli Beauty ⛔ (despite their organic claims, they still use seed oils)

  27. LUSH ⛔ (they use Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and parabens)

  28. Maison Wolfberry ⛔ (they use grapeseed oil, Phenoxyethanol, and Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)

  29. MERIT Beauty ⛔ (despite being ‘EU Compliant, they use Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, and seed oils)

  30. Naturabrasil ⛔ (they use yellow #5, seed oils, perfume, and toxic chemicals)

  31. Nessa’s Naturals ⛔ (they use rice bran oil and seed oils)

  32. Nu Skin ⛔ (they use seed oils, fragrance, and Ethylhexylglycerin)

  33. OGEE ⛔ (they use toxic seed oils, Rapeseed, Sunflower, Soybean oils, along with titanium dioxide, rice bran wax, and hydrolyzed oat protein)

  34. Omiana ⛔ (they use toxic seed oils, Ethylhexylglycerin, and Yellow #5 Lake - CI 19140)

  35. OSEA ⛔ (they use seed oils & toxic Sodium Benzoate)

  36. Prim & Pure ⛔ (they use Rice Powder, Sunflower Seed Oil and Titanium Dioxide)

  37. Province Apothecary ⛔ (they use see oils & other toxic chemicals)

  38. PurityWoods ⛔ (they use seed oils & store their products in plastic)

  39. Rowe Casa Organics ⛔ (they use seed oils, colloidal silver, and vegetable glycerin)

  40. RMS Beauty ⛔ (they use toxic red 7, yellow #5, seed oils and other toxic chemicals)

  41. RYE Beauty ⛔ (they use toxic PVP, butylene glycol, and propandiol— a fire retardant and known carcinogen)

  42. Saie ⛔ (they use seed oils, Yellow lake 6— a carcinogen, along with Red 7 Lake and Red 22 Lake)

  43. Seint ⛔ (they use petrolatum and red number 7— a carcinogen)

  44. Tata Harper ⛔ (they use seed oils and alcohol which is drying)

  45. Ten Over Ten ⛔ (they use yellow #5, seed oils, perfume, and toxic chemicals)

  46. The Honest Company ⛔ (they use seed oils and other low quality ingredients)

  47. Thrive Causemetics ⛔ (they use Ethylene/Propylene copolymer, titanium dioxide, and synthetic wax)

  48. Toups & Co Organics ⛔ (they use titanium dioxide and magnesium hydroxide)

  49. True Botanicals ⛔ (not only do they use seed oils, but their website mentions that many products are not available for purchase outside of the USA - this is because of the toxic ingredients they use)

  50. VANI-T (Australia) ⛔ (they use forever chemicals, titanium dioxide, and Phenoxyethanol)

  51. Versed ⛔ (they use seed oils and toxic chemicals)

  52. W3LL People ⛔ (they use seed oils, almond oil, and products are stored in plastic)

  53. Wholesome Hippy ⛔ (they use seed oils)

  54. YoungGoose ⛔ (they use PEG-100, wheat, Sorbitan Oleate - a potential carcinogen, and Laureth-7 - a known carcinogen)



Ingredients to Avoid:

#

  • 1,2-hexanediol

  • 1,4-dioxane

A

  • A 00; A 95; A 995; A 999; AA 1099; AA1199

  • Acenaphthene (coal tar)

  • Acetamide MEA

  • Acetone

  • Acrylates copolymer

  • Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl/acrylate crosspolymer

  • Acrylates/hydroxyesters acrylates copolymer

  • Acrylates/octylacrylamide copolymer

  • Acrylic acid/vp crosspolymer

  • Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

  • Adapalene

  • Aerosol sprays

  • Anthracene (coal tar)

  • Alcloxa

  • Aldioxa

  • Alitretinoin

  • Almond oil (it goes rancid quickly and is full of oxalates)

  • Alpha-arbutin

  • Alpha isomethylionone

  • Aluminum

  • Aluminium flake

  • Aluminum Lake

  • Alumina

  • Aluminum chloride, synthetic aluminum compound

  • Aluminum chlorohydrate

  • Aluminum glycinate

  • Aluminum hydroxide

  • Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate

  • Aminomethyl propanol

  • Aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate

  • Ammonia

  • Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer

  • Ammonium alum

  • Aluminum-based ingredient

  • Ammonium laureth sulfate

  • Ammonium lauryl sulfate

  • Ammonium polyacrylate

  • Ammonium xylene sulfonate

  • Amyl cinnamal (Jasmonal A)

  • Amyl cinnamyl alcohol

  • Anisyl alcohol

  • Arbutin

  • Artificial colors

  • Ascorbyl glucoside

  • Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate

  • Atelocollagen

  • Avobenzone

  • Azodicarbonamide

B

  • Babassuamidopropalkonium chloride

  • Babassuamidopropyl betaine

  • Basic Blue 7

  • Basic Blue 9

  • Basic Green 4

  • Behenalkonium chloride

  • Behenamidopropyl hydroxyethyl dimonium chloride

  • Behenoxy dimethicone

  • Behentrimonium methosulfate

  • Behenyl/stearyl aminopropanediol esters

  • Benzalkonium chloride

  • Benzethonium chloride

  • Benzene

  • Benzocaine

  • Benzyl alcohol

  • Benzyl benzoate

  • Benzyl cinnamate

  • Benzyl salicylate

  • Benzophenone

  • Benzophenone-3

  • Benzyl PCA

  • Betaine

  • Bexarotene

  • BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)

  • BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)

  • Blue #1

  • Blue #2

  • Bis-behenyl/isostearyl/phytosteryl dimer dilinoleyl dimer dilinoleate

  • Bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2

  • Bis-vinyl dimethicone/Dimethicone copolymer

  • Bismuth oxychloride

  • Boron nitride

  • Brassicamidopropyl dimethylamine

  • Bronopol

  • Brominated Vegetable Oil

  • Bumetrizole

  • Butoxyethanol

  • Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP)

  • Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane

  • Butylene glycol

  • Butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer

  • Butyloctyl salicylate

  • Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

  • Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

  • Butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial)

  • Butylparaben

  • Butylphenyl methylpropianol

C

  • CI 15850

  • CI 15430

  • CI 16035

  • CI 19140 (Yellow #5)

  • CI 77891 (this is Titanium Dioxide)

  • C11-15 Pareth 12

  • C12-15 alkyl benzoate

  • C12-15 alkyl lactate

  • C12-20 acid PEG-8 ester

  • C13-14 isoparaffin

  • C18-38 Alkyl hydroxystearol stearate

  • Calcium aluminum borosilicate

  • Calcium thioglycolate

  • Candida bombicola/glucose/methyl rapeseed ferment

  • Carbomer

  • Carmine

  • Castoryl maleate

  • Ceramide 2, 3

  • Ceresin

  • Ceteareth 20

  • Ceteareth 25

  • Cetearyl ethylhexanoate

  • Cetearyl isononanoate

  • Cetearyl methicone

  • Ceteth -20 phosphate

  • Cetrimonium bromide

  • Cetrimonium chloride

  • Cetrimonium methosulfate

  • Cetyl betaine

  • Cetyl dimethicone

  • Cetyl isononanoate

  • Cetylpyridinium chloride

  • Chlorphenesin

  • Chromium hydroxide green, acceptable in color cosmetics only

  • Chromium oxide green, acceptable in color cosmetics only

  • Chromium

  • Cinnamal

  • Cinnamyl alcohol

  • Cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride

  • Citral

  • Citronellol

  • Cloflucarban

  • Coal tar

  • Cocamide DEA

  • Cocamide DIPA

  • Cocamide MEA

  • Cocamide MIPA

  • Cocamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate

  • Cocamidopropylamine oxide

  • Cocamine oxide

  • Cochineal, acceptable in color cosmetics only

  • Coco-betaine, acceptable if documentation showing natural source

  • Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed rice protein

  • Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed wheat protein

  • Colloidal silver

  • Copper disodium EDTA

  • Corn oil

  • Cottonseed oil

  • Coumarin

  • Cyclomethicone

  • Cyclopentasiloxane

  • cyclotetrasiloxane

D

  • D&C Violet #2

  • Diacetyl boldine

  • Diazolidinyl urea

  • Dicaprylyl carbonate

  • Dicaprylyl ether

  • Dicetyldimonium chloride

  • Diethanolamine (DEA)

  • Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP)

  • Diethyl Phthalate (DEP)

  • Dihydroxyacetone

  • Diheptyl succinate

  • Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)

  • Diisodecyl Phthalate (DIDP)

  • Diisononyl phthalate (DINP)

  • Diisopropyl dimer dilinoleate

  • Diisostearyl malate

  • Dimethicone

  • Dimethicone crosspolymer-3

  • Dimethyl adipate

  • Dimethyl capramide

  • Dimethylhydroxy furanone

  • Dimethyl glutarate

  • Dimethyl oxobenzo dioxasilane

  • Dimethyl phenylbutanol

  • Dimethyl succinate

  • Dimethylmethoxy chromanyl palmitate

  • Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)

  • Dioctyl Phthalate (DOP)

  • Dioxane

  • Dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline

  • Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/ Hexastearate/Hexarosinate

  • Dipropylene glycol

  • Disodium EDTA

  • Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate

  • Distarch phospate acetate

  • Disteardimonium hectorite

  • DMDM hydantoin

  • Dodecane

E

  • Eicosene copolymer

  • Erythrosine

  • Ethylendediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)

  • Equine oil

  • Ethanolamines

  • Ethoxydiglycol

  • Ethoxydiglycol oleate

  • Ethyl acetate, acceptable in nail polish only

  • Ethylene oxide

  • Ethyl methoxycinnamate

  • Ethyl propionate

  • Ethyl vanillin

  • Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate

  • Ethylhexyl dimethyl PABA

  • Ethylhexyl isononanoate

  • Ethylhexylglycerin

  • Ethylhexyl methoxycrylene

  • Ethylhexyl salicylate (Octisalate)

  • Eugenol

  • Evernia furfuracea (Treemoss) extract

  • Evernia prunastri (Oakmoss) extract

F

  • FD&C Blue #1

  • FD&C Blue #1 Aluminum Lake

  • FD&C Blue #2

  • FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake on alumina

  • FD&C Green #3

  • FD&C Red #3

  • FD&C Red #40 and its Aluminum Lake

  • FD&C Yellow #5

  • FD&C Yellow #5 Aluminum Lake

  • FD&C Yellow #6

  • FD&C Lakes

  • Farnesol

  • Fluorene (coal tar)

  • Fluorosalan

  • Fluorphlogopite / Fluorophlogopite

  • Formaldehyde

  • Fragrance

  • Fullerenes

  • Anything with the letters ‘Fluor’ or ‘Fluoro’

G

  • Geraniol

  • Grapeseed oil

  • Green #3

  • Glycereth-2 cocoate

  • Glycereth-26

  • Glycereth-7 cocoate

  • Gyceryl isostearate

  • Glyceryl polyacrylate

  • Glyceryl rosinate

  • Glycolic acid

  • Guaiazulene

H

  • Heptylparaben

  • Hexachlorophene

  • Hexadecene copolymer

  • Hexanediol

  • Hexyl cinnamal (Jasmonal h)

  • Hexyl laurate

  • Hexylene glycol

  • Hexylresorcinol

  • Homarine HCl

  • Homosalate

  • Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil

  • Hydrogenated lecithin

  • Hydrogenated Polydecene

  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein PG-propyl silanetriol

  • Hydroquinone

  • Hydroxyacetophenone

  • Hydroxyethyl acrylate/Sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer

  • Hydroxycitronellal

  • Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral)

  • Hydroxyethyl urea

  • Hydroxypropyltrimonium honey

  • Hypromellose Phthalate (HMP)

I

  • Imidazolidinyl urea

  • Iodine complex with ammonium ester sulfate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate

  • Iodine complex with phosphate ester of alkylaryloxy polyethylene glycol

  • Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate

  • Isobutane

  • Isobutylparaben

  • Isopropylparaben

  • Isoceteth-20

  • Isocetyl isostearate

  • Isocetyl stearate

  • Isododecane

  • Isoeicosane

  • Isoeugenol

  • Isohexadecane

  • Isononyl isononanoate

  • Isopentane

  • Isopentyldiol

  • Isopropyl myristate

  • Isopropyl titanium triisostearate

  • Isostearyl hydroxystearate

  • Isostearyl Isostearate

K

  • Kojic acid

L

  • Lactamidopropyl trimonium chloride

  • Lauramide DEA

  • Lauramide MEA

  • Lauramidopropylamine oxide

  • Laureth-2

  • Laureth-7

  • Lauryl betaine, acceptable if documentation showing natural source

  • LB Pigment 5P

  • Lead

  • Lead acetate

  • Lead flake

  • Lidocaine

  • Limonene

  • Linalool

M

  • Magnesium aluminum silicate

  • Magnesium myristate

  • Manganese violet, acceptable in color cosmetics only

  • Melanin

  • Methacryloyl ethyl betaine/acrylates copolymer

  • Methoxphenylbutanon

  • Methyl 2-octynoate

  • Methyl gluceth-10

  • Methyl gluceth-20

  • Methyl nicotinate

  • Methyl soyate

  • Methylbenzethonium chloride

  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone

  • Methylene bis-benzotriazoyl tetramethylbutylphenol

  • Methylene glycol

  • Methylisothiazolinone

  • Methylparaben

  • Methylsilanol mannuronate

  • Microbeads

  • Microcrystalline wax

  • Mineral oil

  • Myristic acid

  • Myristyl alcohol

  • Myristyl Lactate

  • Myristyl myristate

N

  • Nanotechnology ingredients

  • Nitrocellulose

  • Nonoxynol 10

  • Nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanoliodine

  • Nylon-12

O

  • O-cymen-5-OL

  • Octocrylene

  • Octyl methoxycinnamate

  • Octyldodecanol, acceptable only if documentation shows it is natural

  • Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer

  • Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate

  • Oleamidopropyl dimethylamine

  • Oleth-2

  • Oleth-20

  • Oleth-3-phosphate

  • oleyl betaine, acceptable if documentation showing natural source

  • Oleyl Oleate

  • Olive oil PEG-7 esters

  • Oxybenzone

  • Ozokerite

P

  • P-phenylenediamine, acceptable with strict review

  • PABA

  • Palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminobutyroyl hydroxythreonine

  • Palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminohydroxybutyrate

  • Panthenyl ethyl ether

  • Panthenyl triacetate

  • Parabens

  • Paraffin / Paraffin Wax

  • Parahydroxybenzoate

  • Paraphenylenediamine

  • Parfum

  • PCA ethyl cocoyl arginate

  • Peanut oil

  • PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric glycerides

  • PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

  • PEG-7 olivate

  • PEG-8

  • PEG-10 Sunflower Glycerides

  • PEG-12

  • PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate

  • PEG-20 stearate

  • PEG-40

  • PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil

  • PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate

  • PEG-100

  • PEG-100 stearate

  • PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate

  • PEG-150

  • PEG-150 distearate

  • PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate

  • PEG/PPG-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate

  • PEG/PPG-20/15 dimethicone

  • Pentaerythrityl distearate

  • Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

  • Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

  • Pentaerythrityl tetrastearate

  • Pentasodium Pentetate

  • Pentylene glycol

  • Perflouroisohexane

  • Perfluorodecalin

  • Petrolatum

  • Petroleum

  • Petroleum Jelly

  • Phenol

  • Phenanthrene (coal tar)

  • Phenylalanine

  • Phenyl t-butylnitrone

  • Phenoxyethanol

  • Phenyl trimethicone

  • Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid

  • Phenylethyl resorcinol

  • Phenylisopropyl dimethicone

  • Phenylpropanol

  • Phthalates

  • Picaridin

  • Pigment Metal 1; A 00; A 95; A 995; A 999; AA 1099; AA1199

  • Placental protein

  • Poloxamer 335

  • Poloxamer-iodine complex

  • Polyacrylamide

  • Polyacrylate-13

  • Polyacrylate-15

  • Polyacrylate-17

  • Polyamide-8

  • Polyaminopropyl biguanide

  • Polybutene

  • Polydecene

  • Polyethylene

  • Polyethylene glycol

  • Polyethylene terephthalate

  • Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate/Eicosadioate

  • Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

  • Polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate

  • Polyglyceryl-3 stearate

  • Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate

  • Polyimide-1

  • Polyisobutene

  • Polymethyl methacrylate

  • Polymethylsilsesquioxane

  • Polyperfluoroethoxymethoxy difluoroethyl PEG phosphate

  • Polypropylene

  • Polypropylene glycol

  • Polyquaternium- 7

  • Polyquaternium-10

  • Polyquaternium-28

  • Polyquaternium-51

  • Polysilicone-11

  • Polyurethane-14

  • Polyurethane

  • Potassium alum

  • Potassium C12-13 Alkyl Phosphate

  • Potassium iodide

  • Potassium iodate

  • Potassium bromate

  • Potassium Myristate

  • Povidone-iodine

  • PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer

  • PPG-15 stearyl ether

  • PPG-30

  • Propanediol

  • Propandiol

  • Propyl gallate

  • Propylene carbonate

  • Propylene glycol

  • Propylene glycol alginate

  • Propylheptyl Caprylate

  • Propyloxybenzone

  • Propylparaben

  • PTFE

  • PVP

  • Pyridine (coal tar)

Q

  • Quaternium-15

  • Quaternium-18

  • Quaternium-87

  • Quaternium-95

R

  • Red 7 Lake (CI 15850)

  • Red 22 Lake

  • Red #3 (CI 15430) (this is a forever chemical)

  • Red #40 (CI 16035)

  • Retinol

  • Retinoid

  • Retinyl Palmitate

  • Rice bran oil

  • Rice bran wax

  • Rh-oligopeptide-1

S

  • Safflower oil

  • Secondary amyltricresols

  • Silanetriol

  • Silica Dimethyl Silylate

  • Silica silylate

  • Silver citrate

  • Simethicone

  • Sodium acrylates copolymer

  • Sodium bis-hydroxyethylglycinate coco-glucosides crosspolymer

  • Sodium bisulfite

  • Sodium C12-14 Olefin sulfonate

  • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

  • Sodium cetearyl sulfate

  • Sodium coco-sulfate

  • Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate

  • Sodium erythorbate

  • Sodium fluoride

  • Sodium Hexametaphosphatebenzalkonium cholride

  • Sodium hyroxide (ingredient in Drano)

  • Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate

  • Sodium isostearoyl lactylate

  • Sodium laureth sulfate

  • Sodium lauryl sulfate

  • Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate

  • Sodium lauroyl oat amino acids

  • Sodium metabisulfite

  • Sodium methyl oleoyl taurate

  • Sodium myreth sulfate

  • Sodium oxychlorosene

  • Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

  • Sodium polyacrylate

  • Sodium ricinoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

  • Sodium sulfate

  • Sodium trideceth sulfate

  • Sodium xylene sulfonate

  • Sorbeth-30 tetraoleate

  • Sorbitan isostearate

  • Soy bean oil

  • Soyamide DEA

  • Soyamidopropalkonium chloride

  • Soyamidopropyl betaine

  • Squalane, shark-derived squalene unacceptable

  • Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine

  • Steareth-2

  • Stearoxytrimethylsilane

  • Styrene/acrylates copolymer

  • Styrene/vp copolymer

  • Sulfated castor oil

  • Sunflower oil

  • Synthetic Beeswax

  • Synthetic fluorphlogopite

  • Synthetic fragrance

  • Synthetic Wax

T

  • Talc

  • Tazarotene

  • TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone)

  • TEA-Carbomer

  • TEA-Lauryl sulfate

  • Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate

  • Tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine

  • Tetrasodium EDTA

  • Tetrasodium etidronate

  • Thimersol

  • Titanium Dioxide

  • Tin oxide

  • Tolnaftate

  • Toluene

  • Tretinoin

  • Tri-C12-13 alkyl citrate

  • Tribehenin

  • Tribromsalan

  • Triclocarban

  • Triclosan

  • Trideceth-12

  • Tridecyl neopentanoate

  • Tridecyl salicylate

  • Triethanolamine (TEA)

  • Triethoxycaprylylsilane

  • Triethylhexanoin

  • Trihydroxystearin

  • Triisostearoyl polyglyceryl-3 dimer dilinoleate

  • Triisostearyl citrate

  • Trimethylsiloxysilicate

  • Triple dye

  • Trisodium EDTA

  • Trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate

  • Tromethamine

  • Tropolone

U

  • Ultramarines

  • Undecoylium chloride iodine complex

V

  • VA/Butyl maleate/Isobornyl acrylate copolymer

  • Vanillin, acceptable only if documentation showing natural source

  • Vanillyl butyl ether

  • Vegetable oil

  • Vinyl caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer

  • VP/Eicosene copolymer

  • VP/Hexadecene copolymer

  • VP/VA copolymer

W

  • Wheat germamidopropyl betaine

  • Wheatgermamidopropyl Dimethylamine

Y

  • Yellow #5

  • Yellow #6

  • Yellow Lake 6

Z

  • Zinc pyrithione



Additionally, I don’t approve of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in beauty products.

IF seed oils are heated or mixed with hexane, I do not condone the use of them in any personal care products. (If a company can prove the oils are organic and cold pressed, then I give them the green light). Below are oils to be cautious of:

  • Almond oil (it can easily and quickly go rancid)

  • Canola oil

  • Cottonseed oil

  • Corn oil

  • Grapeseed oil

  • Palm oil

  • Peanut oil

  • Ricebran oil

  • Safflower oil

  • Sunflower oil

  • Soybean / soy oil

  • Anything labeled ‘vegetable oil’

When it comes to personal care products there are a few key aspects I consider:

  • What is it packaged in? Glass or plastic? (Miron glass is best!)

  • How clean is the product? Could I actually eat it?

  • Are the ingredients safe or is it banned in Europe?

  • Do these companies get their ingredients from organic farming practices?

  • Are their manufacturing methods sustainable and ethical?

I only use beauty products which promote skin health and resilience while being clean enough to eat (because anything we put on it goes directly into our blood steam).

Part of my guide includes ingredients to avoid. While I don’t mind cold pressed seed oils such as flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil, and black cumin seed oil, I do not condone the use of heated polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in skin care. The top 8 oils to avoid are listed under ‘seed oils’ in the list of ingredients to avoid. When I say a company uses ‘seed oils,’ I am referring to the top 8 most damaging seed oils (listed above). If a company can prove their seed oils are cold pressed, never heated, and never mixed with hexane, then I approve of these oils.

Products packaged in Miron glass enhance product longevity and preserves their potency. This means no preservatives are required when you buy products in Miron glass!

Lastly, just because a product is EWG certified doesn’t make it safe in my opinion.

Ashley Deeley
Previous

Unlocking the Truth About Baking Soda
Next

What are PFAS?