Banned Ingredients List
At Vibrant Market there is nothing more important than the ingredients of the products we approve. Each product must meet our strict ingredient safety standards. We then test each item to ensure it works exceptionally well and we love it. Finally, we look to each brand for like-minded passion, ethics, and standards. We believe your beauty products need to look good, feel good, and be good for you.
This up to date list of banned ingredients is our promise that you can safely shop at Vibrant Market. We hope it helps!
1,4-DIOXANE: by-product and contaminant (unlisted in ingredient labels). Potential carcinogen when mixed with other substances, other concerns are organ toxicity and birth defects. Found in: products that sud. Also commonly found in tap water.
Aluminum: used as an antiperspirant. Potential concerns include neurotoxicity, potential carcinogen, endocrine disruption, suspected to bioaccumulate with organs, and skin and organ irritation
Benzalkonium chloride: a disinfectant used as a preservative and surfactant associated with severe skin, eye, and respiratory irritation and allergies. Found in: sunscreens, moisturizers.
BHA and BHT: synthetic antioxidants used to extend shelf life. They are likely carcinogens and endocrine disruptors and may cause liver, kidney, and thyroid problems. Found in: lipsticks, moisturizers, diaper creams, and other cosmetics.
Benzalkonium Chloride: A mixture of quaternary ammonium salts used as a preservative, antimicrobial agent, and surfactant. Found in antibacterial and moisturizer. Allergy trigger and skin, eye, and repertory trigger.
Butooxyethanol: Glycol ether that functions as a fragrance additive with a sweet odor. Possible carcinogen, Reproductive toxicity,
Skin irritant. Often listed as “fragrance”.
Chemical Sunscreens: filters harmful UVA/UVB rays. May cause cell damage and mutation and endocrine disruption. Look out for, Oxybenzone (or Benzophenone-3), Octinoxate (or octyl methoxycinnamate), Octocrylene, Octisalate, Homosalate.
- Octinoxate inparticular Filters UV-A rays. May cause endocrine disruption, organ, reproductive, and developmental toxicity. It is quickly absorbed through the skin and has been detected in urine, breast milk, and blood. Found in: Hair color products and shampoos, sunscreen, lipstick, nail polish, skin creams
- Oxybenzone sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies, and possible hormone disruption. Found in: sunscreen, moisturizer.
Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients: a byproduct of coal processing that is a known carcinogen. It is used as a colorant and an anti-dandruff agent. Found in: hair dye, shampoo.
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA): a chelating (binding) agent added to cosmetics to improve stability. May be toxic to organs. Found in: hair color, moisturizers, mascara, eyeliner, cleanser, and bodywash.
Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA): surfactants and pH adjuster linked to allergies, skin toxicity, hormone disruption, and inhibited fetal brain development. Found in: hair dyes, mascara, foundation, fragrances, sunscreens, dry cleaning solvents, paint, pharmaceuticals.
Formaldehyde: used as a preservative in cosmetics. A known carcinogen that is also linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity. Present where quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3 diol (Bronopol), and several other preservatives are listed. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.
Hydroquinone: a skin-lightening chemical that inhibits the production of melanin and is linked to cancer, organ toxicity, and skin irritation. Found in: skin-lightening creams.
Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone: chemical preservatives that are among the most common irritants, sensitizers, and causes of contact skin allergies and possible neurotoxicity. Found in: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other hair products.
Mineral Oil: By-product of petroleum distillation. Is a moisturizer. Is an allergy trigger, can cause contact dermatitis, skin irritation and when contaminated with PAHs it is linked to cancer. Listed as a liquid paraffin or liquid petroleum. Found in facial products.
Nanoparticles: this is used to reduce the whiteness in mineral sunscreen. Nanoparticles measure in the range of 1-100 nanometers (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter). Little is known about the safety of nanoparticles because the FDA does not require companies to divulge the behavior of these particles in skincare products. These nanoparticles could result in possible organ, reproductive and developmental toxicity, possible DNA and cell damage, and skin and organ irritation. They can be found in anti-aging products and treatments as well as sunscreens.
Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others): a class of preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (or hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. They are also potential carcinogens, can lead to Developmental, reproductive and immune toxicity, and can be an allergy prompt. Found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, foundation, and other hair products.
Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others): a class of plasticizing chemicals used to make products more pliable or to make fragrances stick to skin. Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system and may cause birth defects. Found in: synthetic fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, and plastic materials.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG compounds): PEGs are widely used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. Depending on manufacturing processes, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which are both carcinogens. Found in: creams, sunscreen, shampoo.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS and SLES): SLS and SLES are surfactants that can cause skin irritation or trigger allergies. SLES is often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a byproduct of a petrochemical process called ethoxylation, which is used to process other chemicals in order to make them less harsh. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.
Synthetic flavor or fragrance: an engineered scent or flavoring agent that may contain any combination of 3,000-plus stock chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors and allergens. Fragrance formulas are protected under federal law’s classification of trade secrets and therefore can remain undisclosed. Found in: all types of cosmetics.
Toluene: a volatile petrochemical solvent that is toxic to the immune system and can cause birth defects. Found in: nail polish.
Triclosan and Triclocarban: antimicrobial pesticides toxic to the aquatic environment; may also impact human reproductive systems. Found in: liquid soap, soap bars, toothpaste.