6 Common Mascara Ingredients That Might Be Dangerous For Your Health

Mascara is a beauty essential - it's used every day by makeup artists and beauty lovers alike to open up the eyes and give those lashes a fluttery, flirty look.

Millions of people use mascara every day, but the issue with mascara is that many brands are made with synthetic dyes, minerals and chemicals that can cause irritation, itching and redness. Some of these chemicals can even be carcinogenic. We all knew that striving for perfection and beauty was a little bit intoxicating, but who knew it could be toxic? 

What Goes Onto Our Bodies Is Just As Important As What Goes Into Our Bodies

We all — hopefully —  think about what we put into our bodies by minding what we eat and what we drink and trying to live a healthy life. We know that if we eat the right foods, we can nourish our skin from the inside out, and if we drink enough water, we can hydrate our skin and flush out toxins.

Some of the most common chemicals and toxins found in hundreds of different branded mascara options are explained in a little more detail below.

Phthalates

Phthalates are a chemical found in literally hundreds of beauty products, including mascara. Phthalates are an anti-androgen chemical, which means that they interfere with hormones in the body. In young girls, studies have shown that exposure to phthalates can cause early puberty and throughout pregnancy, phthalates can even cause birth defects and deformities.

They can also damage the liver, lungs and kidneys whilst also interfering with the reproductive system. If you're pregnant, trying to get pregnant or in puberty, it's definitely a good idea to steer clear of phthalates. That's not to say that your mascara will do scary things to your health, as the quantities are tiny, but over time, it can all add up.

Fragrance

You might not think that fragrance would have a huge effect on the toxicity of a mascara, but it really does. Most beauty products contain fragrance as the smell of chemicals isn't really very pleasant, but hundreds of thousands of different chemicals could be added to mascara in order to give it a distinctive scent.

The Environmental Working Group rates fragrances in mascara at an 8 out of 10, 10 being the most dangerous for your health. Some chemicals used to create certain fragrances have a vast range of side effects, including rashes, mood issues, headaches and hormonal imbalances. If your eyes feel irritated and itchy after using mascara, the fragrance may be why.

What About Mercury?

Mercury is one of the most dangerous environmental toxins in the world, known to cause a variety of neurological conditions - it has even been linked to slow brain development in babies through pregnancy and beyond.

Typically, mercury is used as a preservative, just as a way of getting rid of bacteria.

In low dosages, mercury is still toxic as the body absorbs the metal, storing it. Over time, and with repeated absorptions of this dangerous toxin, it can become a real health hazard. The FDA has even banned mercury from all cosmetic products - apart from those products used around the eyes. This is possibly due to the fact that products used around the eyes absolutely have to be bacteria-free, but in natural products, other preservative are used that are far less dangerous. 

Parabens

Parabens are found in virtually every beauty product you can think of. They are often found in the form of methylparabens and propylparabens and according to the Environmental Working Group, methylparabens in particular are known to be toxic.

The U.S. Department of Labor has also noted that parabens can cause irritation and when used in mascara, can result in swelling and itchy, red eyes. Sounds familiar, right? Come on, you know it does.

Triethanolamine (TEA)

Studies into the effects of TEA have shown that this chemical, often used in cosmetics, can have a number of adverse health effects, ranging from minor skin irritation, itching and redness, to major issues including problems with the respiratory tract and even the development of asthma. Some studies done on fetuses in vitro (on women who are pregnant) have also shown that TEA can encourage cell mutations - and cell mutations are sometimes responsible for the development of cancerous cells.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States warns that TEA could cause a range of medical conditions - so steer well clear of this ingredient to protect your health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

SLS is used in everything from mascara to toothpaste and shampoo and everything in between.

SLS is a really rather nasty skin irritant and it's even used to irritate skin in tests, causing dryness and roughness, in order to test the effectiveness of other chemicals that heal the skin. There's also increasingly strong evidence to show that repeated SLS exposure is linked to an increased risk of developing cancer, because it reacts with other minerals within your body to produce carcinogenic toxins and nitrates.

Unfortunately, even high end beauty brands use these chemicals - and hundreds and sometimes thousands more.

Do you want to be beautiful but avoid nasty risks? Check the ingredients before you make a purchase and if you can, choose natural, organic products as they'll be less likely to contain harmful chemicals.