Toxic Ingredients Database
An evidence-based guide to the harmful chemicals hiding in everyday beauty products. Search by ingredient, category, or brand to learn what you're really putting on your skin.

Worst Offenders: Top 10 Highest Hazard Ingredients
Lead
A toxic heavy metal found as a contaminant in many cosmetic products, particularly lipsticks and hair dyes. There is no safe level of lead exposure. It accumulates in the body over time, primarily in bones, and causes irreversible neurological damage.
Formaldehyde Releasers
A group of preservatives that work by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde over time. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen, and these releasers expose users to low but continuous levels of it.
Phthalates
A group of plasticizing chemicals used to make cosmetics more flexible and fragrances last longer. Phthalates are potent endocrine disruptors linked to reproductive harm, developmental issues, and metabolic disorders.
Coal Tar
A thick, dark liquid derived from the processing of coal. Used in some hair dyes, anti-dandruff shampoos, and psoriasis treatments. Coal tar is a known human carcinogen containing hundreds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Hydroquinone
A skin-lightening agent that works by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production. Hydroquinone is effective at reducing hyperpigmentation but carries serious risks including ochronosis (paradoxical skin darkening), organ toxicity, and potential carcinogenicity. Banned in the EU, Japan, and Australia for cosmetic use.
Quaternium-15
A quaternary ammonium salt used as a preservative in cosmetics and personal care products. It is the single most potent formaldehyde-releasing preservative, generating higher levels of free formaldehyde than any other cosmetic preservative. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen.
Parabens
A class of synthetic preservatives used to prevent microbial growth in cosmetics and personal care products. Parabens can mimic estrogen in the body, raising concerns about endocrine disruption and links to breast cancer.
Methylisothiazolinone
A powerful synthetic biocide and preservative. Once common in leave-on cosmetics, it has been increasingly restricted worldwide due to an epidemic of allergic contact dermatitis. The EU banned it from leave-on products in 2016.
Triclosan
An antibacterial and antifungal agent once widely used in soaps, toothpastes, and cosmetics. Banned by the FDA from hand soaps in 2016 but still allowed in some other products. Linked to endocrine disruption and antibiotic resistance.
Oxybenzone
A chemical UV filter found in many sunscreens and SPF-containing cosmetics. It absorbs UVA and UVB radiation but is a known endocrine disruptor, coral reef toxin, and one of the most frequently detected chemicals in human blood and urine.