Body
How do ingredients in personal care products affect me?
Introduction
We often focus on what we put in our bodies, but what we put on our bodies is just as important. While we can’t control everything we come into contact with, we have the power to make thoughtful, and informed choices about the products we use daily.
By becoming more conscious of the products we use on and around our bodies, we can protect our health and reduce our environmental footprint. This challenge encourages you to critically evaluate your personal care and cleaning routines, empowering you to make safer, greener choices for yourself and the planet.
Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.
❞
Thích Nhất Hạnh, Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, poet and teacher
The Hidden Harm in Everyday Products
Ironically, many products marketed as “healthy” and “clean” actually do more harm than good. Everyday essentials like shampoo, toothpaste, soap, and deodorant often contain toxins that are harmful to both your health and the planet.
Many of these products contain long lists of untested and potentially harmful synthetic ingredients. For example, a single word like “fragrance” can mask up to 4,000 undisclosed compounds. According to data from Women’s Voices for the Earth, one-third of fragrance chemicals have been flagged as potentially toxic by scientists. Thankfully, organizations like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics offer resources to help you avoid products loaded with harmful toxins.
Legislative Wins for Safer Products
There continue to be major victories in the fight for safer products. In 2023, Washington’s Legislature passed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (TFCA) to improve cosmetic product safety and protect Washington’s people and environment from toxic chemicals in cosmetics. Starting January 1, 2025, TFCA will restrict the manufacture, distribution, and sale of cosmetic products that contain certain toxic chemicals within Washington.
The 27-country European Union has more stringent and protective laws for personal care and beauty products than the United States and leads the world in terms of cosmetic safety regulation. The hazard-based, precautionary approach of the EU acknowledges that chemicals linked to cancer, genetic damage and reproductive problems (infertility and birth defects) don’t belong in cosmetics – regardless of the chemical’s concentration.
Disparities in Exposure: Impact on Women of Color
Some groups face a higher risk from toxic products than others. Women, in general, use more personal care products than men, increasing their exposure to harmful chemicals. This disparity is even more pronounced for women of color, especially Black women, whose products are often formulated with higher levels of toxic compounds.
As Professor D. Wendy Greene explains, “natural hair bans leave African descendant women and girls in a precarious Catch-22. Either don your natural hair at the risk of being lawfully deprived of employment or educational opportunities, or straighten your hair at the risk of consequential harm to your physiological, psychological, economic, and physical wellbeing.”
Thankfully, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has compiled a list of Black-owned beauty brands offering non-toxic, sustainable products, providing safer alternatives for women of color.
Period Products: An Overlooked Source of Harm
Period poverty affects millions globally, with many unable to afford safe products or access clean facilities. Period products are also a significant contributor to both health and environmental concerns. Pads and tampons are often made with harmful chemicals like pesticides, dioxins, and unnecessary fragrances. Alarmingly, a 2024 study found heavy metals in many tampons and pads. People who menstruate also generate a large amount of plastic waste—about 400 pounds over their lifetime from period products alone. Thankfully, there are healthier, eco-friendly alternatives, such as organic cotton tampons and pads that are free from plastic and toxic chemicals, as well as reusable options like menstrual cups and period panties.
Cleaning Products: An Invisible Threat
Though we don’t apply them directly to our bodies, cleaning products still have a significant impact on our health and the environment. These products release harmful chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are linked to fertility issues, cancer, and respiratory disorders. Additionally, they contribute to environmental pollution when washed down drains, contaminating our waterways.
How Can I Trust the Products I Use Are Healthy and Sustainable?
You might be wondering: how do companies get away with this? Unfortunately, in the U.S., over 80,000 chemicals have been introduced without any testing for public or environmental safety. While we can hope for stricter regulations—like those in Europe, which has banned over 1,600 harmful chemicals—we still need to stay vigilant. By being informed, we can carefully evaluate products before using them. You can even make your own DIY products, like household cleaners using simple ingredients like baking soda and vinegar! For more ideas, check out Soap & Soul by Lisa Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s.
It’s also important to watch out for greenwashing—when companies market products as “natural,” “safe,” “eco,” “pure,” or “ethical,” while the ingredients tell a different story. These words are meaningless without third-party certifications that uphold strict health or environmental standards. Resources like MADE SAFE help by verifying products that avoid harmful ingredients and protect human health. Apps like Think Dirty and EWG Healthy Living make it easier to be an informed consumer by scanning products and highlighting harmful ingredients.
Fortunately, there are many effective and ethical personal care brands to choose from! Today’s corporate partner, Acure, creates affordable, planet-friendly products. They are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and free from harmful chemicals. Turning Green has also compiled a list of our favorite natural and ethical bath, body, and personal care products. There are countless ways to take better care of your body and the planet—you just need to know where to look, and we’re here to help!
PARTNERS
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Resources: Learn How to Make Healthier Choices
Understanding what’s in your personal care products is key to making healthier, more sustainable choices. To help you dive deeper, we’ve curated some helpful resources.
CHALLENGES
When you buy personal care products, you’re likely focused on looking and feeling your best. But how often do you turn the bottle over to check the ingredients in your shampoo or deodorant? Even when you do, understanding those ingredients can be tricky. Let’s take a closer look.
Even if you read ingredient labels carefully, you might not get the full story. A single ingredient can hide hundreds of chemicals that pose health risks. In the U.S., there are no laws requiring companies to disclose ingredients listed under terms like “fragrance” or “parfum,” leaving consumers in the dark about what’s really in their products.
Share: Share your infographic on Instagram. Use a caption to inform others about the negative impacts of conventional products and the benefits of safer options. Tag @TurningGreenOrg and any resources you used (like @MadeSafeHQ, @SafeCosmeticsHQ, @EWG, or @ThinkDirty). Don’t forget to include #PGC2024.
Have you ever considered making your own skincare or cleaning products? It’s a fun way to save money, control the ingredients, and reduce waste!
However, not all DIY skincare products are one-size-fits-all. Use your best judgment based on your skin type, and remember that no two bodies are the same. Just be sure to avoid these ingredients in your facial care routine.
Share on Instagram: Post a photo and description of your eco-friendly creation on Instagram. Tag @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2024 to join in on the fun!
PRIZES
Up to 10 Greener and 10 Greenest outstanding submissions will be selected as winners.
Each Greener Winner will receive:
A $50 Gift Code from our partners at Acure. They have one simple mission: to make clean beauty products accessible. Through ongoing product development and rigorous clinical trials, Acure has developed products that are powerful for the skin and the planet and are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.
Each Greenest Winner will receive:
A $75 Gift Code from our partners at Acure. They have one simple mission: to make clean beauty products accessible. Through ongoing product development and rigorous clinical trials, Acure has developed products that are powerful for the skin and the planet and are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.
