We all want beauty products that enhance our skin, hair, and confidence—but not at the expense of our health. Unfortunately, many mainstream beauty products contain harmful ingredients that can disrupt hormones, cause skin irritation, or even contribute to long-term health risks.

The good news is - navigating toxin-free beauty doesn’t have to be complicated! In this guide, we have provided you with a list of key ingredients to avoid in your makeup, haircare and skincare products. 

Print out this guide, or keep it in your phone so you can refer to it whilst shopping. 

At the end of this guide, we have also provided you with some recommendations of our favourite toxin-free brands.

There are so many amazing toxin-free beauty products waiting to be discovered. We hope you will be inspired to change your beauty routine for naturally radiant confidence. You deserve it.

How to quickly scan ingredient lists to avoid toxins

1. Always scan the top section first. If you find any of the below nasties at the top, you can pop the product back on the shelf. You often find petrochemicals and sulphates on top of the list.

2. Do all the first few ingredients sound good and clean to you? Then check the last few at the very bottom of the ingredient list, this usually is where you find the preservatives as well as fragrance.

3. Scan for any paraben ingredients or other nasties. If you get used to a quick top-and-bottom check you save time, by not having to look up each and every ingredient.

• Aluminium

• Artificial fragrances

• Benzoic acid

• Benzyl alcohol

• BPAS

• Coal Tar

• DEA

• Diethanolamine

• Dimethicone

• Ethoxylated surfactants

• Ethylparaben

• EDTAs

• Ethylparaben

• Formaldehyde

• Lead

• Mercury

• Monoethanolamine

• Methanone

• Methyl parabens

• Mineral oils

• Oxomethan

• Parabens

• Petrochemicals

• Phthalates

Toxin-Free Makeup: 

Many conventional makeup products contain chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin or ingested (like lipstick). Look out for:

Parabens (Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben) – Used as preservatives, parabens can mimic estrogen and disrupt hormones.

Phthalates – Found in some lipsticks, nail polishes, and mascaras, these chemicals can interfere with reproductive health.

Lead & Heavy Metals – Certain lipsticks, eyeliners, and foundations have been found to contain trace amounts of lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which can accumulate in the body over time.

Talc (Containing Asbestos Traces) – Some talc-based powders and eyeshadows may be contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen.

Fragrance (Parfum) – A vague term that can hide dozens of synthetic chemicals, some of which may cause allergies or hormone disruption.

Colours, FD&C and D&C Colours (Derived from coal tar & petroleum) – These artificial dyes may contain heavy metal contaminants like lead, arsenic, and cadmium. They have been linked to skin irritation, allergies, and even hormone disruption. Look out for Red 6, Red 7, Red 28, Red 33, Red 40 → Can contain aluminum and lead (linked to neurotoxicity), Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), Yellow 6 → Can contain arsenic and is associated with hormonal imbalance. Blue 1, Blue 2 → Possible neurotoxic effects, sometimes contaminated with heavy metals, Violet 2 → Found in some lipsticks and can be contaminated with heavy metals.

Our favourite toxin-free makeup brands

Kylies Professional
Eye of Horus
Ilia Makeup
RMS Makeup 

Toxin-Free Haircare: 

Your hair products could be exposing you to harmful chemicals that get absorbed through the scalp. Be wary of:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) – These foaming agents strip natural oils, cause scalp irritation, and can be contaminated with carcinogenic byproducts.

Silicones (Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane) – While they create smooth, silky hair, silicones can build up on the scalp, suffocate hair follicles, and contain toxic contaminants.

Formaldehyde - Releasing Preservatives (DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15, Diazolidinyl Urea) – Used to prevent bacterial growth, these chemicals slowly release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

Artificial Fragrances & Dyes – Often found in shampoos, conditioners, and styling products, synthetic fragrances and colourants may trigger allergies and disrupt hormones.

Our favourite toxin-free haircare brands

Rahua
Innersense Hair

Toxin-Free Perfumes:

Many perfumes and body sprays contain synthetic chemicals that can negatively impact your health. Common offenders include:

Synthetic Fragrances (Parfum, Fragrance Blend) – This can be a mix of hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, some of which are linked to hormone disruption and allergies.

Phthalates – Used to make scents last longer, phthalates have been linked to reproductive issues and endocrine disruption.

Musk Ketone & Other Synthetic Musks – These compounds accumulate in the body and may disrupt hormones and cause skin irritation.

Our favourite toxin-free perfume brands: 

Recreation Beauty 

Toxin-Free Skincare 

It can often be confusing to know what to avoid. In general, it is best to avoid any ingredient, natural or synthetic, which can poison the environment or cause harm to human health. 

I recommend avoiding the below ingredients which have been proven toxic and mutagenic in animal studies. Ingredients to avoid include

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) / Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)and other sulphate-based detergents – These are used in car washes, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and 90% of personal care products that foam. Eye damage, depression, laboured breathing, diarrhoea and skin and eye irritation have been linked to their use. Not only are they harmful, they are also extremely drying to the hair and skin.

Propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and various ingredients formulated with PEGs and PGs – PEGs have been found in everything from personal care products, baby care and sunscreens. They act as binders and plasticizer ingredients. Dioxin is a by-product of the process used to create propylene glycol. Dioxin has been linked to cancer, reduced immunity, nervous system disorders, miscarriage and birth deformity.

Parabens (methyl, butyl, ethyl, propyl) – Parabens are preservatives and allow skin care products to survive for months or even years in your medicine cabinet. They are used in deodorants and other skin care products and have been found in breast cancer tumours. Parabens are known endocrine disruptors that have been linked to cancer and hormonal imbalances.

Phthalates (DBP, DEP, DEHP, and DMP) – Phthalates are most often used to create fragrances in cosmetic products. They are known endocrine disruptors.

Synthetic (FDandC and other) dyes and colourants – Synthetic colours from coal tar contain heavy metal salts that deposit toxins in skin, causing skin sensitivity/irritation. Absorption can cause depletion of oxygen, and animal studies show the majority are carcinogenic.

Benzyl Peroxide – This is predominantly used in acne products and may act as a mutagen, producing DNA damage in human and other mammalian cells.

DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) and TEA (Triethanolamine) – This foam booster is a skin irritant and causes contact dermatitis. It is easily absorbed through the skin to accumulate in body organs and the brain

Formaldehyde – Has many uses but is most often used in cosmetics as a disinfectant and preservative. Be cautious of products containing 1, 4-dioxane, as this can also release formaldehyde in certain chemical processes. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen, skin, eye and lung irritant.

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6 tips for making the switch to toxin-free beauty easy

1. Step by step 

Don’t feel like you have to throw away everything you own, just because you have finally learned how to decode the ingredient list of your favourite beauty products. Replace products as you use them up. Replace products that you use daily and on wide areas of your face/body (body lotion/moisturiser/foundation) first, while small products that you only use on special occasions (bright lip colour, eyeliner etc.) can wait a little longer. This way you won’t break the bank either.If you have babies or children replace their products pronto!

2. Samples are your best friend

Everyone’s skin is different. What works wonders for one, does not suit another. You will always have to try products for yourself. Especially when it comes to changing your skincare and foundation, it’s a good idea to try before you buy. Most companies are happy to provide samples either for free or for a small fee. You can save yourself a lot of $$$ and hassle by sampling.

3. Research, research, research!

It is always helpful to read reviews online (but keep in mind everyone is different so you do need to try things for yourself to know if it is right for you). You can get a general idea of the strengths and weaknesses of a product and also read through the ingredients. Try to only research product group at a time, to not get overwhelmed. There are many great online stores that have selected products that are safe and truly natural. Many cities have exclusive green beauty stores as well, with experts who can help guide you to make the right choices.

4. Don’t give up

Just because you have tried a natural product and it has not worked for you, or you even got an allergic reaction or had any other bad experience: do not give up on it altogether. I am under no illusion that there are many natural beauty products out there that are simply not great. This is the same for conventional products. It sometimes takes some time to find the perfect product that you love to the moon and back. I had to try several natural deodorants and had many bad experiences before I found “the one”. The same goes for finding the right foundation. There are many incredible products out there and it’s worth looking for them!

5. Share and treat your friends

All your efforts aside, sometimes you end up with a new beautiful product that just isn’t right for you. If you did buy a product that you did not like, do not throw it away! Unless you have an allergic reaction you can still use most products for a different purpose. I regularly use up face products on my body. If a face cream or oil is too rich use it on my hands/feet or hair. A real treat! A shampoo or body wash that you don’t like might work well as hand wash or you could use it to clean your makeup brushes. Also, have a think: is there anyone else that would like it? My man keeps using up products that don’t work for me, as his skin is not as sensitive as mine. You might have a friend or relative that loves the product.

6. Beware of greenwashing

Last but not least, there is also a lot of “greenwashing” going on. This means that many companies try to market their products to be natural or organic and use misleading terms to make youth think that their products are natural when really they are not at all. You can avoid this trap by knowing your ingredients, looking for trustworthy certifications or buying from stores that you trust.