Product Profile: Body Wash

Some chemicals of concern that commonly show up in body wash are:

Contaminants – A contaminant is a substance or ingredient found in a product that makes it impure. One of the most commonly found contaminants in body washes is 1,4-dioxane . 1,4-dioxane is a carcinogenic  ^[] contaminant that is not listed on the label of a product because it is not an intentionally added ingredient and is, therefore, often overlooked. Check for chemicals that tend to be associated with the contaminant. A good rule of thumb is avoiding polyethylene glycol compounds or PEGS , as PEGS often contain ingredients that end in “-eth,” for example, sodium laureth sulfate. These all fall under the parent contaminant of 1,4-dioxane.

Another contaminant commonly found in body wash falls under the term surfactants. Surfactants are a group of ingredients found in body washes to make them sudsy. Oftentimes in the creation of a body wash, the product can undergo a process called ethoxylation. Ethoxylation is the reaction that takes place due to the combination of ethylene oxide with surfactants. For instance, the ethoxylation of sodium lauryl sulfate converts it to sodium laureth sulfate, which can ultimately contaminate the final product with 1,4 dioxane in the process.

Undisclosed Fragrance – The term fragrance printed on a bottle of body wash is an umbrella term that represents an undisclosed mixture of various scented chemicals and ingredients. Common fragrance or parfum ingredients such as phthalates ^[2] can be harmful to human health. One common phthalate is diethyl phthalate which has been liked to skin, eye, and respiratory irritation ^[3] . Because companies are not required to disclose fragrance components ^[4] , it’s best to avoid fragranced products unless they are entirely disclosed.

Toxic Preservatives – Preservatives, as the name suggests, are used to “preserve” products for long periods of time, preventing the growth of microorganisms and resulting expiration. Preservatives commonly found in body wash are parabens, quaternium-15, and glyoxal. Two of the most well-known parabens are ethylparaben and isoproplyparaben. They are known to disrupt hormones and mimic estrogen, additionally, they are linked to breast cancer ^[5] and reproductive harm. ^[6]

Note that preservation of products is important – especially when water is present in the formulation – however, make sure the body wash you are using contains better alternative preservatives to harmful ones.

Harmful Surfactants – Surfactants are lathering agents that are added to products to create foam and bubbles, and to wash away dirt and oil. While many shoppers love the action of surfactants, they can be problematic for the environment – especially aquatic life. We often think of our own health first when we choose products, but with something like a body wash that stays on our own skin for a very short time but washes down the drain during our shower, it’s important to consider toxicity to aquatic animals and our environment. Common examples of problematic conventional surfactants include sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate. These foaming ingredients have been found to cause contact irritation ^[7] in users and are also harmful to aquatic life. ^[8]