A Guide to Every Key Ingredient In Men's Grooming Products Part II: The Bad Seeds
Remember—just because you can rub something on your skin, doesn’t mean you necessarily should.
Photo: Wiki Commons
Remember the last time we published something about key ingredients found in grooming products?
That piece went 50/50 on what’s good for your skin and what’s (probably) bad for it, and it was penned with the novice in mind–the guy for whom ingredients lists once meant all of squat, but he’s since seen the way.
A discerning man must always care for what’s in his grooming products, for like human beings, not all of ‘em are made the same. Or maybe we are all made the same, and our ancient artificially intelligent progenitors are having a hoot about it across scores of nearby galaxies.
Why does it matter all men’s grooming products aren’t made the same? Look at it like this: While the aluminum in some deodorants might spare one guy’s hide, even a bit could make the another’s itch something fierce. Similarly, the alcohol in a splash of after shave is child’s play to one dude, but it could just dry out the next one’s face, and fast.
Speaking of, this guide’s going a darker route; For part two, we’re going to show you the bad seeds, the stuff you want to dodge at all costs. No, not all of the compounds, chemicals and additives you’re about to meet are that bad for you, but, as you’ll learn, some of them can be killer.
Check those labels, guys. Ask Siri to remind you, if you have to.
And say thank you.
She’ll remember it during the robot uprising.
Phthalates (pronounced THA-late)
Where They’re Found
Certain perfume and antifoam products
The Gist
Phthalates (THA-lates) are a group of chemicals used in both plastic and cosmetics manufacturing, and they usually come in liquid form, only sans colour and odour.
There’s actually three kinds of these guys: 1) There’s dibutylphthalate (DBP), which, like softens plastic materials, making them more flexible. 2) Then there’s dimethylphthalate (DMP), used in hairsprays to keep lids from going too hard. 3) Finally, there’s diethylphthalate (DEP), which works as solvents (anything that dissolves other compounds to form a solution), stabilizers and fixatives in a lot of perfumes.
How Bad?
According to the FDA, DBP and DMP are rarely used anymore, leaving DEP as the most commonly used of all phthalates. That said, the Government of Canada published a study in 2011 that cites DBP’s just as commonly found in cosmetics, but it also says that “the overall exposure to phthalates from the use of cosmetic and personal care products is low, and therefore unlikely to pose health risks to Canadian consumers.”
Hold on, though—there’s one more type of phthalate; Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and it is, in fact, bad for you when it’s released into the environment in large enough quantities.
DEHP was also added to Health Canada’s Cosmetic Ingredients Hotlist, conceived to archive potentially dangerous substances and let manufacturers know what shall pass here and what shan’t.
Also worth a moment of pause is the fact that phthalates are endocrine disruptors, which is a technical way of saying they mimic our hormone system, and sometimes they’ll hijack it.
The result? All types of development and reproductive issues, not to mention immune system interference.
Proceed with caution here, people.
Para-Phenylenediamine (or PPD)
Where It’s Found
Hair dyes, tints, pigments, and other colourants contain PPD, but ironically, so do certain treatments for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
The Gist
PPD’s a coal tar-based dye (think a dark, viscous liquid) that’s lived in hair dyes for decades now, and the darker colours seem to have more of it than others.
Fun fact: Coal tar’s composed of all kinds of chemicals, but it’s ultimately derived from, yes, coal.
How Bad?
It all depends on where you look.
This federal document swears PPD’s produced little more than the odd adverse effect in its existence, which may be thanks to the low concentrations found in most products. But it also recognizes PPD as a potential irritant and allergen for folks with sensitive skin. What’s more, any product with PPD sold in Canada has to show as much — with utmost clarity — on said product’s labels. And that’s just the mild take.
At worst, coal tar’s a known carcinogen, and if this 2014 report published in the National Library of Medicine’s any indication, non-Hodgkin lymphomas linked with the usage of the stuff. The report’s based on a controlled study that showed women who used dark-coloured hair dyes before the ‘80s stand to be at risk for developing follicular cancer, while those who used it afterward didn’t simply because most carcinogenic dyes were removed after 1980.
Also noteworthy: The European Union classifies PPD as “toxic” if it’s swallowed, inhaled, or comes into contact with human hide.
Formaldehyde
Where It’s Found
Formaldehyde’s in everything from shampoos and hair gels to soaps and deodorants, plus it’s also used in pharmaceuticals.
The Gist
Originally a gas, formaldehyde’s a chameleonic character whose main job is preservation—in its alternative liquid form, it ensures whatever cosmetic product holding it won’t go bad. It’s also used as a nail hardener, but there has to be a label present that warns about its possible irritancy.
Also, formaldehyde’s flammable, so just marinate on that for a second. When you’re done, think about the fact that it’s also produced by humans during metabolism.
How Bad?
If it’s used in small concentrations — namely five percent or less — then most folks should be fine once exposed to this stuff. Still, there are people who’ll react sensitively to formaldehyde, even when it’s added in small amounts.
Plus, formaldehyde can’t be added to aerosol products since it’s too hazardous to inhale, which also makes you think.
Diethanolamine
Where It’s Found
Americans will find this in their skincare products, like moisturizers, shampoos and conditioners. Canadians won’t, though, and we’ll get to why that is.
The Gist
Diethanolamine’s similar to sulphates in that it’s an emulsifier; It helps products foam up fast, which isn’t bad in and of itself since a good lather helps clean dirt and debris. It’s also used to regulate a product’s Ph (or acidity) levels.
How Bad?
Ready to go mad?
While the FDA sees no reason to ban diethanolamine from being used in cosmetics, the Canadian federal government has disallowed its domestic use.
Here’s why: As Health Canada sees it, using anything with diethanolamine can form what’s called nitrosamines (“known carcinogens” per that aforementioned Canada.ca report) when added to cosmetic formulations, so they’re not taking any risks.
One more thing: In 2020, The U.S. Food & Drug Administration launched an investigation into nitrosamines that were found in none other than a bunch of drugs.
The agency flagged certain medications used for high blood pressure, heartburn, acid reflux and diabetes, and they even had a big one pulled two years ago—a drug called metformin that was once used to treat type II diabetes.
Fragrance and parfum ingredients
Where They’re Found
Any kind of product considered a wearable fragrance, regardless of potency
The Gist
Fragrances and perfumes almost always pack a bevy of ingredients, and if any single one of them’s on Health Canada’s black list, then it won’t get past federal law, let alone see shelves. Still, fragrances happen to be one of the most nebulous of grooming products since, again, many can contain hundreds of ingredients, both synthetic and natural.
By the way, the FDA doesn’t vet or test fragrances (or any cosmetics, for that matter) before they're sold; they leave that up to the best judgment of manufacturers.
Just saying.
How Bad?
But it’s not all bad; There’ such a thing as an International Fragrance Association, and by the looks of it, they want only safe fragrances for the people, and they take that credo pretty seriously. The IFRA’s been around since 1973, too, and pride themselves on scientific transparency. And most of all, they’ll get your scent banned if you mess around, and most (if not all) governments will back them up on it.
If you’re thinking it, rest assured our stuff’s totally safe to use.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t sell it to you.
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)
Where They’re Found
Moisturizers, haircare products, deodorants, and even fragrances
The Gist
These two synthetic antioxidants are used as preservatives in things like moisturizers, but they’re likely poisonous, which gets especially shitty when you realize they’ve been found in our food, too, including some cereals and processed meats.
How Bad?
While it’s tough to find data beyond BHT’s being a skin irritant, BHA, on the other hand, is recognized by the National Toxicology Program, “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
Selenium sulfide
Where It’s Found
Anti-dandruff and other medicated shampoos designed to fight fungal infections
The Gist
Selenium sulfide’s a chemical that’s red-to-orange in colour and powdery in form, and, like we said above, it acts as the active ingredient in anti-dandruff shampoos.
How Bad?
Even though this stuff’s legitimately effective at treating scalp conditions, you’d be surprised how many hair cleansers carry it when, according to this report, it’s “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals.”
It’s also the only selenium compound to have caused cancer in animals, and that’s based on this separate U.S. government report.
That info was released in the 'early ‘80s, too.
One Last Thing
Part three of our key ingredients series is in the works, and you’ll be pleased to know it’ll focus on the good stuff, the natural stuff, like the best essential oils ever (plus a few more you won’t see coming).
Stay tuned.
