The average woman wears over 500 chemicals a day. We'll let that sink in for a minute. I's scary to think about considering how easily all of those chemicals can be absorbed by the skin. We've rounded up a list of the top beauty products to avoid, below!
1. Hair dye
It's fun to change up your hair color, but doing so can be harmful. Frequent, long-term hair dyeing has been linked to bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other cancers. Plus, you could build up a tolerance and eventually suffer from an allergic reaction. Whenever possible, stay away from the chemicals and use lemon juice if you want to lighten your hair!
2. Highly pigmented eyeliners and eyeshadows
NARS eyeshadow, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils, and YSL's Everlong Waterproof mascara all contain aluminum powder, which is linked to neurotoxicity and cancer.
3. Sunscreen with vitamin A
Retinyl palmitate, or vitamin A palmitate, can cause cancer when skin is exposed to sunlight. That's why retinol is frequently used in night creams—it should only be used at night.
4. Perfume
Due to a loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, perfume brands are not required to list all ingredients. Some chemicals have been associated with hormone disruption and allergies. It can also trigger asthma, migraines and nausea.
5. Antiperspirants
High doses of the aluminum salts used in antiperspirants cause ovarian lesions and reproductive failure in mice—so who know how it's affecting you! Shaving your armpits and using antiperspirant can also put you at a higher risk, since shaving makes your skin more vulnerable.
Of course, this isn't to say you should never dye your hair and that you should ditch the deodorant—but know what goes into the beauty products you use every day, and don't be afraid to give all-natural remedies a try!