Toxic Skin Care and Formaldehyde

As the summer is approaching, and we expose more of our skin to the air and sun, it is important to learn about how to keep our skin healthy and beautiful.


:: Imidazolidinyl Urea And DMDM Hydantoin

These two chemicals are just two of many preservatives that release formaldehyde. They are called formaldehyde-donors. It is a colorless liquid or gas with a pungent, distinctive smell. It is utilized in the manufacturing of synthetic resins that are used in adhesives for plywood, particle board, coatings for paper and textiles, in molded plastics and for sound insulation. It is extensively used in the textile and apparel industries to:

• Produce fabrics, so that they are permanent press
• Make fabrics waterproof
• Enhance the colorfastness of dyes
• Formulate fabrics that are fire retardant

Any materials treated with a formaldehyde-based resin emit formaldehyde gas until it is rinsed out, washed, cleaned or shampooed. If anyone tells you that the gas will dissipate when the resin finishes “curing”—that will take months or years.

Formaldehyde is also utilized in disinfectants, drugs and cosmetics, as a tanning agent for leather, as a laboratory and photographic chemical and in embalming fluids.


Formaldehyde is used in so many beauty products, that the expression, “well preserved” isn’t too far-fetched. The Safe Cosmetics Campaign is doing its best to fight against its use, but this particular chemical is a specialist in masquerading with different names. It may appear on the label of your product under various names such as these:

• Paraformaldehyde
• Benzylhemiformal
• 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol
• 5-bromo-5-nitro-1, 3-dioxane
• Diazolidinyl urea
• Quaternium-15
• DMDM Hydantoin
• Sodium hydroxymethyl
• Glycinate
• Methenamine

A European Union Working Group on Cosmetics discovered that these formaldehyde releasers can off-gas a portion or even all of their formaldehyde content to the air. Formaldehyde as an ingredient in cosmetic products is restricted in Europe as well as in Canada.

Research has revealed that even low levels of formaldehyde can have health effects. Low levels of contact may irritate the eyes, nose and throat; cause skin problems, severe breathing problems. OSHA regulates formaldehyde as a cancer-causing substance. Since this article is in regard to skin, these are the skin problems you may encounter when using a product with formaldehyde:

•Skin blisters
•Fingernails that may turn brown and soft
•Skin that become red and cracked
•Skin that may dry out
•Irritations that deteriorate with heat and sweat

Formaldehyde is used in nail treatments and polish, moisturizers, eye make-up, lip make-up, shaving products, shampoos and even a couple of baby shampoos.

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BOTTOM LINE:

1) Avoid Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin (chemical preservatives) at all cost for they release formaldehyde upon degradation. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.
2) Sense Beautiful Science products do not contain added chemical preservatives so they do not contain Imidazolidinyl Urea nor DMDM Hydantoin nor any formaldehyde-releasing preservative agent. :)

Take care of your skin, it is your first defense against the environment.

Marie Bertrand
SkinScience Clinic
www.skinscience.md

Source: Toxic Cosmetics (2007)