Last Updated on March 22, 2025 by NonToxicSwaps
What is the safest moisturizer to use? Using a non toxic face moisturizer can help keep toxic ingredients out of your skin care routine. Check out these options for your new non toxic face moisturizer.
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Common face moisturizers contain concerning ingredients such as:
- Fragrance/Parfum: umbrella term including hundreds of toxins, including hormone disrupting phthalates, as well as skin irritants and allergens. Chemicals that are hidden behind this term can be carcinogenic, respiratory irritants, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxins, neurotoxins, and more (PMID: 35669814)
- Parabens: preservatives linked to endocrine disruption (PMID: 29596967), known to be carcinogenic due to endocrine disruption (PMID: 36746253) Parabens may be listed as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, and benzylparaben.
- Ethoxylated ingredients (PEGs, PPGs, polysorbates, ceteareth, phenoxyethanol): ethoxylation process produces ethylene oxide, a carcinogen and developmental toxin (PubChem CID: 6354) and 1,4-dioxane, a suspected carcinogen (PubChem CID: 31275)
- Phenoxyethanol: deemed generally safe at a 1% concentration, however it’s production process, ethoxylation, can potentially contaminate phenoxyethanol with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide (see above for ethoxylated ingredient description) (PubChem CID: 31236)
- Phthalates: preservative linked to reproductive & developmental toxicity, potentially linked to ADD and learning disabilities (PMID: 24267794) potential carcinogen & endocrine disruptor (PubChem CID: 3026)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate: penetration enhancer which can cause other ingredients to be more readily absorbed through the skin; may cause skin irritation, may react with other ingredients to form nitrosamines (carcinogen), may contain 1,4-dioxane (carcinogen)
Eliminate your exposure to these ingredients and their cumulative impact on your health by switching to one of the recommendations below.
Non Toxic Face Moisturizer
