- Synthetic fragrance is the most common offender with its 3,000 ingredient umbrella. The truth is, we'll never know what toxins are really in there, but any fragrance term on any label most likely contains endocrine disrupting phthalates.
- Parabens have been shown to mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen and are associated with the formation of breast cancer after having been found in breast tumors.
- Petroleum ingredients including petrolatum, propylene glycol and PEG ingredients can be contaminated with highly toxic and carcinogenic PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).
- Quaternary ammonia compounds including quaternium ingredients are suspected reproductive toxicants and can release formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen.
- Triethanolamine is a strong respiratory allergen and suspected immune system toxicant.
- DMDM hydantoin and diazolidinyl urea are known immune toxicants and formaldehyde-releasers, a high-risk carcinogen.
- Phenoxyethanol is a known allergen and a suspected reproductive toxin.
- Ammonia is expected to be toxic to human organ systems as well as bioaccumulative.
- Aminomethyl propanol isn't really toxic itself, but can be contaminated with nitrosamines which are carcinogenic in nature.
- Tocopheryl acetate is low on the toxicity scale, but is often contaminated with hydroquinone, an extreme skin irritant.
Hand Sanitizers to Avoid
These are the brands you'll want to steer totally clear of because they contain multiple top offenders including synthetic fragrance, parabens, petroleum, and quaternium ingredients.
- Art Naturals contains propylene glycol and tocopheryl acetate.
- BioProtect contains ammonia and artificial colors/dyes.
- CVS contains fragrance, propylene glycol, tocopheryl acetate, artificial colors/dyes and aminomethyl propanol.
- Germ Bloc contains cetrimonium chloride, phenoxyethanol, retinyl palmitate and tocopheryl acetate.
- Germstar contains fragrance and unknown emollient mix.
- GermX contains fragrance, tocopheryl acetate, benzophenone-4 and artificial colors/dyes.
- Gold Bond contains fragrance, distearyldimonium chloride, petrolatum, glyceryl laurate, tocopheryl acetate, phytonadione, DMDM hydantoin, methylparaben, propylparaben, PEG-8 dimethicone and benzyl alcohol.
- Hand Clens contains quaternium-12, propylene glycol, cetrimonium chloride, cocamidopropyl betaine, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben and propylparaben.
- Hands2Go contains DMDM hydantoin.
- Healing Waters contains fragrance, triethanolamine, tocopheryl acetate and artificial colors/dyes.
- Kleenex contains fragrance, propylene glycol, petrolatum, aminomethyl propanol and tocopheryl acetate.
- L'Autre Peau contains fragrance and artificial colors/dyes.
- Purell contains fragrance, aminomethyl propanol, tocopheryl acetate and artificial colors/dyes. Purell Naturals doesn't have fragrance, but still contains aminomethyl propanol and tocopheryl acetate.
- Safe Hands contains fragrance, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol and artificial colors/dyes.
- Up & Up contains fragrance, benzophenone-4, propylene glycol and tocopheryl acetate.
- Wet Ones contains fragrance, PEG 8-dimethicone, PEG 60, quaternium-52, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben and propylparaben.
- Zylast contains polyquaternium-10, benzyl alcohol, farnesol, tocopheryl acetate and chlorhexidine digluconate.
