How often do you use cosmetics? Whether it’s foundation, lipstick, or mascara, there are many costmetic ingredients that are harmful to the environment.
The beauty industry was worth $446 billion in 2023, which was an increase of 10%. And the predicted trend is that it will continue to grow.
Given the volume of cosmetics that are used every day worldwide, it’s worth asking whether makeup is bad for our environment.
Apart from the packaging, often plastic, the ingredients commonly used in many beauty products are toxic to our planet.
In this article, we will look at the ingredients in your cosmetic products you should avoid due to their environmental impact.
Cosmetic Ingredients That Are Harmful To The Environment
When you look at the ingredient lists for many cosmetics you can buy in the UK, you’ll find a wide range of chemical-sounding substances. That’s because the vast majority of these ingredients are made from synthetic chemicals.
There are several issues with synthetic ingredients:
- Many are made from petrochemicals, which means fossil fuels
- The manufacturing of these ingredients is often energy-intensive, which means it produces a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions (Gabrielli et al., 2023)
- Many synthetic ingredients are harmful to wildlife, especially aquatic life (Wirtu 2024)
But it’s not just the synthetic ingredients that can have a negative impact on our environment.
With all this in mind, let’s have a close look at the individual ingredients and ingredient groups to find out how harmful they are and why you should avoid them.
Given the sheer number of different chemicals used, this won’t be an exhaustive list, but will include the worst offenders that are most commonly used in different cosmetics, such as foundation, mascara, lipstick, concealer, etc.
Preservatives
Any product that contains some level of water, i.e. isn’t a dry product like a powder, will need preservatives to keep it safe. Preservatives are substances that inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts and other fungi. (Qiu et al., 2022)
As such, most makeup will contain them, including liquid foundation, primer, concealer, mascara, lipstick, eyeliner, etc.
There are many different preservatives commonly used in cosmetics, the vast majority of which are synthetic, as synthetic chemicals are cheaper and easier to get.
These are the most commonly used that have a negative environmental impact:
- Phenoxyethanol – although not yet widely researched, one study found it’s harmful to zebrafish exposed to the chemical (Goldstein 2020)
- Methylisothiazolinone – studies have shown its presence in the environment is harmful to marine life (Lee et al., 2020) and plants (You et al., 2024). The EWG also lists it as potentially toxic to aquatic life.
- Sodium Benzoate – a study has found that the presence of this chemical in water reduces its pH level and reduces the amount of nutrients available; (Hu et al., 2024) this can lead to biodiversity loss
- Sodium Dehydroacetate – studies have shown that it is harmful and even toxic to zebrafish, an aminal often used to test the environmental impact of chemicals (Huang et al., 2020)
- Ethylhexylglycerin – the EU classifies this preservative as harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects (ECHA)
Another group of preservatives that is still used in makeup is parabens. You might have heard of them, as they have had a lot of bad press because they are toxic to aquatic life.
And many companies don’t use them any more in their personal care products.
However, they are still used in makeup that you can buy in the UK. Examples I have seen on ingredient labels are Methylparaben, Propylparaben, and Ethyparaben.
Methylparaben has been proven to seriously affect plankton in rivers and lakes (Wang et al., 2024), to be toxic to zebrafish (Bereketoglu and Pradhan, 2019), and to increase antibiotic resistance in microbial ecosystems. (Pereira et al., 2024)
Propylparaben is equally bad for our environment. Their toxicity to zebrafish and microbial ecosystems has been shown in the same studies as cited above.
And a separate study has found that it’s harmful to the development of the Japanese rice fish. (Gonzales-Doncel et al., 2013) The EWG doesn’t allow this preservative to be used in products certified by them.
Ethylparaben is another preservative I have seen on ingredient lists. It’s one of those parabens that is harmful to aquatic life. (Lima da Silvera et al., 2024)
There are preservatives that aren’t considered as harmful to the environment, such as Potassium Sorbate, which is readily biodegradable.
Synthetic Fragrances
Many cosmetic products contain fragrance ingredients, including foundation, concealer, lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, etc.
We know that many fragrance chemicals are bad for our environment for various reasons. First, the vast majority commonly used in personal care products, such as cosmetics, are synthetic fragrances.
They are made from petrochemicals, which means fossil fuels, which is bad for the planet. Then there is the issue of the lack of biogradability. The majority of synthetic fragrance ingredients don’t break down easily in the environment, which leads to bioaccumulation.
Because fragrances are used in so many products, not just personal care products, but also cleaning products, air fresheners, paint, pesticides, and many more, they are now found in abundance in our waterways. (Li et al., 2018)
And the ones most commonly used have been shown to be toxic to aquatic life. (Picone et al., 2021)
But how do you know if the fragrance ingredients in your makeup are harmful to the environment? You don’t, because fragrances are considered trade secrets, so the label won’t tell you what exactely is in it, it will only say “perfume” or “fragrance”.
This means that the perfume in your makeup could contain phthalates, which are highly toxic. Many were banned in the UK back in 2019, but others are still allowed to be used.
Several studies have shown that phthalates are toxic to aquatic life, such as zebrafish (Li et al., 2022) and sea urchins. (Gambardella et al., 2024)
The best way to avoid harmful fragrance chemicals is by making sure that the ingredient list doesn’t contain the words “perfume” or “fragrance”.
However, phthalates are also associated with plastic. In this association, they are also found in makeup:
- Polybutylene Terephthalate – used to improve the texture and stability of the product
- Polyethylene Terephthalate – also known as PET, which is used to make drinks bottles, but in cosmetics it’s used as a film-forming agent
Seems odd to put plastic on your face, but that’s exactly what we do when we put makeup on that contains these ingredients.
Moisturisers, Emollients
Emollients, which help to moisturise skin or hair, are often added to cosmetics, including makeup, mascara and lipstick. There are various different substances that are used as moisturisers.
Although moisturisers are a good thing for our skin, many of them are cosmetic ingredients that are harmful to the environment.
Polyethylene Glycol/PEGs
This group of chemicals are polymers that are made synthetically and contain many varieties, many of which are used in cosmetics.
Most have several functions, including helping to moisturise skin or hair. These are examples that have moisturising abilities:
- Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
- PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
- PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone
- PEG-100 Stearate
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
While not all PEGs have been studied, some have, and these have been found to be toxic to aquatic life. (Zicarelli et al., 2024)
Silicones
Another group of chemicals that are often used in cosmetics and personal care products as moisturisers are silicones. They have the endings -cone and -xanes, so can be easily recognised.
Some PEGs are silicones, as you can see when you look at the ending of the last word, Dimethicone, which is a substance used to make some PEGs.
These silicones are used as moisturisers in makeup and aren’t good for our environment:
- Dimethicone – it has a high environmental hazard index (de Albuquerque Vita et al., 2023) and releases microplastics into our environment, which cause harm to wildlife (Nawalage and Bellanthudawa, 2022)
- Cyclopentasiloxane – toxic to aquatic life (EU report 2023) and will potentially bioaccumulate in the environment (Bilal et al., 2020)
- Cyclohexasiloxane – toxic to aquatic life, according to the research cited in the previous bullet point and deemed unacceptable by the EWG
Other silicones might be used, but might not yet have been studied, so their impact on our environment is not yet known. For example, Simethicone and Methyl Trimethicone.
I have found both on the ingredient list of eyeliner, but couldn’t find any information about them.
Other moisturisers that are not silicone-based or part of the PEGs group but are used in makeup and are better avoided include:
- Sodium Hyaluronate – there is some uncertainty about its ecotoxicity, and the EWG doesn’t allow it in EWG certified products unless there is adequate substantiation. It’s also made from animal sources, so it’s not vegan.
- Paraffin – this substance is made from petroleum, a fossil fuel, and studies have shown that paraffin is toxic to aquatic life (Do et al., 2024) and another study has given it a high environmental hazard index of 11 out of 18 (de Albuquerque Vita et al., 2023)
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate – is suspected to be toxic to wildlife and therefore restricted by the EWG
- Hydroxyacetophenone – ECHA considers this synthetic antioxidant harmful to quatic life with long lasting effects
There are many other substances that are used as moisturisers in personal care products such as cosmetics, but many haven’t been studied, so we don’t know their environmental impact.
Colourants
Many cosmetics contain colourants, especially makeup such as foundation, concealer, lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, browliner, etc.
One group of colourants often used have the term “lakes” in the name. These are made with metal salts such as aluminium, calcium, barium, etc.
While they can be made from plant-based or animal sources, the vast majority of these lake colourants are made synthetically from petroleum or coal tar.
Unless the labels make it very clear that the colourants are made from plant-based sources, it’s likely they are made synthetically from fossil fuels, as this is much cheaper.
There is some uncertainty about their impact on our environment. However, most of them are either classified as restricted or unacceptable by the EWG. Restricted means they can’t be used unless there is adequate substantiation:
- Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090) – depending in what it’s used the EWG classified it as restricted or unaccpetable
- Red 28 Lake (CI 45410) – this colourant is unacceptable in EWG-certified products
- Red 7 Lake (CI 15850) – restricted for EWG-certified products
- Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140) – restricted for EWG-certified products
- Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985) – depending on the use, it’s either unacceptable or restricted by the EWG
Other colourants that are used in different types of cosmetics and are better avoided include:
- Black 2 [Nano] (CI 77266) – also called Carbon Black is a colourant made from petroleum and is restricted or unacceptable in EWG-certified products; a study has shown it impairs the development of zebrafish embryos (Kim et al., 2018)
- CI 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride) – is synthetically made from bismuth, a copper by-product, and its use is restricted in EWG-certified products as there are concerns it’s a toxic chemical that could harm the environment
The main issue with colourants used in makeup and cosmetics is that most of them haven’t been studied regarding their environmental impact.
However, the fact that so many of them are classed as only to be used with adequate substantiation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) does suggest that they aren’t good for our environment.
When we talk about colours we also have to talk about mica. This mineral is often used in cosmetics but is associated with child labour. You want to make sure that the makeup brand you use only uses mica suppliers that don’t use child labour.
If they are an ethical brand, they will be transparent and have the information available on their website.
Sunscreen
Many cosmetics contain UV filters, including foundation, makeup primer, eye and lip makeup, etc.
Most often organic UV filters will be used, which means they are syntetically made in a lab, mostly from petroelum. Most of them have been shown to be toxic to wildlife when they get into aquatic environments.
They are very harmful chemicals that have a huge environmental impact, including on coral reefs.
You can find out more about the many chemical UV filters and their impact on wildlife in our article about how bad sunscreens are for our planet.
But here are some of the UV filters I found on the ingredient lists of various cosmetics you better avoid:
- Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate – UVB filter – not allowed in EWG-verified products; toxic to crustaceans (Park et al., 2016)
- Butyloctyl Salicylate – UVB filter – found to be harmful to crustaceans (Nemeth et al., 2024)
- Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane – UVA filter – found to impair the reproduction of mussels (Bordalo et al., 2022)
The only UV filters that aren’t classed as harmful to aquatic life, such as coral reefs, fish, crustaceans, etc. are inorganic or mineral UV filters. And there are only two: Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide.
Used in non-nano form, they are the most eco-friendly ultraviolet filters currently available.
Solvents, Emulsifiers, Thickening Agents, Binding Agents…
Many, if not the majority, of the ingredients in makeup and cosmetic products are added to make the product the right consistency. So that you can spread it easily, it will absorb quickly, the ingredients bind together nicely, and to thicken and bulk out the product.
Most of these substances are synthetic and are made from petrochemicals, which means fossil fuels. Many have multiple functions, so it’s not easy to find your way through an ingredient list and find out what all these chemicals do.
They are often called non-active ingredients because they don’t contribute to the actual function of the product, like covering up your skin or colouring your lips.
And many of them are definitely cosmetic ingredients that are harmful to the environment and should be avoided.
Here we order them by their classification, rather than by what they do, for simplicity reasons.
PEGs
We have already discussed this group of chemicals in the moisturiser section. But here are other chemicals of this group used for other functions in makeup:
- PEG-8 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides – used as solubiliser and/or surfactant
- PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate – used as emulsifier
- PEG-90M – used as emulsifier, binding agent, and for viscosity control
Silicones
Another group we have already discussed. Here are other silicones that aren’t used as moisturisers, but are used in makeup:
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate – used as film-forming, texture enhancing, and longevity agent – suspected to be toxic to wildlife and restricted by the EWG
- Triethoxycaprylylsilane – used as emulsion stabiliser, and binding agent – toxic to wildlife and restricted by the EWG and classed as toxic to wildlife by ECHA
One issue is that silicones don’t biodegrade, which means they persist in the environment for a long time and float around as microplastics.
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid/EDTA
This group of chemicals is used as a chelating agent, stabiliser, and binding agent in many cosmetics. There are different varieties you might find on the label of your makeup:
- Disodium EDTA
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Trisodium EDTA
The use of all three is restricted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in their verified products. A study has shown that EDTA is harmful to green algae. (Kim et al., 2024)
Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances/PFAS
PFAS are also called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily and therefore persist in the environment for a very long time. This means there is a major concern about the bioaccumulation of these substances. (Rudin et al., 2023)
There are currently over 4,000 different chemicals in this group, but the number is likely to rise. (Lin et al., 2024)
Because of the sheer number of these chemicals and their persistence in the environment, they have been found everywhere in the environment, including wildlife and humans. (Vendl et al., 2021)
An investigation by the BBC in 2023 found that PFAS were still used in makeup sold in the UK, despite growing scientific evidence regarding their impact on the environment and human health.
Studies have shown that PFAs harm the development of zebrafish larvae (Yao et al., 2024) and are harmful to catfish. (Wang et al., 2024)
Most big brands have said they are phasing out the use of these chemicals in their products. And our extensive research into makeup ingredients has not identified any PFAS.
However, as it’s impossible to check the ingredient list of every single makeup product you can buy in the UK, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t still used.
To recognise PFAS on an ingredient list, look out for words that contain -fluoro, -perfluor, or PTFE.
Other cosmetic ingredients that are used to get the texture of the product right include:
- Isododecane – used as a solvent and emollient – the EWG only allows it to be used with adequate substantiation; a study gave it a moderate environmental hazard index (de Alburquerque Vita et al., 2023); and the EU suspects that it might have long-lasting harmful effects on aquatic life (ECHA)
- Silica – this ingredient serves as absorbing agent, bulking agent, anti-caking agent, and abrasive in srubs – research has shown it has adverse effects in many studied animals, including amphibians, insects, and fish (Book and Backhaus, 2021)
- Magnesium Stearate – a lubricant and anti-caking agent also used in food – it has been shown to be toxic to organisms in terrestrial and marine ecosystems (Bolan et al., 2024)
- Polyquaternium-10 – used as film-forming and anti-static agent – polyquaterniums have been shown to impair aquatic organisms (Brill et al., 2024) and are harmful to zebrafish larvae (Hansen et al., 2023)
There are many more chemicals used to make products the right texture, thickness, and consistency, but it would be impossible to mention them all here.
Palm Oil
One ingredient that would be classed as a natural ingredient because it’s not made synthetically in a lab is palm oil.
It’s used not just in cosmetics but also in food, due to its many different capabilities. Natural ingredients might not have the same harmful effects on our environment as many toxic ingredients we have so far listed.
However, this cosmetic ingredient has nonetheless a huge environmental impact. Its adverse effect is caused by its popularity.
Because it’s used in so many different areas, including in beauty products, it’s responsible for deforestation.
In order to grow enough palm oil trees to meet demand, vast amounts of established forests in Southeast Asia have been cut down, with Malaysia and Indonesia the biggest producers of palm oil.
Deforestation is one of the big players when it comes to causing climate change. You can read more about this in our article EcoHomLife Explains: Is Deforestation Bad For The Environment?
This is by no means an exhaustive list. The sheer amount of cosmetic ingredients makes it impossible to list them all. Especially as new ones are invented regularly.
The other issue is that many ingredients haven’t been tested or researched regarding the risks environmental exposure would pose.
What has shocked me most is that ingredients that we know are bad for our environment and us humans, like parabens and phthalates, are still used in many cosmetic products.
So what can we do?
Use Less And Use Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Avoiding those cosmetic ingredients that are harmful to the environment is one thing we can do. However, living a sustainable life includes using less.
Do you really need all this makeup? I have to admit, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different cosmetics out there.
The beauty industry makes money by telling us that we are not good enough the way we are and that we need all these products to look “beautiful.” But do we really?
So the first step to avoid these nasty chemicals is to use less. This doesn’t mean you can’t use any makeup, but reducing the amount we use will be a good start.
When we have decided which makeup products we want to keep using, look for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional beauty brands.
Eco beauty brands won’t use harmful or toxic ingredients, instead they will focus on natural ingredients. They will also refrain from using plastic packaging to further reduce their impact on the environment.
One example of eco-friendly makeup is mineral makeup, which comes in powder form and only uses mineral-based ingredients, which are better for our environment.
Love The Planet are a UK-based makeup brand that sells plastic-free mineral makeup and concentrate on doing their bit for the planet. Read our article about finding eco-friendly makeup in the UK to find the one for you.
Create your eco-friendly beauty routine today and let your beauty shine while protecting the planet.
