11 Toxins to Avoid in Hand Soap and How to Make Your Own

Are antibacterial hand soaps really necessary? Or are they doing more harm than good? Read on to find out what’s lurking in your cupboards and what is actually recommended by science.

Numerous industries (pharmaceutical and product) have done a fairly successful job at convincing consumers that basic soap is not effective.

Instead, the message is you need antibacterial soap and high powered cleaners to disinfect and clean both you and your home.

Number 1: this is just downright false, and Number 2: it’s actually dangerous information.

Overuse of antibacterial products decreases the amount of bacteria you’re exposed to which helps your immune system, and increases the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria – a rapidly growing issue.

It’s also not just the issue of bacterial exposure for your immune system but also the incredibly harmful toxic chemicals that are found in commercial soaps.

Through successful marketing campaigns, lobbying, and fear tactics, antibacterial soaps have become the norm in households. It is estimated that 3 out of every 4 containers of liquid soap sold in the United States contain antibacterial ingredients.

And it’s not just soap; it’s in toothpastes, laundry detergents, dish soaps, and even children’s toys too!

Ultimately, why waste your money (and immune system) on products that are more harmful than good?

I’m here to help you learn what I have, without needing to wade through the research and troubleshoot recipes. Instead, you can skip all of that by reading this article, arming yourself with fact-based information and make safe products in your own home that help you and the environment.

When you know, you know, right?

And just in case you need a little bit more info: Antibacterial Soap? You Can Skip It, Use Plain Soap and Water | FDA

Chemicals to Avoid in Hand Soaps and Hand Sanitizers

The following is a list of some toxic ingredients common in hand soap, hand sanitizer, and other personal care products.

This is not a complete list of all toxic ingredients, but will give you a start when you look at ingredient labels.

1. Triclosan

Here are a few more reasons to avoid products containing triclosan:

• Triclosan takes a few hours to a few days to leave your body, building up over time when used in multiple products
• Triclosan can cause decreased fertility, birth defects, and damage to major body organs.
• Triclosan acts as an endocrine disruptor, mimicking the hormone estrogen and causing hormone imbalances leading to many health issues
• Triclosan can be detected in human breast milk and decreases fecal microbe in infants impacting their immune system and brain function
• Triclosan can combine with chlorine in tap water to make chloroform gas which is classified as a probable human carcinogen.

2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a common ingredient in shampoos, liquid soaps, and toothpaste. This is a foaming agent found in about the majority of foaming personal care products.

Always check the ingredients. Back when I first started educating myself about toxins I bought a “natural shampoo” that said ‘SLS free’ on the label but when I looked at the ingredients, it had SLS in it!!

I now use this shampoo and love it! Lasts forever and you only have to wash once a week!

• SLS is a sulfate and is the active ingredient in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and industrial strength soaps.
• It can damage cell membranes and possibly cause hair loss.
• It is also linked to skin and eye irritation, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicological, and biochemical or cellular changes, and possible mutations and cancer, as reported by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.

3. Parabens

Parabens are in so many skin care products; they preserve other ingredients and extend a product’s shelf life. Some common names to look out for are: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, etc. They are also dangerous and something to avoid completely:

• Mimic estrogen hormone (causing elevated estrogen levels) and thereby disrupting your normal hormones
• Can cause diminished muscle mass and extra fat storing.
• Topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors. This is concerning because parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can encourage the growth of human breast tumors.

4. Ureas

Formerly known as Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl, DMDM hydantoin, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate:

• Ureas can release formaldehyde and cause joint pain, heart irregularities, and a weakened immune system.
• Ureas are a primary cause of contact dermatitis.

5. Synthetic Colors

Synthetic colors are made from coal tar. They contain heavy metal salts that may deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Many studies have shown them to be carcinogenic. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number.

6. Diethanolamine (DEA)

Diethanolamine (DEA) is used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams, bubble bath, and other cosmetics. It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

7. Propylene Glycol, Propylene Oxide, Polyethylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is the main ingredient in anti freeze and is listed on the FDA government website as a known carcinogen.

• It is found in hand sanitizers, moisturizers, shaving creams, deodorants, and baby products.
• Propylene glycol weakens skin cells.
• It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

8. Synthetic Fragrance

Synthetic fragrances often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters that mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list ‘fragrance‘, ‘parfum‘ or ‘perfume‘ as an ingredient even if the label states that it’s derived from essentials oils. See Why Essential Oils Might Not Be Good For You for more on that.

9. 1,4-Dioxane

1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical “known to cause cancer”, yet you won’t see it listed on an ingredient label on a product because it is considered a by-product or contaminant of the ethoxylation process.

• Avoid synthetic ethoxylated ingredients, including those with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other “eth,” PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, in their names.

10. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)

Ethyl alcohol is a common ingredient in hand sanitizer. It is linked to cancer, birth defects, developmental/reproductive toxicity, and organ system toxicity.

Ethyl alcohol can be naturally derived from the plant wintergreen but it is incredibly rare to find a company using this method.

11. Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)

BAC is used in hand sanitizers and belongs to a group of germicides knows as “quats“. It is linked to cancer, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

Always Read Labels – Even For ‘Natural’ or ‘Organic’ Products

After reading about all those toxic ingredients, you may decide to switch to a product labeled “natural” or “organic”. But you need to be aware that many toxic ingredients are still in products mislabeled natural or organic.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) released a study of personal care products claiming to be “natural” or “organic” and some of the leading brands were found to contain 1,4-dioxane. Products certified under the USDA National Organic Program did not contain this toxin.

No matter what brand you buy, you need to read the ingredient labels. Just because a product is “more natural” or “better” doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Where Do I Start?

This week, take the time to read the ingredient labels on your soaps and hand sanitizers. Look up their information in EWG’s Cosmetics Database.

Pay particual attention to products use for children and babies.

Then (or right away!) make this easy homemade, 100% natural soap for a safe, non-toxic way to clean your family’s hands.

DIY Foaming Hand Soap

This recipe is incredibly easy and takes mere moments to create. Did I mention it will also save you $3-5/bottle? Yes, it costs pennies to make!

You can customize it to your needs – think eczema, dry skin, mechanical residue, cold season, etc.

Add beneficial essential oils like Lemon, Thieves, Pine. And it makes a wonderful decor and gift piece.

Pennies! Safe for your family and the environment.

Going sustainable and organic is a marketing tactic to keep people away from being self-sufficient. When you cut out the “fancy”, there are numerous cost savings to recoup, and you can make it look good too!

Hand Soap Supplies

• Foaming pump bottle
• Liquid Castile soap
• Quality essential oils (optional)
• Vitamin E (optional)

Hand Soap Instructions

• Fill your soap dispenser about 1/6 of the way with Castile soap
• Add 10 drops of essential oils and 1 tsp vitamin E (optional)
• Top with water
• You’re done! It’s that simple.

Beneficial Aromatherapy Combinations

When it comes to using essential oils, quality matters deeply. You don’t want to be adding in harmful fragrances or additional toxins under the guise of “essential oils”.

Everything should have its purpose on the self-sufficient homestead. Using oils for their therapeutic value means they need to be produced for their therapeutic value and not aroma or marketing.

Colds: Thieves, Lemon, Cypress

Seasonal Sniffles: Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint

Grease: lemon, orange, tangerine

Stress/relax: lavender, Northern Light Black Spruce, Orange, Pine

Arthritis: Wintergreen, Peppermint, Lavender, Citronella, PanAway

PIN FOR LATER