The Blacklist
“Clean” isn’t a regulated term in the fragrance industry, so we’ve decided to define Clean for ourselves.
One part of our efforts includes creating a [Blacklist], an ever-evolving list of ingredients that have been banned from our formulations.
As a conscious consumer, you deserve to know about these ingredients and their ties to harmful impacts. But jargon means nothing without context, so we’re explaining each [Blacklisted] ingredient below.
2-methoxyethanol
What it does: Also called Methyl Cellosolve; used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ toxicity
Acetaldehyde
What it does: Adds a fruity scent
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic
Acetone
What it does: Carrier agent for other ingredients
Why it’s dirty: Central nervous system toxicity
Acetonitrile
What it does: Used as a solvent
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ toxicity, central nervous system toxicity
Allergens including nuts, gluten, etc.
What it does: Used for their scent profiles
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, allergic reaction
Animal-derived ingredients, including fats, oils, and musks
What it does: Notes such as Ambergris, Musk and Honey are used for their scent profiles. We’ve replaced all animal-derived ingredients with synthetic alternatives.
Why it’s dirty: Animal exploitation
Benzalkonium chloride
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation
BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
What it does: Extends shelf life and masks other smells
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, carcinogenic, endocrine disruption
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
What it does: Used to extend shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, endocrine disruption
Benzophenone
What it does: Provides fresh, floral scent; used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, carcinogenic, endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, bioaccumulation
Benzaldehyde
What it does: Provides a sweet, almond-like scent
Why it’s dirty: Organ toxicity
Benzyl Acetate
What it does: Provides jasmine scent
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, central nervous system toxicity
Benzyl Alcohol
What it does: Extends shelf life, provides floral-like scent
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ toxicity
Bisphenol A (BPA)
What it does: Used to make resins
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption
Butoxyethanol
What it does: Used as a solvent
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ toxicity
Coal tar
What it does: Used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, organ toxicity
Dioxane 1,4
What it does: Not used as an ingredient, but may form as a by-product during the manufacturing process
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic
EDTAs
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Bioaccumulation
Ethanolamines including DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
What it does: Enhances scent, balances PH
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic
Ethyl Acetate
What it does: Provides a sweet, fruity scent
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ toxicity
Ethoxylated ingredients
What it does: Used as a solvent
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Organ toxicity, skin irritation
Formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents
What it does: A group of different ingredients that continuously release small amounts of formaldehyde to extend shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Organ toxicity, skin irritation, carcinogenic
Hydroquinone
What it does: Used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation, organ system toxicity, carcinogenic
Mercury and mercury compounds
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Central nervous system toxicity, organ toxicity, environmental accumulation
Methyl cellosolve
See: 2-Methoxyethanol
Methylene chloride
What it does: Used as a solvent
Why it’s dirty: Central nervous system toxicity, organ system toxicity, carcinogenic, skin irritation
Methylisothiazolinone/methylchloroisothiazolinone
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Central nervous system toxicity, skin irritation
Mineral oil
What it does: also called Parrafin, Petrolatum or Patroleum Jelly. Used to add shine and lock-in moisture.
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, endocrine disruption, skin irritation. Look for Petrolatum that’s labeled as fully refined as white petrolatum.
Oxybenzone
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption
Parabens (Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben)
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, carcinogenic and skin irritation
PEGs
What it does: Help with ingredient absorption
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, skin irritation
Phthalates
What it does: Increases scent longevity and extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption
Polyacrylamide/acrylamide
What it does: Used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, endocrine disruption
Polycyclic musks and Nitromusks
What it does: Synthetic musks used for scent and to extend shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, bioaccumulation
PTFE/PFOA
What it does: Adds shine
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, carcinogenic, bioaccumulation
Resorcinol
What it does: Antiseptic and disinfectant
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption and skin irritation
Retinyl palmitate
What it does: Used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, skin irritation
Silicones (Cyclical Silicones like cyclotetrasiloxane (D4), cyclopentasiloxane (D5), cyclohexasiloxane (D6), and cyclomethicone)
What it does: Used as a carrier agent for other ingredients
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, bioaccumulation
Sulfates SLS and SLES
What it does: Used as a cleaning agent
Why it’s dirty: frequently contaminated by dioxane 1,4, a known carcinogen, plus endocrine disruption, skin irritation
Synthetic Dyes
What it does: Used for color; often derived from Coal Tar
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, organ toxicity
Thimerosal
See: Mercury and mercury compounds
Toluene
What it does: Used as a solvent
Why it’s dirty: Organ toxicity, endocrine disruption, skin irritation
Triclocarban
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, bioaccumulation
Triclosan
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, bioaccumulation
Acrylates (Ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate)
What it does: Used as a fixative
Why it’s dirty: Organ toxicity, endocrine disruption, skin irritation
Aluminum Salts
What it does: Used to mask odor
Why it’s dirty: Central nervous system toxicity, endocrine disruption
Styrene (Bromostyrene, Deastyrene/acrylates/dvbcopolymer, sodium styrene/divinylbenzene, copolymer, styrene oxide, styrene)
What it does: Increases scent longevity
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, endocrine disruption, skin irritation, central nervous system toxicity
Carbon Black
What it does: used for pigment
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, organ toxicity
Lead/Lead Acetate
What it does: Heavy metal used as a color additive
Why it’s dirty: Carcinogenic, endocrine disruption, organ toxicity
Nanoparticles as defined by the European Commission
What it does: Particles that have been engineered to be extremely small. Used to increase scent longevity.
Why it’s dirty: Relatively new substances, so they’re lacking long-term safety and environmental data.
Paraffin
See: Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
See: Mineral Oil
Phenoxyethanol
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, skin irritation
Talc
What it does: Locks in moisture
Why it’s dirty: possible asbestos contamination, organ toxicity, carcinogenic
Undisclosed synthetic fragrances
What it does: Lab-made fragrance ingredients not derived from essential oils
Why it’s dirty: Umbrella term that may include ingredients found to be Dirty
Chemical UV filters (oxybenzone/benzophenone-3 (CAS 131-57-7), Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Homosalateoxybenzone)
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption
Quaternary amine compounds (as preservatives), excluding hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride and cocodimopropryl quar hydroxysultaine
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Skin irritation
Alkylphenols (octylphenol, nonylphenols) and Alkylphenol Ethoxylates
What it does: Extends shelf life
Why it’s dirty: Endocrine disruption, carcinogenic