Beyond Complex C Vitamin C Serum

Preservatives: The most dangerous ingredients in skincare products are preservatives. Preservatives are toxic, hormone disruptors and can potentially be carcinogenic. Many of the preservatives such as parabens, formaldehyde and releasers like grapefruit seed extract, phenoxyethanol, imidazolidnyl urea, isothiazolinones, benzoic acid and it’s derivatives like benzoate can accumulate over time and trigger cancer cells when your immune system is weak.

Parabens: Preservatives such as parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl and butylparaben) are found in most of the personal care products. Parabens mimic estrogen and are linked to breast cancer, lowered sperm count, lowered testosterone levels, testicular atrophy, infertility, increased testicular cancer and undescended testes. Click for scientific paraben studies

Grapefruit Seed Extract: The chemical structure of grapefruit seed extract is like that of paraben and can be a harmful endocrine disruptor.

PubMed PMID: 17867553 Pharmazie, 2007, Aug 62(8): 593-6 Avula B Dentali, S. Khan

Simultaneous identification and quantification by liquid chromatography of benzethonium chloride, methyl paraben and trichlosan.in grapefruit seed extract.

PubMed PMID: 10399191, 1999 June 54(6); 452-6 Pharmazie von Woedtke B, Schluter

Aspect of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract & its relation to preservatives substance contained. “Many grapefruit seed extracts tested had benzethoninum chloride. Fresh grapefruit seed extract did not show antimicrobial property.”

Formaldehyde: Preservative chemicals like diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, quaternium 15 and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate from soy release formaldehyde which are carcinogens. Formaldehyde is also a skin irritant and sensitizer.

strong>Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone: While legal to be used as preservatives in the United States, these ingredients are banned in Europe and are considered potential neurotoxins and can have harmful effects on the nervous system.

Triclosan and Resorcinol: Used as an anti-bacterial agent and a preservative, these ingredients are known to be hormonal disrupters and can trigger cancer cells.

Benzoic acid/alcohol and Benzoate: Any ingredient with benzoic or benzoate can breakdown and can become dangerous to pregnancy. OSHA prohibits pregnant women from working in environments with benzyne exposure. Benzyl benzoate can react with vitamin C to form carcinogenic benzyne. Potential side effects include blister formation, itching, scaling of skin, difficulty urinating and sudden loss of consciousness.

Salicylic acid and benzyl salicylate: Salicylic acid, willow bark extract, benzyl salicylate: These salicylic acid ingredients when used as preservatives in leave on products can trigger ringing in the ear symptoms (tinnitus).

Benzyl salicylate: Potential for neurotoxicity and recommended to be avoided by pregnant and nursing mothers.

Potassium sorbate: Used as fungicide has the potential change DNA and can be genotoxic.