The foundation to our Conscious Standards of cleanliness. Each product that we review is evaluated on ingredients, performance, and packaging We have the highest standard when choosing products, therefore, we have an ever-growing list of barred ingredients that we feel negative health impacts outweigh their use benefit. No product carried at North Authentic uses the ingredients listed in our "Barred Ingredients List."
In collaboration with our Technical Advisors, as well as resources such as Safe Cosmetics, Environmental Working Group, the National Institute of Health, we have found that these ingredients have negative health and environmental impacts that fail to validate their use. Furthermore, our clean brands have found successful ways to deliver performance while not using these ingredients. It can be done!
No. We believe that the ingredients on our list are harmful and therefore, even the smallest (1 part per billion) amount is unnecessary to deliver optimal performance.
They do. That is why you will notice that we do not carry every brand in its entirety. Where our brand partners have successfully formulated products adhering to our "Barred Ingredients List," we have chosen to carry those products. Brand partners are working toward reformulating toward cleanliness. Only when those products have been reformulated without our barred ingredients will North Authentic begin performance testing.
1,4 DIOXIN
Use: Contaminant (unlisted in ingredient labels) - a substance that renders a product impure and unsuitable for use
What is it: A by-product generated by ethoxylation (a process where ethylene oxide is added to other chemicals to make them less harsh)
Health Concern: Carcinogen, Organ Toxicity, Birth Defects
Found In: Products that sud
FORMALDEHYDE
Use: Preservative
What is it: Formaldehyde
AKA: Quaternium-15,DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol (bromopol) and glyoxal.
Health Concern: Carcinogen, Neurotoxicity, Developmental toxicity, asthma, skin/eye irritation, allergy trigger
Found in: Shampoo, Body wash, Bubble Bath, Nail polish, Eyelash glue.
SLS + SLES
Use: Surfactant
What is it: By-product of a process called ethoxylation, in which ethylene oxide, is added to other chemicals to make them less harsh.
Health Concern: Contamination with 1,4-dioxane, Potential carcinogens, Endocrine disruption, Causes skin and eye irritation, Can trigger Allergies
Found In: All types of hair products
Use: Preservatives substance added to delay decomposition and inhibit spoilage by preventing growth of bacteria, yeast, and/or mold in a product, Antimicrobial agents
What is it: Esters of para hydroxybenzoic acid
Health Concern: Endocrine disruption, potential carcinogen, Developmental, reproductive and immune toxicity, allergy trigger
Found In: All types of hair products
PHTHALATES
Use: Plasticizers, Solubilizer, Denaturant
What is it: Derived from phthalic acid
Health Concern: Endocrine disruption, birth defects
Found In: Hair sprays and synthetic fragrances
TRICLOSAN OR TRICLOCARBAN
Use: Antimicrobial agent
AKA: Microban
What is it: Antibacterials
Health Concern: Endocrine disruption, toxic to aquatic environments, contributes to antibiotic resistance in bacteria
Found In: Antibacterial products
OCTINOXATE + OXYBENZONE
Use: UV filter
What is it: Formed by combining methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ehtylhexanol-compounds which are not harmful on their own. When mixed, they form a clear liquid that does not dissolve in water.
Health Concern: Endocrine disruption, mimics estrogen and can disrupt thyroid function. Reproductive and developmental toxicity, organ system toxicity.
Found In: Hair color products and shampoos, sunscreen, lipstick, nail polish, skin creams
PARAFFIN/PETROLATUM/PETROLEUM
Additional Information Coming Soon
MICROBEADS
Additional Information Coming Soon
METHOXYETHANOL
Additional Information Coming Soon
LEAD/LEAD ACETATE
Additional Information Coming Soon
PERFLUORONONYLETHYL CARBOXYDECYL (PEG-10)
Additional Information Coming Soon
TOLUENE
Additional Information Coming Soon
HEXYLRESORCINOL
Additional Information Coming Soon
OCTAFLURORPENTYL METHACRYLATE
Additional Information Coming Soon
BHA (BUTYLATED HYDROXYNISOLE)+ BHT (BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE)
Additional Information Coming Soon
HYDROQUINONE
Additional Information Coming Soon
TERTIARY BUTYLHYDROQUINONE
Additional Information Coming Soon
AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL
Additional Information Coming Soon
METHYL CELLOSOLVE
Additional Information Coming Soon
ETHANOLAMINE COMPOUNDS (MEA, DEA, TEA AND OTHERS)
Use: Personal care products, household cleaning products.
What is it: A chemical group comprised of amino acids and alcohols.
Health Concern: Cancer, environmental concerns (bioaccumulation), organ system toxicity
Found In: Soaps, shampoos, conditioner, lotions, shaving creams, paraffin, waxes, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, blush, makeup foundations, fragrance, suncreen
What to look for on the label: Triethanolamine, Diethanolamine, DEA, TEA, cocamide DEA, cocamide MEA, DEA-cetyl phospate, DEA oleth-3 phosphate, lauramide DEA, linoleamide MEA, myristamide DEA, Olaeamide DEA, stearamide MEA, TEA-lauryl sulfate.
We, at North Authentic, are doing our best to help you achieve your hair goals in the cleanest, healthiest way possible. To do this, our Barred Ingredient List is always growing; however, in order to support our brands in the time it takes to reformulate, we are adding certain ingredients in 2021 and 2022. We know that achieving conscious goals is an intensive and time-consuming task. Let's support each other in doing better!
METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE/METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE
Use: Preservatives, Fragrance Enhancers
What is it: Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Health Concern: Skin irritation, Sensitizer, Allergy trigger, possible neurotoxicity
Found In: All types of hair products
ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID (EDTA)
Use: Binding agent, penetration enhancer
AKA: Disodium EDTA, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, -EDTA
Health Concern: Organ toxicity
Found In: Hair dye, moisturizer, cleansers, body wash.
SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE
Use: Scent or flavoring
What is it: Engineered scent or flavoring agent that usually contains dozens of chemical ingredients used to create fragrances. Because they are considered “Trade Secrets,” they do not need to be disclosed.
Health Concern: Severe skin and respiratory irritation, trigger allergies, migraines and asthma attacks, Potential carcinogen, Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Birth defects
Found In: All types of hair products, body products, cosmetics
POLYSORBATES
Use: Surfactant, Emulsifying agent
What is it: Produced by reacting polyol, sorbitol and ethylene oxide
Health Concern: Possible contamination with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, both known carcinogens
Found In: All types of hair products and body products
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG COMPOUNDS)
Additional Information Coming Soon
MINERAL OIL
Additional Information Coming Soon
PHENOXYETHANOL
Additional Information Coming Soon
ADDITIONAL EHTOXYLATED INGREDIENTS (CETEARETH-20, STEARETH-20, LAURETH-9, TRIDECETH-12, METHYL GLUCETH-20, OLETH-5, TRIDECETH-6, LAURETH-4)
Additional Information Coming Soon
RETINYL PALMITATE
Additional Information Coming Soon
ACRYLATES
Additional Information Coming Soon
Shop using our "Ingredient of Concern" filters to help you find the perfect hair products for you!
Complete our FREE 2-minute Hair Consultation Quiz and receive a personalized expert-recommended hair care prescription
+
15% off your order
Skip to content
