JunkFree Standards and the No-No List

Our mission at JunkFree Market is to provide our customers with safe and effective beauty products that are free from toxic and harmful ingredients. We are committed to sourcing only the highest-quality, natural, and organic ingredients that nourish and enhance your skin and overall health. Our goal is to empower our customers to make informed decisions about their beauty routine, while supporting ethical and sustainable practices.

We have developed a No-No List, a list of chemicals that we would avoid in the products we offer. 

These are the 20 worst toxic chemicals in health and beauty products, with some of the associated health concerns: 

1. Mercury - Neurological damage, skin rashes and discoloration
2. Lead - Anemia, nervous system damage
3. Formaldehyde - Respiratory irritation, cancer
4. Toluene - Headaches and dizziness, reproductive harm
5. Coal tar - Skin irritation and rashes, cancer
6. Hydroquinone - Skin irritation and redness, discoloration and ochronosis (bluish-black pigmentation)
7. Triclosan - Hormone disruption, increased risk of bacterial resistance
8. Phthalates - Reproductive and developmental harm, asthma and allergies
9. Polyethylene glycol (PEGs) - Skin irritation and redness, contamination with carcinogens and other toxins
10. Synthetic fragrances - Headaches and migraines, allergic reactions and skin irritation
11. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) - Skin irritation and inflammation, eye irritation and damage
12. Parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben) - Hormone disruption, breast cancer
13. Polypropylene - Skin irritation and allergies, environmental pollution
14. Aluminum - Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer
15. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) - Endocrine disruption, cancer
16. Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA) - Skin irritation and allergies, liver and kidney damage
17. Oxybenzone and other chemical sunscreens - Hormone disruption, skin allergies and irritation
18. Retinyl palmitate (vitamin A palmitate) - Increased risk of skin cancer, birth defects and developmental harm
19. Siloxanes - Hormone disruption, reproductive harm
20. Carbon black - Lung damage and cancer, eye irritation and damage

It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there are many other potentially harmful chemicals that may be found in health and beauty products. Consumers should always check ingredient labels and do their own research to ensure that the products they are using are safe and free from harmful chemicals.

if you have any questions about products at JFM, reach out to us at: support@junkfreemarket.com

Some of our research sources: 

1. Environmental Working Group (EWG). (n.d.). Skin deep. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ This is a database that lists the toxicity levels of different cosmetic ingredients.

2. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). (2018). Endocrine Disruptors. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm This article from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences discusses the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as phthalates and oxybenzone.

3. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. (2007). Not too pretty: Phthalates, beauty products, and the FDA. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/safecosmetics/pages/20/attachments/original/1533742871/NotTooPretty_report.pdf?1533742871 This report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics discusses the presence of phthalates in personal care products and their potential health effects.

4. National Cancer Institute. (2019). Coal Tar and Cancer. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/coal-tar This article from the National Cancer Institute discusses the link between coal tar and skin cancer.