Many of us buy beauty products to look good and feel good. Unfortunately, some of the ingredients found in your favorite beauty products may actually be doing more harm than good, tells Jacqueline Banks, a certified holistic health counselor on Fox News channel.

Misleading marketing and labeling tactics may sway you towards purchasing products that claim to be healthy – when in fact, they are not.

Products claiming to be “hypoallergenic” and “natural” are not subject to government regulations, meaning companies are free to define those terms however they like. 

Some hair products, body washes and eyelash glues contain formaldehyde along with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives  such as DMDM hydanotin, imidazolindinyl urea, and quaternium-15, among others. Formaldehyde is used to help prevent bacteria from growing in water-based products and also helps make hair look and feel silky and smooth. It can be absorbed through the skin as well as inhaled during use. According to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the amounts of formaldehyde found in cosmetics can cause skin reactions and rashes and it is considered to be a carcinogen by both The National Toxicology Program and The International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Phthalates are a man-made chemical that are typically used to make plastics flexible – but they are also used to prolong scents in many products including lotions, powders, nail polishes, hair sprays and shampoos. The Breast Cancer Fund states that phthalates have been found to be endocrine disruptors and have been linked to birth defects, fertility issues, asthma, obesity and even neurodevelopmental issues in newborns.

Perfumes are typically nothing more than a mix of chemicals. The fragrance industry is allowed to regulate itself and has no outside agency to test for safety. Many times, labels reading “fragrance” actually contain phthalates, parabens and other chemicals. The Environmental Working Group has found fragrance mixes to be associated with dermatitis, respiratory distress, allergies and even possible effects on the reproductive system. 

The only way to be sure you’re avoiding these chemicals is to carefully read product labels. Instead of choosing beauty products with a long list of ingredients, look for products with ingredients you recognize. Skin Deep, a cosmetics database created by the Environmental Working Group, is one resource that can help you decipher whether or not your favorite products may be harming your health.