Retinoids
are derived from vitamin A and considered the gold standard in anti-aging technology. They boost collagen production and increase skin cell turnover rate to treat lines and wrinkles, discolorations and acne.
Phthalate
or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity). They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Phthalates are being phased out of many products in the United States, Canada, and European Union over health concerns.
Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, from enteric coatings of pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements to viscosity control agents, gelling agents, film formers, stabilizers, dispersants, lubricants, binders, emulsifying agents, and suspending agents. End-applications include adhesives and glues, electronics, agricultural adjuvants, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children's toys, modeling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products, and textiles.
Paraben
are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives by cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup,and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.
Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, the long history of their use, and the inefficacy of some natural alternatives like grapefruit seed extract (GSE),probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in breast cancer tumors (an average of 20 nanograms/g of tissue). Parabens have also displayed the ability to slightly mimic estrogen (a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer). No effective direct links between parabens and cancer have been established, however. Another concern is that the estrogen-mimic aspect of parabens may be a factor in the increasing prevalence of early puberty in girls.
Perfume
Perfumes have been known to exist in some of the earliest human civilizations, either through ancient texts or from archaeological digs. Modern perfumery began in the late 19th century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such as vanillin or coumarin, which allowed for the composition of perfumes with smells previously unattainable solely from natural aromatics alone.
Toluene
It is an aromatic hydrocarbon that is widely used as an industrial feedstock and as a solvent. Like other solvents, toluene is sometimes also used as an inhalant drug for its intoxicating properties; however, inhaling toluene has potential to cause severe neurological harm. Toluene is an important organic solvent, but is also capable of dissolving a number of notable inorganic chemicals such as sulfur, iodine, bromine, phosphorus, and other non-polar covalent substances.
Formaldehyde
A gas at room temperature, formaldehyde is colorless and has a characteristic pungent, irritating odor. It is an important precursor to many other materials and chemical compounds. In 2005, annual world production of formaldehyde was estimated to be 8.7million tonnes. Commercial solutions of formaldehyde in water, commonly called formalin, are formerly used as disinfectants and for preservation of biological specimens.
In view of its widespread use, toxicity and volatility, exposure to formaldehyde is a significant consideration for human health
P-Phenylenediamine
is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(NH2)2. This derivative of aniline is a white solid, but samples can darken due to air oxidation. It is mainly used as a component of engineering polymers and composites. It is also an ingredient in hair dyes.
Oxybenzone
is an organic compound used in sunscreens. It forms colorless crystals that are readily soluble in most organic solvents.
It is used as an ingredient in sunscreen and other cosmetics because it absorbs UVB and short-wave UVA (ultraviolet) rays. Oxybenzone was one of the first compounds incorporated into sunscreen formulations to offer enhanced UVA protection because its absorption spectrum extends to less than 350 nm. Oxybenzone's ability to absorb UV rays is due to a variety of molecular interactions. In this compound, both of the phenyl rings can interact with the C=O group through inductive effects and mesomeric effects. The overlapping of the π bonds of both phenyl rings and that of the C=O creates a completely conjugated molecule as evidenced by the MO diagram.