Aftershave, body spray, hair gel, tattoo ink and gym-culture products.
19 chemicals in this category
Aerosol body sprays — Lynx, Sure, Impulse, and the vast range of supermarket own-brands — deliver a mixture of hydrocarbon propellant gas, alcohol carrier, and synthetic fragrance directly onto skin in a fine mist. Th…
Aerosol body sprays, deodorants, and dry shampoos use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) propellants — primarily butane, isobutane, and propane — to deliver product as a fine mist. These hydrocarbon gases are highly concen…
Aluminium salts are the active ingredient in antiperspirants — they work by physically blocking sweat glands. Concerns centre on systemic absorption through underarm skin, particularly where skin is damaged by shaving…
Aluminium salts are the active ingredients in antiperspirant products — they work by forming a temporary gel plug in sweat ducts to reduce perspiration. They are applied daily to axillary skin, often to recently shave…
Chlorhexidine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic used in prescription and over-the-counter mouthwashes. While effective against oral pathogens, it indiscriminately destroys the beneficial oral bacteria responsible for con…
D4 (cyclotetrasiloxane) and D5 (cyclopentasiloxane) are silicone-based compounds used to give personal care products their characteristic silky, smooth feel. Both are persistent environmental pollutants — D4 is classi…
Formaldehyde is an IARC Group 1 confirmed human carcinogen present in many environments — from flat-pack furniture off-gassing to keratin hair straightening treatments. In personal care products it appears directly or…
Men's grooming products — aftershave, cologne, shaving gel, hair gel, and body spray — typically carry higher fragrance loads than equivalent women's personal care products, yet fragrance allergen awareness in male co…
Galaxolide is a polycyclic synthetic musk — one of the most widely used fragrance compounds in the world. It has documented estrogenic activity, bioaccumulates in human tissue, and has been detected in breast milk and…
Hair styling products — gel, wax, pomade, clay, putty, paste, and hairspray — are applied directly to the scalp and hair and typically left on throughout the day, making them leave-on products with prolonged skin cont…
Protein powders — whey, casein, soy, pea, rice, hemp, and blend formulations — are consumed daily by a large proportion of gym-going men and teenagers who use them to support muscle growth. The heavy metal contaminati…
p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) is the primary oxidative coupler in permanent hair dye — the chemical that enables permanent colour to penetrate and bond within the hair shaft. It is simultaneously one of the most potent and…
Parabens are synthetic preservatives that extend the shelf life of personal care products. Cheap, effective, and ubiquitous — found in the majority of shampoos, moisturisers, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. Th…
Phthalates are a family of plasticisers and fragrance fixatives found in an enormous range of products — from PVC flooring to nail varnish to the fragrance in shampoo. They are among the most extensively studied endoc…
Resorcinol is an oxidative coupler used alongside PPD and other diamines in permanent hair dye formulations to create warm, brown, and auburn tones. It is a skin sensitiser, a thyroid hormone disruptor, and a reproduc…
The ingredient declaration "fragrance" or "parfum" is a legally protected trade secret that can conceal up to several hundred individual chemicals under a single listing. The EU requires disclosure of 26 known allerge…
Synthetic musks are the most widely used fragrance base notes in aftershaves, colognes, body washes, and deodorants — they provide the long-lasting, warm, skin-close scent that defines most masculine fragrance product…
Tattoo inks are injected directly into the dermis — a permanent deposition of chemical compounds bypassing all the body's normal barrier defences. Yet tattoo inks are among the least regulated cosmetic or personal car…
Tattoo inks are injected directly into the dermis — bypassing all the skin barrier defences that limit exposure from topical products — and remain there permanently, making them the most bioavailable route for cosmeti…
← All categories