Tri... Triethanol... Triethanolamine...

After watching the video, Story of Cosmetics, there was one beauty product I instantly thought of and wanted to look into more. This product is Mary Kay’s Timewise Age-Fighting Moisturizer. I have been using this product in my daily beauty routine for at least three years. I use it because, well, it works. I haven’t been able to find a moisturizing product that works as good as the one made by Mary Kay. Another reason I use it is because it doesn’t have parabens in it, which I am unfortunately allergic to. I also use it because the Mary Kay consultant I bought it from told me the high safety ratings on the product. This is why it was the first product that came to mind when thinking of one to further research. Was she right? Not quite…

I first reviewed the ingredients on the back of the bottle, and the first ingredient that caught my eye was Triethanolamine (TEA), mostly because it was so long and relatively hard to pronounce. Shortly after, I learned TEA is a result of reacting two substances: ethylene oxide and ammonia. These two substances are highly toxic and wouldn't be recommended for any daily skincare use (The Dangers of Triethanolamine). I then looked on the Environmental Working Group’s online database of chemical safety information. This specific ingredient got a score of 5, which means it contains a moderate hazard. In the ‘Concerns’ section, it very openly labeled the primary concerns of this particular ingredient. The concerns listed are allergies, immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity, and contamination concerns. Both the long term and short term affects of using TEA can cause skin, hair or eye irritation. Immediate affects that might be present are itchy or watery eyes, dry or brittle hair, or itchy skin. Overtime, the ingredient has a potential to result in chemical damage to the skin cause blisters, burning sensations, hives or flakiness (The Dangers of Triethanolamine).

By clicking on the ingredient, I was able to see even more information on it. The summary of my findings can be seen in the image below. I was surprised to discover the main functions of Triethanolamine is to balance the pH level of the product, help products blend well, prolong shelf life and add fragrance to the product (The Dangers of Triethanolamine).

I now wanted to look for the Triethanolamine ingredient in the Okala Practitioner. I didn’t find it in the book, so I furthered my research on the Environmental Protection Agency website. To my surprise, the website says, “Triethanolamine is used as stabilizer or inhibitor in pesticide formulations applied before a crop emerges from the soil” (Inert Reassessment Document for Triethanolamine). Okay, say what? Why does my moisturizer have an ingredient in it used for harvesting crops? This clearly sparked my interests so I decided to look at an additional site to find more information. The next website I found mentioned studies conducted on animals, which proved to show positive mutation results (Triethanolamine).

This makes me sad, but I know that some products react differently on animals than humans. As I mentioned earlier, I have been using this product for several years now. The only “mutation” I have experienced is just the reduction of my little wrinkles and a more hydrating face. I don’t think I will stop using Mary Kay’s Timewise Age-Fighting Moisturizer. However, this research has opened my eyes to further investigate the other products I use in my daily beauty routine.

One resource I am going to use in the future to help me research the chemicals in products I use is The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP), which is an organization that assists in measuring and disclosing data. Specifically, “It provides a tool for benchmarking companies as they select safer alternatives and reduce their use of chemicals of high concern” (The Chemical Footprint Project). After navigating through the website, I think it will provide sufficient enough information to help with my concerns. There are a lot of tabs throughout the website that encourage visitors to get involved, measure their footprints, read blog posts and ultimately, improve their daily lives.

If you are curious about a project you use in your daily routine, I highly suggest you review the ingredients and conduct similar research… even if you have heard only good things about the product! After all, that’s just another part of marketing, right?

Resources

“Inert Reassessment Document for Triethanolamine - CAS No. 102-71.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 22 June 2017, www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/inert-reassessment-document-triethanolamine-cas-no-102-71.

The Chemical Footprint Project. “About the Chemical Footprint Project | About Us.” The Chemical Footprint Project, www.chemicalfootprint.org/about/overview.

“The Dangers of Triethanolamine.” Natura Veda, 2 Oct. 2017, https://naturaveda.com/education/12-toxic-and-carcinogenic-compounds-found-in-beauty-and-skin-care-products/the-dangers-of-triethanolamine/.

“Triethanolamine.” Truth In Aging, www.truthinaging.com/ingredients/triethanolamine.