5 Harmful Skincare Ingredients to Avoid

Why Ingredients Matter

Your skin is your largest organ—and it absorbs a lot of what you put on it. If your daily skincare routine includes conventional soaps, lotions, or scrubs, you may be exposing your body to toxic ingredients linked to irritation, hormone disruption, or long-term health effects.

At SOAPY Bath and Body Products, we believe that clean beauty starts with clean ingredients. Here are 5 ingredients you should avoid—and the nourishing natural swaps we use instead.

1. Parabens

What they are: A group of synthetic preservatives used to extend shelf life.

Why avoid them:

Linked to hormonal disruption (they mimic estrogen)
Found in lotions, body washes, and even some “natural” products
Absorbed easily through the skin

SOAPY Swap: We use natural preservation techniques and small-batch production—no parabens, ever.

2. SLS/SLES (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate)

What it is: A foaming agent found in many commercial soaps and cleansers.

Why avoid it:

Strips the skin of natural oils
Causes dryness, flaking, and irritation
Can worsen eczema or sensitive skin conditions

SOAPY Swap: Our handmade soaps are sulfate-free, and lather naturally using plant-based oils like coconut and olive oil.

️ Try this: Gentle Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Soap

3. Synthetic Fragrance

What it is: A catch-all term for thousands of undisclosed chemicals used to scent products.

Why avoid it:

Often contains phthalates, allergens, and sensitizers
Can cause headaches, skin rashes, and hormone disruption
Lacks transparency—manufacturers aren’t required to list individual components

SOAPY Swap: We scent our products using pure essential oils only—nothing synthetic or hidden.

️ Try this: Citrus Sugar Scrub

4. Phthalates

What they are: A class of chemicals used to make products flexible or to help synthetic fragrances last longer.

Why avoid them:

Known endocrine disruptors
Linked to reproductive and developmental issues
Common in products with “fragrance” on the label

SOAPY Swap: Every SOAPY product is 100% phthalate-free, and safe for even the most sensitive skin.

️ Try this: Whipped Body Butters

5. Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives

What they are: Ingredients that slowly release formaldehyde over time to prevent bacteria growth (look for DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, etc.).

Why avoid them:

Recognized as a carcinogen
Can trigger allergic reactions and skin irritation
Still used in some mainstream lotions, shampoos, and body washes

SOAPY Swap: We don’t use synthetic preservatives at all. Our products are preserved naturally with vitamin E, essential oils, and clean production standards.

Clean Beauty Starts with SOAPY

We created SOAPY to give people a simple, safe, and sensory way to care for their skin—without toxins, greenwashing, or ingredient guesswork.

Our entire collection is:

Paraben-free
Sulfate-free
Phthalate-free
Synthetic fragrance-free
Cruelty-free & handcrafted in small batches

️ Explore our clean skincare collection now

✨ You Deserve to Know What’s in Your Skincare

Switching to clean skincare doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small. Replace the products you use most—like soap or body butter—with safe, handcrafted options you can feel good about.

With SOAPY, you never have to wonder what’s inside.
We believe what you leave out is just as important as what you put in.

Make the swap today at mysoapy.com

Shop Now or check out Naturals By Mila