Some labels specifically state there are no animal ingredients.

Body-Friendly We suggest four criteria for evaluating "body-friendly" skin care products: • Toxicity • Occlusiveness • Comedogenicity • Effectiveness 1.Toxicity In our July article we discussed several ingredients which we prefer to avoid in skin care products. To recap, we listed mineral oils, petrolatum, propylene glycol, parabens, phthalates, SLS and SLES. We also called sunscreens into question. Toxicity (to humans) of skin care ingredients may be divided into three distinct categories:4[4] a. Carcinogenic, referring to ingredients contributing to cancer b. Endocrine-disrupting, which refers to chemicals that disturb the body's hormonal balance, and may interfere with its ability to grow, develop, or function normally. Endocrine disruptors may also be carcinogenic. c. Allergenic, irritating or sensitizing, meaning consumers may have allergic reactions or contact dermatitis (itching, redness, rash, etc.). Individuals with multiple chemical sensitivities may become very ill when exposed to certain of these chemicals. 

There are many "natural" skincare Nevi Skin companies who include parabens, SLES, and other of these ingredients in their products. A general note about preservatives: By their very nature preservatives are toxic. They must be toxic to bacteria, molds and yeast to keep the products from spoiling. Another preservative that is gaining use as an alternative to parabens is diazolidinyl urea. This preservative has not been banned from use in Europe, although some authors claim it is carcinogenic because it is a formaldehyde donor. Although formaldehyde is a chemical which occurs naturally in the human body, formaldehyde in the gaseous state is a known carcinogen. From all studies we have read, diazolidinyl urea, when it forms formaldehyde, does not form formaldehyde gas. Nonetheless, when used in high enough concentrations, or even in low concentrations by persons who are especially sensitive to it, diazolidinyl urea-along with almost every other preservative-has been shown to cause contact dermatitis. There are also "natural" products who claim to use no preservative. Most of these contain grapefruit--or other citrus--seed oil extract. As mentioned in Part I of this series, cosmetic chemists I have spoken to insist that these citrus seeds would turn rancid if they were not sprayed with preservative; that that preservative is concentrated in the oil when it is extracted; that this preservative in the extract is what is actually preserving the skincare product; and that the preservative used is generally a paraben. 

There are also skincare products that are sold in sealed containers with airless pumps or sprayers. Although it can add significantly to the cost of a product, this type of packaging and delivery is highly desirable, as it keeps air and airborne contaminants out of the product and makes it possible to significantly decrease or even eliminate the use of preservative. Of the large list of possible cosmetic ingredients, a relative few individually pose high risk, but many people use an array of products every day. It may be that these risks are adding up, or that single ingredients react with others to create toxic combinations, known as synergistic toxicity. 2.Occlusivity The skin is the body's largest organ. The lungs breathe, and so does the skin, so to speak: The "breathing" skin provides an exit for toxins and chemicals--respiration in the form of perspiration. Lotions and salves that occlude this exit may initially soften the skin by keeping moisture from escaping, but may actually inhibit the overall health of the individual, besides weighing down the skin and causing it to sag and age. Nutrients applied to the skin that improve the skin's health may have a positive effect on the whole body, because they are absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. 

When we choose body-friendly skin care, two important criteria come into play: that the products not be toxic to our skin or our bodies, and that they not be occlusive-allowing nutrients in and toxins out.5[5] The bonus comes when the ingredients that are allowed in also bring the skin into balance and nourish it. This is the topic of Part III of our series of articles: What Nutrients and Ingredients are Important for Healthy Skin? (late September 2005). Here we address ingredients common to "natural" skin care that may be occlusive and/or comedogenic. Look up "occlusivity" on the web and you will find hundreds of references to occlusivity and its benefits. The reason companies tout the benefits of occlusivity is that it holds water in the skin. When water can't escape, the skin stays soft and moist, and that sounds like a good thing. Imagine wrapping your skin with plastic wrap and wearing it around all day-an extreme example of occlusivity. Pretty soon it would start to stink in there as the toxins that usually escape with perspiration and generally evaporate into the air get trapped between the skin and the plastic. Now imagine that those same toxins can't leave the bloodstream because the skin's normal respiration is blocked. Where will they go? In some cases, they fester under the skin and form deep-down blemishes; in extreme cases, where occlusive lotions are used all over the body for extended periods, they may deposit in the liver and add to the body's toxic load. Sometimes it may be beneficial to use occlusive salves for a limited time. 

If you want to climb Mt. Everest, for example, or ski at high altitude where the air is thin and dry and you are close to the sun, it's a good idea to wear a lotion that holds the water in the skin. For babies with diaper rash, it's good to use a salve that keeps the water away from the skin! For most of us, these are not constant conditions, and treatments that hold water in over time are undesirable. Standard cosmetics experts may disagree with this reasoning. Paula Begoun in Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me (5th ed., 2001) states: "According to many 'natural' cosmetics companies, mineral oil (and petrolatum) comes from crude oil (petroleum), is used in industry as a metal-cutting fluid, and therefore can harm the skin by forming an oil film and suffocating it. . . . This foolish, recurring misinformation about mineral oil and petrolatum is maddening. After all, crude oil is as natural as any other earth-derived substance. . . Mineral oil and petrolatum . . . can keep air off the skin to some extent, but . . . it doesn't suffocate the skin!" (pp. 11-13). She also states that antiperspirants "cannot absorb into the skin . . ." (p. 14). I maintain that anything rubbed onto the skin will be absorbed, as long as the molecules are small enough to pass through the skin membrane; this is how patches work to deliver medication. 

Although Begoun makes a good point that crude oil is "natural," I believe in making educated choices of which earth-derived substances we apply to the skin, and crude oil is not on my list. It should be noted that there are degrees of occlusivity: If an ingredient is occlusive when used by itself, it will be less so when used in combination with non-occlusive ingredients. A small amount of beeswax used to emulsify jojoba and water will be far less occlusive than rubbing beeswax alone onto the skin. With that in mind, besides mineral oil and petrolatum, here are some of the more common occlusive ingredients found in "natural" skin care: You're never too young to be concerned about the environment and other ecological issues. At a time when most young women are beginning to use skin care products and cosmetics, many companies are competing for their purchases. Many teenagers simply follow the mainstream and begin using products that are readily available and widely advertised. But others have chosen a different road: ethical skin care products. What is Ethical Skin Care? In general, companies who produce products using ingredients from only natural and sustainable sources can be thought of as producing ethical products. Another facet of ethical products involves not testing on animals. Packaging is important, too.