Cosmetic Ingredients Reference Guide & Dictionary - Understanding labels, descriptions, warnings, and safety.

Cosmetic Ingredients Reference Guide & Dictionary
Understanding Labels, Descriptions, Warnings, and Safety
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The Laws of Ecology: "All things are interconnected. Everything goes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature bats last." - by Ernest Callenbach

Name	Information
Q
Quaternary Ammonium Salts QUATS	Used as water repellents, fungicides, emulsifiers, paper and fabric softeners, antistatic agents, and corrosion inhibitors. Their use in cleaners & laundry fabric softeners, aerosol deodorants, aftershave lotions, anti-dandruff shampoos, hair colourings, mouthwashes, hand creams, shampoos & much more, came from the paper and fabric industries. Eye & skin irritants. Concentrations as low as 0.1 percent are irritating to the eye & mucous membranes . Ingestion can be fatal.
Quaternium-7, 15, 31, 60, etc	Toxic chemical, causes skin rashes and allergic reactions. Formaldehyde releasers. More effective against bacteria than against moulds and yeast. Found in dishwashing products and some cosmetics. See Nitrosating agents See Formaldehyde From Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): Skin: Prolonged or repeated exposure may cause skin irritation. May cause more severe response if the skin is damp. May be a week skin sensitiser in susceptible individuals at greater than 1% in aqueous solution.
Quercetin	A colourant, antioxidant in dark brown shades of hair dyes, food additives, dyeing hair pieces, supplements. Considered safe; may cause allergic reactions; teratogenic. On NIH hazards list.
Quillia Extract	Many plants (soap plants) contain substances called saponins which form a natural lather in water that is a gentle but effective natural cleaner and some have been used as an alternative to soap in shampoos, skin cleaners, soaps, food and beverage flavour. Generally regarded as safe
Quinine	An anaesthetic, flavouring in hair tonics, sunscreen preparations, tonic water, "bitter lemon" drinks, cold and headache remedies. Large or long-term dosages can cause headaches, skin rashes, intestinal cramps, tinnitus; cardiovascular and liver toxicity; teratogenic.
Quinoline	A solvent, colourant used in manufacture of cosmetic dyes, preservative for anatomical specimens. *MSDS: Harmful in contact with skin and if swallowed. Irritating to eyes. Hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). Light sensitive. Potential Health Effects Eye: Causes severe eye irritation. Causes redness and pain. Skin: Causes moderate skin irritation. Harmful if absorbed through the skin. Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. May cause severe gastrointestinal tract irritation with nausea, vomiting and possible burns. Inhalation: May cause severe irritation of the respiratory tract with sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath and delayed lung oedema. The toxicological properties of this substance have not been fully investigated. Chronic*: Possible cancer hazard based on tests with laboratory animals. May cause liver and kidney damage.

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