Cosmetic Ingredients Reference Guide & Dictionary
Understanding Labels, Descriptions, Warnings, and Safety
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T
Talc (more info) It is derived in powder form from the mineral magnesium silicate. It can be hazardous to one’s health, and is toxic with prolonged inhalation. Some talc found to contain amphibole particle distribution typical to asbestos, which is cancer causing and a known lung irritant. Scientific studies have shown that women who use talc in the genital area are 3.28 times more likely to contract ovarian cancer (Journal Cancer 1982)
Talcum  powder An absorbent. See Talc.
TEA - Triethanolamine Used in cosmetics as a pH adjuster, an emulsifier, a preservative, and in soap formulations. May be harmful when contaminated by nitrosamines. Causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. These chemicals are already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects.

From Material Safety Data Sheet:
Special Hazard Precautions
: Product is severely irritating to body tissues and possibly corrosive to the eyes. Handle with care. Avoid skin and eye contact. Avoid breathing vapours if generate. If there is a danger of eye contact, wear a face shield.

Explanation Carcinogenicity: Amines react with nitrosating agents to form nitrosamides, which are carcinogenic.

See Anionic Surfactants 
See Nitrosating agents

TEA-Lauryl Sulphate Used as synthetic detergent. A combination of triethanolamine and the salt of lauryl sulphuric acid. See Triethanolamine and Sodium lauryl sulphate.
Tea Tree A plant found in Australia, used for its unique fragrance and healing properties.
Tea Tree Oil Derived from the tree Melaleuca alternifolia. Used as an antiseptic and germicide. Also used for insect bites, skin problems, as a dentifrice, and mouthwash. Cosmetic applications are often dandruff shampoos, face masks, and topical creams.
g-TERPINENE Found in: cologne, perfume, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, air freshener - Causes asthma and central nervous system disorders.
a-TERPINEOL Found in: perfume, cologne, laundry detergent, bleach powder, laundry bleach, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, vaseline lotion, cologne, soap, hairspray, after shave, roll-on deodorant -  highly irritating to mucous membranes. Aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal oedema. Can also cause excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination), hypothermia, central nervous system and respiratory depression, and headache. Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact.
Tertiary butyl hydroquinone An antioxidant in cosmetics, lipstick, eye shadow, foods. Allergic reactions; contact dermatitis; birth defects in animals; carcinogenic.

MSDS:
Swallowed
: Data suggests that the product should be considered to be harmful by ingestion.
Eye: Data suggests that this product should be classified as irritating to the eyes. May cause problems including corneal damage or transient blindness if contact is not treated promptly.
Skin: Data suggests that the product should be classified as harmful by skin absorption. May cause skin irritation. May also cause an allergic skin reaction and/or dermatitis.
Inhalation: Data suggests that the product should be considered to be non irritating and non toxic by inhalation. Primary route of exposure is inhalation and skin and eye contact.

Tetrabromofluoresein A colourant in indelible lipsticks, nail polish, dying of wool, silk and paper. Photosensitivity; inflammation of lips; respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.

MSDS: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact
(irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation.
POTENTIAL CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation.
The substance is toxic to mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.

Tetrasodium EDTA Many skin care products & cosmetics. Eye irritant.
Theobroma oil A botanical emollient in soaps, cosmetics, confectionary, pharmaceuticals. Allergic reactions in people; acne.
Theobromine A botanical used in skin conditioner in cosmetics, chocolate, blood vessel dilator. Stimulates the central nervous system; atrophy of the testicles; endocrine, liver and neurotoxicity; teratogenic.
Thimerosal A preservative, filler in eye preparations, vaccines. Allergic reactions; contact dermatitis. See mercury compounds. See http://www.nomercury.org/

MSDS extract from Merck (2003):
Very toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Danger of cumulative effects. Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

MSDS from Sigma (2002):
LABEL PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
HIGHLY TOXIC (USA)
VERY TOXIC (EU)
VERY TOXIC BY INHALATION, IN CONTACT WITH SKIN AND IF SWALLOWED.
DANGER OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS.
MAY CAUSE SENSITISATION BY INHALATION AND SKIN CONTACT.
IRRITATING TO EYES, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND SKIN.
CALIFORNIA PROPOSAL 65 REPRODUCTIVE HAZARD.
TARGET ORGAN (S): NERVES, KIDNEYS, SENSITISER.
CAUSES IRRITATION.
KEEP AWAY FROM FOOD, DRINK AND ANIMAL FOOD STUFFS.
AFTER CONTACT WITH SKIN, WASH IMMEDIATELY WITH PLENTY OF WATER.
IN CASE OF CONTACT WITH EYES, RINSE IMMEDIATELY WITH PLENTY OF WATER AND SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE.
WEAR SUITABLE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR IF YOU FEEL UNWELL, SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE IMMEDIATELY (SHOW THE LABEL WHERE POSSIBLE).

ACUTE EFFECTS CAUSES SKIN IRRITATION.
MAY BE FATAL IF ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN.
CAUSES EYE IRRITATION.
MAY BE FATAL IF INHALED.
MATERIAL IS IRRITATING TO MUCOUS MEMBRANES AND UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT.
MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED.
POSSIBLE ALLERGIC REACTION TO DUST IF INHALED, INGESTED OR IN CONTACT WITH THE SKIN. HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS MANIFESTED BY ERYTHEMA, PAPULAR OR VESICULAR ERUPTIONS OCCUR OCCASIONALLY. ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS HAS BEEN REPORTED.
TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES HAVE NOT BEEN THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED.
CHRONIC EFFECTS TARGET ORGAN (S): NERVES, KIDNEYS

Thioglycolate's Compounds capable of breaking down the protein bonds in hair. Used in permanent waves and depilatory agents. Toxic in small doses and can damage hair and skin.

MSDS:
ACUTE EFFECTS 

HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. 
MAY BE HARMFUL IF INHALED. 
MAY BE HARMFUL IF ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN. 
CAUSES EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION. 
MATERIAL IS IRRITATING TO MUCOUS MEMBRANES AND UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT. 
EXPOSURE CAN CAUSE: NAUSEA, HEADACHE AND VOMITING
TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES 
HAVE NOT BEEN THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. 

TARGET ORGAN DATA 
BEHAVIOURAL (SOMNOLENCE) 
BEHAVIOURAL (TREMOR) 
BEHAVIOURAL (CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD) 
BEHAVIOURAL (MUSCLE WEAKNESS) 
BEHAVIOURAL (COMA) 
LUNGS, THORAX OR RESPIRATION (DYSPNEA) 
LUNGS, THORAX OR RESPIRATION (RESPIRATORY STIMULATION) 
GASTROINTESTINAL (HYPERMOTILITY, DIARRHOEA) 
GASTROINTESTINAL (NAUSEA OR VOMITING) 
ONLY SELECTED REGISTRY OF TOXIC EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES (RTECS) DATA IS 
PRESENTED HERE. SEE ACTUAL ENTRY IN RTECS FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION

Thiourea A preservative, additive in hair dye, hair preparations, cosmetics, photography, wet suits, silver polish. Skin irritant; allergic reactions; cardiovascular; immuno and reproductive toxicity; carcinogenic; toxic to aquatic organisms. On NIH hazard list.

MSDS: WARNING! HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC SKIN REACTION. POSSIBLE CANCER HAZARD. MAY CAUSE CANCER BASED ON ANIMAL DATA. Risk of cancer depends on duration and level of exposure. 

Potential Health Effects 
Inhalation
: Causes irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath. 
Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. May affect bone marrow and consequently white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. 
Skin Contact: Causes irritation, redness and pain. May also cause allergic skin eruptions. Sunlight may aggravate skin allergy. 
Eye Contact: Causes irritation, redness, and pain. 
Chronic Exposure: Chronic exposure can cause liver damage and goitre (an enlarged thyroid gland). May affect bone marrow which could cause damage to blood. Material is a possible human carcinogen. 
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin disorders may be more susceptible to these substances.

Thyme Extract From the dried leaves and flowering tops of the wild, creeping herb. Is antiseptic, disinfectant, cleansing and hygienic.
Thymol An additive, fragrance in cosmetics, after shave, mouthwash, food flavouring. Allergic reactions; ingestion can cause nausea; vomiting, dizziness; neurotoxicity.
Titanium Dioxide White powder, physical UV blocker, helps block both UVA and UVB wavelengths of light. Used as a pigment in eye makeup, sunscreens, and foundation makeup. It is also used as an opacifying agent, for its covering power, brilliance, and reflectivity.
Toilet Water A less concentrated form of fragrance than perfume, usually 4 to 8%. This is a less aromatic scent, making it more suitable for daytime use, and the business world.
Toluene Obtained from petroleum, it is used as a solvent in cosmetics, especially nail polish and dyes. It resembles benzene, and if ingested may cause mild anaemia, liver damage, irritate the skin and respiratory tract.  It is used in pharmaceuticals and petrol as a blending agent. It is toxic and narcotic in high concentrations.

From Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS):
POISON! DANGER! 

Inhalation: May cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms of overexposure may include fatigue, confusion, headache, dizziness and drowsiness. Peculiar skin sensations (e.g. pins and needles) or numbness may be produced. Very high concentrations may cause unconsciousness or even death.
Ingestion
: Swallowing may cause abdominal spasms and other symptoms that parallel over-exposure from inhalation. Aspiration of material into the lungs can cause chemical pneumonitis, which may be fatal.
Skin Contact
: causes irritation. May be absorbed through the skin.
Eye Contact: Causes severe eye irritation with redness and pain.
Chronic Exposure
: Reports of poisoning describe anaemia, decreased blood cell count and bone marrow hypoplasia. Liver and kidney damage may occur. Repeated or prolonged contact has a defatting action, causing drying, redness and dermatitis.
EXPOSURE TO TOLUENE MAY AFFECT THE DEVELOPING FOETUS.

Toluene-2, 5-diamine A Hair dye. Harmful to aquatic organisms. See Toluene.
Toluene-3, 4-diamine A Hair dye used also in dyes for furs, textiles, leather.. Harmful to aquatic organisms. See Toluene.

MSDS: Harmful by inhalation and in contact with skin. Toxic if swallowed. Irritating to eyes. May cause sensitisation by skin contact. May cause cancer. Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

Potential Health Effects
Eye: Causes eye irritation.
Skin: May cause skin irritation. Harmful if absorbed through the skin. May cause sensitisation by skin contact.
Ingestion: May cause irritation of the digestive tract. Methemoglobinemia is characterized by dizziness, drowsiness, headache, shortness of breath, cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin due to deficient oxygenation of the blood), rapid heart rate and chocolate-brown colored blood. Overexposure may cause methemoglobinemia. Toxic if swallowed.
Inhalation: Harmful if inhaled. May cause respiratory tract irritation.

Tretinoin A skin improver used in anti-wrinkle crams, "anti-aging" creams, acne treatment. Considered to have beneficial health effects; may cause skin peeling, chapping, blistering and swelling.
Tribromosalan An antiseptic, fungicide in soaps, medicated cosmetics. Banned in the USA in 2000 as it may cause photoallergies.
Top Note The initial odour or scent given off by a fragrance after application to the skin. The strongest emission of bouquet, before it is altered by the body chemistry.
Tragacanth Herbal gum. Used as a thickener in cosmetics, and in hair care products as a hairspray or setting-lotion ingredient.
Trichloroethane
TCE
methyl chloroform
A solvent, degreaser in cosmetics, nail polish, correction fluid, degreaser, glue, spot remover, detergent. 

Skin: TCE, like other organic solvents, can dissolve your skin's natural protective oils. Frequent or prolonged skin contact can cause irritation and dermatitis (skin rash), with dryness, redness, flaking, and cracking of the skin. TCE can be absorbed into the body slowly through healthy skin, or rapidly through damaged skin. TCE quickly penetrates most ordinary clothing (see Personal Protective Equipment) and can get trapped in gloves and boots; such exposure can cause burns and blistering. 

Eyes, Nose, and Throat: TCE vapour in the air can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. Liquid TCE splashed in the eye can sting, but any damage to the eye usually heals within a few days. 
Lungs: Exposure to TCE at high levels can irritate the lungs, causing chest pain and shortness of breath. Extreme overexposure (for example, inside an enclosed or confined space such as a degreasing tank) can cause pulmonary oedema, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the lungs fill with fluid. However, there is no evidence that repeated, low-level exposure has any long-term effects on the lung. 
Heart: Extremely high concentrations of TCE or other chlorinated solvents can cause heart fibrillation (irregular heartbeats) that can cause sudden death. 
Liver and Kidneys: At very high levels of exposure such as might occur in an enclosed space or during a spill TCE can injure the liver and kidneys. Liver or kidney damage is rare; it's not at all likely to happen without substantial effects on the nervous system first, and it's not likely to happen if exposures are kept within the legal workplace limits. Generally, such liver or kidney damage is not permanent. However, long-term exposure can contribute to liver damage from drinking alcohol. 
Immune System: There have been reports of certain rare immune diseases such as systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and lupus erythematosus among people exposed to TCE, but there has been no good study to show whether TCE is actually related to any immune system disorder. 
Cancer: TCE causes cancer in mice, and there is some evidence that it may also be a weak carcinogen in rats. Humans exposed to TCE have not been studied well enough to give much information, but the human studies also suggest that TCE may cause cancer. You should treat TCE as a likely cause of human cancer. 
Genetic Changes: There are many ways to test whether a chemical causes genetic mutations. In most tests, TCE causes little or no mutation. 
Reproductive System: Several animal studies and at least one human study have suggested that TCE might cause birth defects, loss of the foetus, or impaired growth and performance of the offspring. However, there has been very little consistency among the tests; each experimenter has tended to get results very different from those of other experimenters, and most tests find little or no effect on pregnancy. You should treat TCE as a possible hazard to pregnancy. 
Other: People who drink alcohol and breathe TCE vapours at nearly the same time can develop degreaser's flush, a reddening of the face, shoulders, and back that usually goes away within an hour or so after exposure stops.
Info from: Department of Health Services, California, Hazard Evaluation System and Information Service.

Triclosan
2,4,4 Trichloro-2- Hydroxdiphenylether
Synthetic “antibacterial” with a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange, is used in antibacterial cleansers, tooth pastes, baby and household products! The EPA registers Triclosan as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to human health and the environment. It is in a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. Hormone disruptors can change genetic material, decrease fertility and sexual function and foster birth defects. Internally, it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse and convulsions. Stored in the body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs and can cause paralysis, brain haemorrhages and heart problems. Tufts University, School of Medicine says Triclosan can force the emergence of “super bugs” that it cannot kill. With a half life of 500 years and a toxicity level of one part per trillion (one drop in 300 Olympic sized swimming pools), Triclosan may be a contributory factor to the sterility of future generations.
Triethanolamine
TEA
Used as a buffer, coating additive in hand and body lotion, hair conditioner, "no rinse" shampoo, coating on fresh fruit and vegetables, detergents. See TEA above. 
Trisodium phosphate A buffer, chelating agent in shampoos, bubble baths, cuticle softener, food additive, pesticides.
Tyrosine Amino acid that stimulates fibroblasts to make more collagen when paired with ascorbic acid; plays a role in melanin formation.

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