the 'NATURAL' skincare scam

Here's the list organized by product category with the "natural washed" marketing names in brackets:

NOTES ON NATURAL WASHING

The most egregious offenders:

SLS/SLES → "coconut-derived cleanser" (technically true, but meaningless)

Phenoxyethanol → "naturally occurring" (occurs in trace amounts in green tea; commercial supply is 100% synthetic)

Sodium Coco Sulfate → marketed as "natural SLS alternative" (it's essentially the same thing)

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride → "fractionated coconut oil" (heavily processed)

BTMS → "gentle plant conditioner" (quaternary ammonium compound from rapeseed)

The irony is that nearly everything on this list could technically be labelled "derived from coconut" or "plant-based" since most start with plant fats before heavy chemical processing.

Water:

 Aqua (listed as the first ingredient) normally 75-85%! 

Sulfates & Strong Surfactants:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ("coconut-derived cleanser")

Sodium Laureth Sulfate ("gentle coconut cleanser")

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate ("coconut-derived")

Sodium Coco Sulfate ("natural coconut surfactant" - marketed as SLS alternative)

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Amphoteric/Mild Surfactants:

Cocamidopropyl Betaine ("coconut-derived gentle cleanser")

Coco Betaine ("coconut-derived")

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate ("coconut-derived")

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate ("coconut-derived amphoteric")

Lauryl Hydroxysultaine ("coconut-derived")

Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate ("gentle coconut cleanser")

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate ("amino acid cleanser")

Glucosides (Sugar-Based):

Coco Glucoside ("plant sugar surfactant")

Decyl Glucoside ("plant-derived gentle cleanser")

Lauryl Glucoside ("glucose-derived")

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside ("plant sugar cleanser")

Fatty Acid Amides:

Cocamide DEA ("coconut-derived foam booster")

Cocamide MEA ("coconut-derived")

Lauramine Oxide

Isethionates:

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate ("coconut-derived baby foam")

PEG-Based Emulsifiers:

Ceteareth-20

PEG-100 Stearate

PEG-150 Distearate

PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate

PEG-32

PEG-40

PEG-40 Stearate

PEG-75

PEG-8

Solubilizers (for oils/fragrances):

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil ("castor-derived solubilizer")

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil ("castor-derived")

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate ("coconut-derived")

Polysorbate 20 ("plant-derived emulsifier")

Polysorbate 60 ("plant-derived")

Polysorbate 80 ("oleic acid-derived")

Stearates & Fatty Alcohol Emulsifiers:

Cetearyl Alcohol with Ceteareth-20 ("plant-derived emulsifying wax")

Cetyl Alcohol ("coconut/palm fatty alcohol")

Glyceryl Stearate ("plant-derived emulsifier")

Glycol Distearate ("plant-derived pearling agent")

Steareth-2

Steareth-20

Steareth-21

Emulsifying Wax NF ("vegetable emulsifying wax")

Sorbitan Olivate ("olive-derived emulsifier")

Sorbitan Stearate ("plant-derived")

PRESERVATIVES & ANTIMICROBIALS:

DMDM Hydantoin

Diazolidinyl Urea

Imidazolidinyl Urea

Quaternium-15

Germall Plus (contains diazolidinyl urea & iodopropynyl butylcarbamate)

Parabens:

Methylparaben

Propylparaben

Butylparaben

Liquipar Oil (paraben blend)

Isothiazolinones:

Methylisothiazolinone ("MI")

Methylchloroisothiazolinone ("MCI")

Kathon CG (MCI/MI blend)

Phenoxyethanol-Based:

Phenoxyethanol ("rose ether" / "naturally occurring preservative")

Optiphen (phenoxyethanol & caprylyl glycol)

Optiphen Plus (phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid & caprylyl glycol)

Euxyl PE 9010 (phenoxyethanol & ethylhexylglycerin)

Germaben II (propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea & parabens)

Other Preservatives:

Benzyl Alcohol ("naturally occurring alcohol")

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Caprylyl Glycol ("plant-derived preservation booster")

Sodium Metabisulfite ("mineral-derived antioxidant")

ANTIOXIDANTS:

BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)

BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

Ascorbyl Palmitate ("Vitamin C ester" / "fat-soluble Vitamin C")

Tocopheryl Acetate ("Vitamin E")

CONDITIONING AGENTS (Hair & Skin):

Quaternary Compounds (Quats)

Behentrimonium Chloride ("rapeseed-derived conditioner")

Behentrimonium Methosulfate ("BTMS" / "gentle rapeseed conditioner")

Cetrimonium Chloride ("coconut-derived")

Polyquaternium-7 ("conditioning polymer")

Polyquaternium-10 ("cellulose-derived conditioner")

Quaternium-80 ("plant-derived conditioning agent")

Quaternium-91

EMOLLIENTS & SKIN-FEEL AGENTS:

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate ("plant-derived emollient")

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride ("fractionated coconut oil" / "MCT oil")

Diethyl Sebacate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate ("palm-derived emollient")

Isopropyl Myristate ("coconut-derived emollient")

Isopropyl Palmitate ("palm-derived")

SILICONES:

Dimethicone ("skin protectant")

Cyclomethicone ("volatile silicone")

SOLVENTS & PENETRATION ENHANCERS:

Propylene Glycol ("plant-derived humectant")

Butylene Glycol ("plant-derived hydrator")

Dipropylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol ("plant-derived moisturizer")

Hexylene Glycol

Ethoxydiglycol ("Transcutol" / "penetration enhancer")

PPG-2 Methyl Ether

Ethanol ("grain alcohol" / "organic alcohol")

Denatured Alcohol ("organic alcohol")

SD Alcohol 40 ("specially denatured alcohol")

Isopropanol / Isopropyl Alcohol

CHELATING AGENTS (Sequestrants):

Disodium EDTA

Tetrasodium EDTA

Sodium Phytate ("rice bran extract" / "phytic acid")