Toxic & Harmful Skincare Ingredients We Will Never Use
Ingredients We Avoid in Skincare, Haircare, and Body Care
Last updated: March 2026
At Glimmer Goddessยฎ, we believe luxury skincare should feel beautiful, transparent, and thoughtfully made.
That is why we are intentional not only about what goes into our formulas, but also about what stays out. Our Never List highlights ingredients and ingredient groups we choose not to use in our skincare, haircare, and body care products.
We created this page to help you read labels more confidently and shop with greater clarity. You can also explore our best-selling products to discover formulas made with ingredients we trust.
Why We Created Our Never List
Ingredient labels can be confusing. Some ingredients appear under multiple names, some are widely discussed because of irritation or sensitivity concerns, and others simply do not align with our clean beauty standards.
Our goal is not fear-based beauty. Our goal is informed beauty. We want this page to serve as a simple, practical reference for customers who care about ingredient-conscious skincare.
The Glimmer Goddessยฎ Never List
Below are ingredients or ingredient groups we avoid in our formulas, organized by category.
Parabens & Preservatives
We avoid preservative systems and related ingredients that are commonly questioned by ingredient-conscious shoppers, especially those associated with sensitivity concerns or broader clean beauty debate.
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- BHA and BHT
Synthetic Fragrances & Fragrance-Related Ingredients
We prefer essential oils over fragrance oils and avoid fragrance-related ingredient groups that can be difficult for customers to fully identify on a label.
- Fragrance / Parfum
- Synthetic flavor or synthetic fragrance
- Phthalates
- Butoxyethanol
- Methyl Cellosolve
Harsh Surfactants & Detergents
We avoid strong foaming surfactants that many customers associate with dryness, irritation, or a harsher cleansing experience.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS and SLES)
- Sodium Olefin Sulfonate / Sulfonates
- Benzalkonium Chloride
Heavy Metals & High-Concern Compounds
These ingredients or contaminants are frequently discussed in cleaner beauty education and ingredient safety conversations.
- Lead
- Mercury and mercury compounds
- Coal tar ingredients
- Toluene
Petroleum-Derived & Processing-Related Ingredients
We avoid several petroleum-derived ingredients and ingredient groups that may raise concerns for customers seeking a cleaner formulation philosophy.
- Mineral Oil
- Propylene Glycol
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG compounds)
- 1,4-Dioxane
- Ethyl Alcohol
UV Filters & Sun Care Chemicals
Some conventional UV-filter ingredients are widely debated in clean beauty and are not part of our formulation standards.
- Oxybenzone
- Benzophenone and derivatives
Silicones & Synthetic Emollients
We avoid certain synthetic texture-enhancing ingredients in favor of a more natural ingredient approach.
- Silicone-derived emollients
Animal-Derived Ingredients
As a vegan brand, we avoid ingredients derived from animals.
- Animal fats, oils, and musks
Other Ingredients We Avoid
These ingredients appear across a range of personal care categories and do not align with the standards we apply to Glimmer Goddessยฎ formulas.
- Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, TEA)
- EDTA
- Hydroquinone
- Retinyl Palmitate and Retinol
- Triclosan and Triclocarban
- Resorcinol
- Paraphenylenediamine (PPD)
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Behentrimonium Chloride
Our Ingredient Philosophy
Glimmer Goddessยฎ does not test finished products on animals, and our scented products are made with essential oils rather than fragrance oils. We believe ingredient-conscious skincare should feel elevated, trustworthy, and easy to love.
If you have questions about an ingredient we use, or want us to review one not listed here, contact us at customercare@glimmergoddess.com.
Research Sources
We developed this resource by reviewing ingredient information from recognized consumer safety and environmental health organizations.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
- EWG Skin Deep Database
- Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
- David Suzuki Foundation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Glimmer Goddessยฎ Never List?
The Glimmer Goddessยฎ Never List is a resource explaining which ingredients or ingredient groups we avoid in our products.
Does Glimmer Goddessยฎ use synthetic fragrance?
No. Glimmer Goddessยฎ scented products are made with essential oils rather than fragrance oils.
Does Glimmer Goddessยฎ test on animals?
No. Glimmer Goddessยฎ does not test finished products on animals.
Why does Glimmer Goddessยฎ publish this page?
We publish this page to help customers understand ingredient labels and shop with more confidence.
Where can I shop products made with ingredients Glimmer Goddessยฎ trusts?
You can browse our best-selling products here.