UREA Facts

Imidazolidinyl UREA and DMDM Hydantoin

These are just two of many preser­v­a­tives that release formalde­hyde (called “formalde­hyde donors”). Accord­ing to the Mayo Clinic, formalde­hyde can irri­tate the res­pi­ra­tory sys­tem, cause skin reac­tions and trig­ger heart pal­pi­ta­tions.

While other less dan­ger­ous preser­v­a­tives exist and are necessary, formaldehyde-based chem­i­cals are best left to mor­ti­cians.

Expo­sure to formalde­hyde may cause joint pain, aller­gies, depres­sion, headaches, chest pains, ear infec­tions, chronic fatigue, dizzi­ness, and loss of sleep. It can also aggra­vate coughs and colds, and trig­ger asthma.

Other pos­si­ble side effects include weak­en­ing the immune sys­tem and can­cer. Seri­ous side effects include weak­en­ing of the immune sys­tem and can­cer.

Nearly all brands of skin, body and hair care prod­ucts, anti-per­spi­rants and nail pol­ish found in stores con­tain formalde­hyde releas­ing ingredients. Formaldehyde-releasing ingre­di­ents are very com­mon in nearly all store brands of skin, body, and hair care, anti-perspirants, and nail pol­ish.

A more com­plete list of prod­ucts that con­tain formalde­hyde can be found in the book by Doris J. Rapp, M.D., titled, Is This Your Child’s World?

Imi­da­zo­lidinyl Urea and Dia­zolindinyl Urea

(Ger­mall II and Ger­mall 115) and/or DMDM Hydan­toin are preser­v­a­tives that are most com­monly used after the parabens. They are just three of the many preser­v­a­tives that release formalde­hyde. Well estab­lished as a pri­mary cause of con­tact dermatitis. Neither of these are a good anti-fungal, and must be com­bined with other preser­v­a­tives. Ger­mall 115 releases formalde­hyde at just over 10 degrees. Skin irri­tant and aller­gen. Found in urine and other body flu­ids. Used med­i­c­i­nally as a diuretic and in cos­met­ics. Can cause an aller­gic reac­tion to those aller­gic to ammo­nia and is an eye irri­tant. Expo­sure to formalde­hyde releas­ing prod­ucts may also cause aller­gies, nose congestion, nausea, headaches, dizzi­ness, ear infec­tions, chronic fatigue, depres­sion, asthma, chest pains, and loss of sleep. But more seri­ously, formalde­hyde is toxic to the immune sys­tem, a human muta­gen, and is carcinogenic.

Urea Car­bamide – is excreted from urine and other bod­ily flu­ids. In deodor­ants, ammo­ni­ated den­tri­fices, mouth­washes, hair col­or­ings, hand creams, lotions, sham­poos, etc. Used to “brown” baked goods, such as pret­zels. Deriv­a­tives: Imi­da­zo­lidinyl Urea, Uric Acid.

Dia­zo­lidinyl Urea– Estab­lished as a pri­mary cause of con­tact der­mati­tis                         (Amer­i­can Acad­emy of Der­ma­tol­ogy). Con­tains formalde­hyde, a car­cino­genic chem­i­cal, is toxic by inhala­tion, a strong irri­tant, and causes contact dermatitis.

Formalde­hyde From Mate­r­ial Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Causes severe eye irritation.

May cause skin irritation.

Signs and symp­toms of expo­sure symp­toms of inhalation:

If Misted, will cause irri­ta­tion of mucous membranes, nose, eyes and throat. Cough­ing, dif­fi­culty in breathing.

Symp­toms of skin con­tact: con­tact causes smart­ing and burn­ing sen­sa­tions, inflam­ma­tion, burns, painful blis­ters. Pro­found dam­age to tis­sue. Symp­toms of eye con­tact: Will Cause Painful Burn­ing or Sting­ing of Eyes and Lids, Water­ing of Eyes, and Formalde­hyde is a known car­cino­gen (causes cancer).

Causes aller­gic, irri­tant and con­tact der­mati­tis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irri­tat­ing to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes).

See Nitrosat­ing agents — The fol­low­ing chem­i­cals can cause nitrosamine con­t­a­m­i­na­tion, which have been deter­mined to form can­cer in lab­o­ra­tory ani­mals. There are wide and repeated con­cerns in the USA and Europe about the con­t­a­m­i­na­tion of cos­met­ics prod­ucts with nitrosamines. 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol Cocoyl Sar­co­sine, DEA com­pounds, Imi­da­zo­lidinyl Urea, Formaldehyde  Hydrol­ysed Ani­mal Pro­tein, Lau­ryl Sar­co­sine, MEA com­pounds, Quaternium-7, 15, 31, 60, etc, Sodium Lau­ryl Sul­fate, Ammo­nium Lau­ryl Sul­fate, Sodium Lau­reth Sul­fate, Ammo­nium Lau­reth Sul­fate  Sodium  Methyl Cocoyl Tau­rate, TEA compounds

You can be assured that Awakening Spirit uses all natural and organic ingredients. We are very excited to be bringing an even higher quality of products to you, our customers and friends. Please sup­port us by buy­ing our prod­ucts. This is one way that we know you like what you are read­ing and that you really do sup­port the natural/organic industry.

Kathleen Flanagan, CEO and Founder of Awakening Spirit, Aromatherapist, Sound Therapist, Esthetician and Author.