Top 3 Skincare Ingredients to Avoid for the Planet

Hey there, eco-conscious beauty lovers! As we all become more aware of how our choices affect the environment, it’s important to take a closer look at what’s in our skincare products. Some ingredients can do serious harm to the planet—especially our precious waterways and marine life.

Here are the top three ingredients you might want to skip for the sake of Mother Earth—plus some gentle, earth-friendly alternatives that still keep your skin happy.

1. Oxybenzone and Octinoxate

Why Avoid: These chemical UV filters are common in sunscreens but have been banned in places like Hawaii due to their harmful effects on coral reefs.

Environmental Impact: An estimated 6,000 to 14,000 tons of sunscreen wash into the ocean each year. Oxybenzone and octinoxate contribute to coral bleaching, damage coral DNA, and disrupt reproductive cycles. This makes it harder for coral reefs to regenerate and survive climate stress.

How They Harm: Corals absorb these chemicals and metabolise them into toxic compounds. This process generates reactive oxygen species—tiny troublemakers that damage coral tissue and increase their vulnerability to rising ocean temperatures.

Eco-Friendly Alternative: Choose a physical (mineral) sunscreen (see our range here) made with non-nano zinc oxide. These formulations create a barrier on the skin to reflect UV rays, rather than absorbing into it. They’re reef-safe, biodegradable, and gentle even on sensitive skin.

2. Parabens

Why Avoid: Parabens are synthetic preservatives designed to stop microbial growth in cosmetics—but they don’t break down easily and can build up in the environment.

Environmental Impact: Parabens have been found in the tissues of marine animals such as dolphins and sea otters. Once in the water system, they can interfere with aquatic life by mimicking hormones and disrupting ecosystems.

How They Harm: These estrogen-like compounds can affect the reproductive systems of fish and amphibians, reducing fertility, altering development, and even impacting population levels in some species.

Eco-Friendly Alternative: Thankfully, there are safer preservatives that do just as good a job without the environmental baggage. Here are a few that we love—and that you’ll find in many of our favourite product ranges, including Dermaviduals and Prologic:

✱ Glyceryl Caprylate

• What it is: A natural compound derived from glycerin and caprylic acid (from coconut oil).

• What it does: Offers mild antimicrobial protection while helping to hydrate and condition the skin. It also acts as a co-emulsifier, improving the texture and feel of skincare formulas.

• Why it’s better: It's 100% biodegradable and poses minimal environmental risk. Plus, it's well-tolerated by even sensitive skin types and supports the skin barrier rather than stripping it.

✱ Potassium Sorbate

• What it is: The potassium salt of sorbic acid, a compound naturally found in some fruits.

• What it does: Prevents the growth of fungi, mould, and yeast in skincare products and is often used in combination with other preservatives for broad-spectrum protection.

• Why it’s better: It’s gentle, non-sensitising, and breaks down easily in the environment, making it one of the safer synthetic preservatives on the market.

✱ Benzyl Alcohol

• What it is: A naturally occurring compound found in essential oils like jasmine and ylang-ylang.

• What it does: Functions as both a preservative and a solvent. It prevents bacterial contamination and helps maintain the stability of other ingredients in a formulation.

• Why it’s better: It’s effective in low concentrations, readily biodegradable, and approved for use in certified natural and organic skincare.

3. Artificial Fragrance

Why Avoid: Synthetic fragrances may smell dreamy, but they often contain dozens of undisclosed chemicals that stick around long after they’ve been washed down the drain.

Environmental Impact: Many fragrance compounds are non-biodegradable and toxic to aquatic life. They can accumulate in the water and disrupt delicate marine ecosystems.

How They Harm: These ingredients can reduce fertility, alter development, and mess with hormone systems in fish and other marine species. Not ideal for biodiversity—or for your skin, particularly if you're sensitive.

Eco-Friendly Alternative: The best bet? Fragrance-free products. Not only do they minimise your environmental impact, but they’re also better for sensitive or reactive skin. If you do love a bit of scent, look for essential oil-based fragrances in low concentrations, and always patch test first.

Choose Better for Your Skin and the Planet

Being kind to your skin doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense. By choosing reef-safe sunscreens, thoughtful preservatives, and fragrance-free (or low-tox) formulas, you’re doing your part to protect our oceans, waterways, and all the life they support.

Here at The Bright Side, we’re proud to stock brands like Dermaviduals and Prologic that take a sustainability-first approach—formulating without harmful chemicals, supporting long-term skin health, and reducing environmental load with every product.

Small changes matter. And when they come with gorgeous skin as a bonus? We call that a win-win.