The Credo Clean Standard dirty list
Credo Beauty — The Dirty List (foundation of the Credo Clean Standard)
21 compiled entries · 15 banned · 5 restricted · 1 flagged
| Ingredient | Status | Limit | Note | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bha | Banned | — | Dirty List — listed under Allergies/Irritation, Cancer Risk, and Hormone Disruption categories; preservative linked to cancer, irritation, and hormone disruption | Source |
| bht | Banned | — | Dirty List — Allergies/Irritation category; toluene-based preservative causing skin irritation | Source |
| hydroquinone | Banned | — | Dirty List — Allergies/Irritation, Cancer Risk, and Toxic to Human Body categories; skin-lightening agent, metabolite of carcinogen benzene | Source |
| methoxyethanol (methyl cellosolve) | Banned | — | Dirty List — Allergies/Irritation and Toxic to Human Body categories; solvent banned in EU cosmetics regulation, nervous-system/organ toxicity | Source |
| carbon black | Banned | — | Dirty List — Cancer Risk and Toxic to Human Body categories; pigment linked to cancer and organ toxicity | Source |
| coal tar | Banned | — | Dirty List — Cancer Risk category; antimicrobial/anti-dandruff agent, known carcinogen | Source |
| vinyl chloride | Banned | — | Dirty List — Cancer Risk category; toxic chemical used in PVC production | Source |
| diethanolamine (dea) | Banned | — | Dirty List — Cancer Risk category (ethanolamines group: MEA/DEA/TEA/ETA); may contain carcinogenic nitrosamine contaminants | Source |
| benzophenone | Banned | — | Dirty List — Hormone Disruption category, Chemical Sunscreens group (with Oxybenzone, Octinoxate); all prohibited | Source |
| oxybenzone | Banned | — | Dirty List — Hormone Disruption category, Chemical Sunscreens group; prohibited | Source |
| octinoxate | Banned | — | Dirty List — Hormone Disruption category, Chemical Sunscreens group; prohibited | Source |
| butylparaben | Banned | — | Dirty List — Hormone Disruption category, Parabens group ('all types prohibited') | Source |
| isopropylparaben | Banned | — | Dirty List — Hormone Disruption category, Parabens group ('all types prohibited') | Source |
| pfas / perfluorinated compounds | Banned | — | Dirty List — Environmental Toxicity and Toxic to Human Body categories; class of ~3,000+ perfluorinated compounds, non-degradable, cancer/organ-toxicity concerns | Source |
| toluene | Banned | — | Dirty List — Toxic to Human Body category; toxic to immune system, possible birth-defect risk, common in nail polish | Source |
| talc | Restricted | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — allowed only with asbestos-testing documentation | Source |
| retinyl palmitate | Flagged | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — allowed in night creams, flagged/avoided in daytime formulas due to photosensitivity | Source |
| quaternium compounds (as preservative) | Restricted | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — quaternary ammonium compounds prohibited as preservatives but allowed as conditioning agents | Source |
| sodium laureth sulfate (sles) | Restricted | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — ethoxylated ingredients restricted (except phenoxyethanol/specific classes); ethoxylation can leave 1,4-dioxane contamination | Source |
| ammonium laureth sulfate | Restricted | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — ethoxylated surfactant; ethoxylation contamination concern | Source |
| ceteareth-20 | Restricted | — | Dirty List Special Cases & Conditional Allowances — ethoxylated ('-eth') emulsifier; ethoxylation contamination concern | Source |
2026-07-21 · Compiled from cited primary sources. Informational only — not legal advice.
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