Methylisothiazolinone
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๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฎ๐ก๐๐จ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฏ๐ค๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฃ๐
Because creating EMPOWERED label readers is the name of the game here, Mamas!

This one is a doozy to pronounce, so weโre going to shorten it to โMIโ for this post! Itโs also very easy to spot on an ingredient label since itโs so lengthy and typically towards the end of the list.
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So other than being really difficult to pronounce, what is MI?
โย This ingredient is a powerful biocide, which is a chemical substance that can control or kill harmful microorganisms. It is often found in antibacterial products, and came into play as a preservative swap when parabens started getting a bad public reputation.
โย Unlike some synthetic chemicals, however, this one isnโt just a mild skin irritant…
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The biggest concern came to light when researchers conducted two recent laboratory studies on rat brain cells, and found that MI caused damage to those cells. The researchers stated, โa brief exposure to MI is highly toxic to cultured neurons.โ The scientists went on to state that these toxic effects had been reported previously, and because of their widespread use, the consequences of chronic human exposure need to be evaluated. ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ก๐ฎ 10 ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐.
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Sadly, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CFTA) issued a response stating that MI is safe as it is already widely used in cosmetic formulas.
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โย In 2004 Europe limited the use of MI to 0.01 percent, or 100 parts per million (ppm), but in the USA it is still completely UNREGULATED.
โย Additional studies have shown MI to cause dermatitis, and a 2012 a study found it to be toxic during neural developmental stages to fetus, increasing the risk of seizures and visual abnormalities.
โย The EWG also states that MI is a skin sensitizer and irritant, which means that it can cause contact allergies such as eczema.
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Simply not worth the risk, my friends. Safe and effective swaps are readily availableโฆ time to ditch the toxins and take proactive steps towards reducing your body burden and living wellย ๐ฑ


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