EWG Skin Deep® | Alpha Hydrox Spot Light Targeted Skin Lightener Rating

EWG's Skin Deep®

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Data Availability:

Limited

Alpha Hydrox Spot Light Targeted Skin Lightener

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Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

MODERATE

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
LOW

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
HIGH

Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

HYDROQUINONE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	hair dyeing, antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, hair colorant, reducing agent, skin bleaching agent
CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (high) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Occupational hazards (high)
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WATER

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
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GLYCOLIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, exfoliant, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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PROPYLENE GLYCOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	humectant, skin conditioning, solvent, viscosity controlling, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin-conditioningagent - miscellaneous, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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ISOPROPYL PALMITATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, binding, emollient, perfuming, skin conditioning, solvent, binder, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - emollient
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MINERAL OIL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, emollient, perfuming, skin protecting, solvent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - emollient;skin-conditioning agent - occlusive, skin protectant
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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GLYCERYL MONOSTEARATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	emollient, emulsifying, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, surfactant - emulsifying agent
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CETEARYL ALCOHOL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	emollient, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, foam boosting, opacifying, surfactant, viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilizer, opacifying agent, surfactant - foam booster, viscosity increasingagent - aqueous, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low)
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OZOKERITE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	binding, emulsion stabilising, opacifying, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
CONCERNS	• Persistence and bioaccumulation (low)
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SODIUM HYDROXIDE

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, denaturant, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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STEARETH-20

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - emulsifying agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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Alcohol ethoxylates (C12)

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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TOCOPHEROL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	skin conditioning, antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous;skin-conditioning agent - occlusive
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Contamination concerns (HYDROQUINONE)
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DIMETHICONE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antifoaming, emollient, skin conditioning, skin protecting, antifoaming agent, skin-conditioning agent - occlusive, skin protectant
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (CYCLOPENTASILOXANE and CYCLOTETRASILOXANE)
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XANTHAN GUM

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	binding, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, gel forming, skin conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling, binder, emulsion stabilizer, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant -emulsifying agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
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SODIUM PVM/ MA DECADIENE CROSSPOLYMER

Data Availability: None

FUNCTION(S)	film forming, viscosity controlling, film former, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous
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SORBIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	preservative, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
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SODIUM METABISULFITE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, preservative, reducing, reducing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Occupational hazards (high)
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IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	preservative
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Use restrictions (low) • Contamination concerns (FORMALDEHYDE)
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TETRASODIUM EDTA

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	chelating, chelating agent
CONCERNS	• Enhanced skin absorption • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high) • Occupational hazards (high)
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FRAGRANCE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	deodorant, masking, perfuming
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Endocrine disruption (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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BHT

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, masking, fragrance ingredient
CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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Ingredients from packaging:

Active Ingredients: Hydroquinone 2%, Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycolic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ozokerite, Sodium Hydroxide, Steareth 20, Laureth 23, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PVM/MA Decadiene Cross Polymer, Sorbic Acid (A Preservative), Sodium Metabisulfite, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance, BHT

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.

PETA: Companies That Do Test on Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, has identified companies that "either test on animals or pay a laboratory to conduct tests on animals."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified^® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST

Low Availability

Moderate Availability

High Availability