I may be Mommy Greenest, but it’s not like I’m some crazy Birkenstock wearing woman who uses The Rock on her underarms. I like lipstick as much as the next girl-I just like to know mine’s lead-free. Think I’m kidding? Studies have shown that two-thirds of lipsticks contain lead, which is a neurotoxin. And most women eat about nine pounds of the stuff over their lifetimes. Ick.

As we all know from high school health class, your skin is your biggest organ. It absorbs everything you put on it-experts estimate that 60% of what goes onto your skin goes into your body. So how to know what’s good and what’s bad in beauty? Personal care product labels can get confusing, so I like to look for “red flags.” Once you see these on a label, more chemicals tend to follow. Here are the top red flags to avoid:

PARABENS are a common preservative found in conventional personal care products from your moisturizer to your kids’ sunscreen; look for the words “methyl-,” “ethyl-” “propyl-” “butyl-” and “isobutyl-.” Parabens have been linked to breast cancer and reproductive disorders. Look for Certified Organic products, which are required by law to be completely chemical free.

PHTHALATES are reproductive toxins which can affect the development of children yet are so prevalent that repeated studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found phthalates in the urine of nearly every subject they tested. Unfortunately, phthalates aren’t always included ingredient lists. One place you find them is in chemical fragrances. Avoid the word “fragrance” in perfume, hair spray and deodorant. Essential oils smell just as good-or better!

ANTIBACTERIALS such as triclosan in personal care products interfere with testosterone production and have been detected in breast milk; overuse prevents them from working when they’re really needed, like to fight things like E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. Studies have shown that hot water and soap work just as well (or better) and don’t mess with us, or the ecosystem.

1,4-DIOXANE and SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE in things that suds up like shampoos, baby wash, bubble bath, toothpaste and liquid soaps. 1,4 Dioxane is a human and animal carcinogenic and a nasty byproduct of processing harsh chemicals with ethylene oxide to make them less harsh. Got sodium lauryl sulfate? Ethyoxylate it and you get sodium laureth-the “eth” indicates the process. Again, avoid these in one fell swoop by looking for Certified Organic products, or look for natural products that rely on natural sudsors.

FORMALDEHYDE in nail polish has been linked to immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer; it can be produced from the breakdown of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds. And speaking of formaldehyde, many common chemical preservatives release the stuff over time, so avoid the words QUATERNIUM-15, DMDM HYDANTOIN, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA and DIAZOLIDINYL UREA on your labels. Look for “big three free” polishes, which eliminate formaldehyde, as well as toluene and DBP. But don’t throw those old polish bottles in the trash; find a Household Hazardous Waste disposal center where you can drop them off by going to Earth911.com

PROPYLENE GLYCOL and ethylene glycol are also found in brake fluid and antifreeze, as well as many beauty products, and are linked to kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Look for products made with naturally derived softeners.

CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS like PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) and oxybenzone are absorbed into the bloodstream break down in the sun and offer far less protection than their labels declare, according to the Environmental Working Group. I like zinc, which provides a physical barrier to the sun, and no longer leaves you with big white splotches on your nose.

Remember, just because a product says it’s “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s chemical free. In 2007, Kline and Company released the “Natural Personal Care: Competitive Brand Assessment and Ingredient Analysis” report, profiling 26 brands and finding that half of the brands positioned as “natural” actually contain mostly synthetic ingredients such as parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates, petrolatum, chemical sunscreens, silicones and surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate.

The beauty industry isn’t out to protect you-it’s out to sell you more products. Be your own watchdog and learn how to read your labels for your own health, and the health of your family.

Need more? Check out EcoStiletto’s What is Green Beauty? and The Big List of Things That Suck sections. Next week, I’ll show you how to make the most awesome scrub and mask from ingredients you have in your cupboard. And you can always comment at any time of day with your eco-beauty questions. I’ll answer!