Looking for ways to look your best — naturally? Look no further. Through reviews of all-natural and organic products and investigations into cosmetic ingredients, our Natural Beauty column will help you make more informed decisions about your beauty purchases.

A couple weeks ago we had a discussion in the comments section about benzethonium chloride, the active ingredient in CLEAN Perfume’s Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Cream. It turns out this chemical (rated 4 out of 10 on Skin Deep) is actually a bit safer than triclosan (7 out of 10) and parabens (5-6 out of 10) – two ingredients commonly used in other hand sanitizers.

But at the beginning of July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized a hand sanitizer with a similarly-named chemical, benzalkonium chloride – one that is not recognized as safe for over-the-counter antifungal drugs. This chemical, like triclosan, scores 7 out of 10 on Skin Deep.

Although the Puerto Rico-based manufacturer that created the hand sanitizer is receiving harsh punishment from the FDA for their failure to comply with safety standards, the chemical is present in other types of personal care products ranging from eye drops to baby lotion. Check out the ingredient profile on Skin Deep for more information.

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