amber
Propylene Glycol
Common humectant. Documented contact allergen — especially for eczema-prone skin.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Nivea Black Berry Shine Lip Balm 4.8g
Is Nivea Black Berry Shine Lip Balm 4.8g low tox? Our scanner flagged 4 ingredients (4 in the caution tier) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
4 caution
4 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
amber
BHT
Endocrine concerns at high exposure levels.
amber
CI 77891
Banned as a food additive in the EU (2022) due to nano-particle genotoxicity concerns. Inhalation classified IARC Group 2B.
amber
CI 42090
Same dye as Blue 1 used in cosmetics — appears in toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo.
Full ingredients (from label)
OctyldodecanolRicinus Communis Seed OilCera AlbaBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2CocoglyceridesButyrospermum Parkii ButterHydrogenated Castor OilHelianthus Annuus Seed CeraAromaPersea Gratissima OilSimmondsia Chinensis Seed OilRubus Fruticosus JuiceTocopherolAscorbyl PalmitateAquaPropylene GlycolMicaSilicaBHTBenzyl AlcoholLinaloolCI 77891CI 15850CI 77491CI 42090
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.