amber
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Strong surfactant that strips skin lipids. Worsens eczema, rosacea and psoriasis barrier issues.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Colgate
Is Colgate 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
PEG-12
Manufacturing process can leave 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide as contaminants. Look for 'vacuum-stripped' products.
amber
Sodium Saccharin
Long-term safety contested; gut microbiome impact in animal studies.
amber
CI 42090
Same dye as Blue 1 used in cosmetics — appears in toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo.
Full ingredients (from label)
SorbitolWaterHydrated SilicaSodium Lauryl SulfatePEG-12FlavourCellulose GumTetrasodium PyrophosphateSodium FluorideSodium SaccharinCI 42090. Contains the equivalent of 1450 ppm Fluoride. Store below 30°C. Made by Colgate-Palmolive in Thailand. Adult Usage BRIGHT BRIGH GHT SMILES! Colgate FUTURES We've brought oral education to over 13 million children across Australia & New Zealand. Learn more at: colgatebsbf.com.au Box Tube Remove turn off the tap while brushing Bree Call 1800 802 307 (Australia) or 0800 441 740 (New Zealand). colgate.com.au 223 *We've switched Follow local c recycling H HDPE recycle Learn more at colga SAVE WATER Colgate Questions? Comments:
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.