EWG Skin Deep® | Desert Essence Ultra Care Mouthwash (2016 formulation) Rating

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED™

Data Availability:

Limited

Desert Essence Ultra Care Mouthwash (2016 formulation)

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Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

LOW

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
LOW

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
MODERATE

Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

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

WATER
Appeared as: WATER (AQUA)

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
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GLYCERIN

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, humectant, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent, perfuming, solvent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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POLYSORBATE-80

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, fragrance ingredient, surfactant - emulsifying agent, surfactant - solubilizingagent, emulsifying, surfactant
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) OIL
Appeared as: MENTHA PIPERITA STEM/LEAF OIL(PEPPERMINT)

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (low) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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MENTHA ARVENSIS (WILD MINT) OIL
Appeared as: MENTHA ARVENSIS STEM/LEAF OIL (PEPPERMINT)

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, masking
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high)
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MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, perfuming
CONCERNS	• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Enhanced skin absorption • Endocrine disruption (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
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MENTHA SPICATA (SPEARMINT) OIL
Appeared as: MENTHA VIRIDIS (SPEARMINT) LEAF OIL

Data Availability: Limited

CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high)
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ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE) FLOWER OIL
Appeared as: ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER OIL (CHAMOMILE)

Data Availability: Limited

CONCERNS	• Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA (CONEFLOWER) EXTRACT
Appeared as: ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA EXTRACT

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	not reported, moisturising, skin conditioning, soothing, tonic
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ZINC CITRATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	cosmetic biocide, oral care agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
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SALVIA OFFICINALIS (SAGE) OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, masking, skin protecting, tonic
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
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COMMIPHORA MYRRHA (MYRRH) OIL
Appeared as: COMMIPHORA MYRRHA OIL (MYRRH)

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, masking, skin conditioning, tonic
CONCERNS	• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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CALCIUM ASCORBATE
Appeared as: CALCIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C)

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin conditioning
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ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C)

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, buffering, masking, skin conditioning
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ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE
Appeared as: ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE

Data Availability: Limited

CONCERNS	• Cancer (moderate) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low)
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CALENDULA OFFICINALIS (POT MARIGOLD) FLOWER OIL
Appeared as: CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER OIL

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	fragrance ingredient, masking, skin conditioning
CONCERNS	• Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS (GOLDENSEAL) EXTRACT

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	not reported, masking, skin conditioning
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PHYTIC ACID

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	chelating agent, oral care agent, chelating
CONCERNS	• Endocrine disruption (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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CITRIC ACID

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering, chelating, masking
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
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HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) EXTRACT

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cosmetic astringent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, astringent, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, soothing
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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MENTHOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, external analgesic, flavoring agent, fragrance ingredient, oral health caredrug, masking, refreshing, soothing
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Multiple, additive exposure sources (low)
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STEVIA REBAUDIANA (SWEETLEAF) EXTRACT
Appeared as: STEVIA REBAUDIANA LEAF/STEM POWDER

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	flavoring agent, masking
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Ingredients from packaging:

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Polysorbate-80, Mentha Piperita Stem/Leaf Oil(Peppermint) , Mentha Arvensis Stem/Leaf Oil (Peppermint), Eco-Harvest Â® Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil (Chamomile), Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Zinc Citrate, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Oil (Myrrh), Calcium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal) Extract, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Menthol, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Powder

Directions from packaging:

Adults and children 6 years of age and older: use 1/2 oz of Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Ultra Care Mouthwash and rinse to leave your mouth minty fresh.

Warnings from packaging:

If irritation occurs, stop use of product.

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 Cruelty-free Companies

Companies that join the "Caring Consumer" program of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, attest that "neither they nor their ingredient suppliers conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations or finished products, and that they pledge not to do so in the future."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

Leaping Bunny

Products bearing the Leaping Bunny mark are certified cruelty-free under the Humane Household Products Standard, managed in the U.S. and Canada by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, a coalition of eight national animal protection groups. Participating companies must open their processes to independent audits throughout the supply chain.

LEARN MORE ON LEAPINGBUNNY.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