What I've learned
What I Look For on a Label Now: A Breast Cancer Survivor's Guide to Safer Products
Before my diagnosis, I never flipped a bottle over to read the back. Shampoo was shampoo. Lotion was lotion. I used the same make up line for 10 years not knowing it had known carcinogens in it. That changed in the waiting rooms, the support groups, and the long nights of research that follow my cancer diagnosis. I started asking a question I'd never asked before: what am I actually putting on and in my body every day?
This post is what I've learned since — not as a scientist, but as someone who lived through treatment and now pays closer attention.
A quick note before we go further: I'm not a doctor, and nothing here is medical advice. The research on everyday chemical exposure and cancer risk is still evolving, and reasonable experts disagree on how much any single product matters. What follows is how I personally think about the products in my home now, and some categories worth knowing about if you want to make more informed choices too.
Why Survivors Think About This Differently.
Many breast cancers, including mine are hormone-receptor-positive, meaning they're fueled by estrogen or progesterone. After a diagnosis like that, it's natural to start wondering about anything in daily life that might interact with hormones — even in small ways. That's led a lot of survivors, myself included, to take a closer look at ingredients sometimes called "endocrine disruptors," which are substances that can mimic or interfere with hormones in the body.
The science on how much everyday exposure actually matters is genuinely mixed. Regulatory limits exist for a reason, and most products on store shelves are considered safe at typical use levels. But for many survivors, this becomes less about proven risk and more about peace of mind — reducing what we can, where we reasonably can, without turning it into a source of anxiety.
Categories of products that need to be payed attention to:
Skincare and cosmetics. I started checking for parabens and synthetic fragrances, which are common preservatives and scent compounds that some research has linked to hormone activity. I don't panic over every ingredient I can't pronounce, but I do look for brands that disclose full ingredient lists and avoid products with terms like "fragrance" with no further detail.
Deodorants and antiperspirant. This is one of the most-discussed categories for breast cancer patients, given its proximity to breast tissue. The link between antiperspirants and cancer risk, oddly hasn't been established by major health organizations, but many survivors — myself included — switched to aluminum-free formulas anyway, partly for comfort during treatment when skin was more sensitive, and partly for peace of mind. This is something I take very seriously given I have teenage daughters as well. You can't mess around with hormone-disrupters.
Plastics and food storage. I moved a lot of my kitchen over to glass and stainless steel, and I stopped microwaving food in plastic containers. Heat can cause certain plastics to leach chemicals like BPA or phthalates, which are also studied for hormone-related effects.
Cleaning products. Fragrance-heavy cleaning sprays were an easy swap. Fragrance-free or plant-based cleaners cut down on a category of inhaled chemicals that never sat right with me once I started paying attention.
Sunscreen. Skin protection matters more than ever after treatment, since some therapies increase sun sensitivity. I look for mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) as my default, though the evidence against chemical sunscreens specifically is much thinner than people assume — the bigger priority is simply wearing sunscreen consistently.
What I've Learned Not to Do.
I don't chase perfection. Trying to eliminate every questionable ingredient from your life is exhausting and not evidence-based. I aim for better, not flawless.
I don't trust marketing labels alone. "Natural," "clean," and "non-toxic" aren't regulated terms — they can mean almost anything. I look at actual ingredient lists, not the front of the package. Can you believe "Lead" can be considered a "Natural" ingredient.
I talk to my oncology team before making big changes, especially with anything that touches supplements or products marketed as cancer-fighting. Some "natural" products can interact with medications or hormone therapy in ways that aren't obvious.
A Few Resources I've Found Useful:
I trust Counter make up and skin care products. You can find my link on the front page of this website. I have been using their products for 10 years and 100% trust their research and products. Plus, I love every product I've used, especially the anti-ageing products.
- The EWG's Skin Deep database rates personal care products by ingredient safety data.
- The Environmental Working Group's Guide to Sunscreens is a good starting point for mineral options.
- Nonprofits like Breast Cancer Prevention Partners publish research summaries specifically about environmental links to breast cancer.
Switching products didn't cure my cancer, and it won't prevent a recurrence on its own — I want to be honest about that. What it gave me was something smaller but still meaningful: a sense of agency in a process that had taken so much control away from me. Reading a label became one small way I could make a choice for my own body again.
If you're a survivor thinking about this too, know that there's no single "right" way to approach it. Some people rebuild their entire bathroom cabinet. Others make one or two swaps and call it good. Both are valid. The goal isn't fear — it's just paying a little more attention to what used to be invisible.
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