I stumbled across an interesting website recently belonging to EWG, the Evironmental Working Group in the USA. This is an organisation dedicated to researching and bringing to light important information about every day products that affect our health.

Reading the many interesting articles on their website I discovered that there are three key ingredients in a number of cosmetics, perfumes, skin and beauty products we all use, that can be potentially harmful without us even knowing.

Phthalates
Phthalates: The most common use of phthalates is as an ingredient in fragrance mixtures. They are found in some cosmetics and body care products and, according to EWG can cause asthma and skin allergies. It even suggests they might trigger miscarriage or cause infertility. Companies are not required to reveal the ingredients making up fragrance mixtures on the labels of products but the EWG product testers claim to have found phthalates in nearly three-quarters of 72 name-brand products.

Triclosan
Triclosan is the most common active ingredient in "antibacterial" liquid hand soaps, and is also found in toothpastes, deodorants, face and body washes, and acne treatments, among others. EWG says its tests have revealed that Triclosan can disturb thyroid hormones.

Musks
Musks are often used in cosmetics and body-care products, like perfume and soap, that contain fragrance. They are also used in air fresheners, detergents and fabric softeners. They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled, and ingested. These, says EWG can disturb a human cell's natural ability to fend off toxic chemicals allowing a build-up of poisons.

EWG has a fantastic cosmetics database that you can access for free. Visit their website at where there is a section you can search for a product, ingredient or company. Simply type in the brand name of the product you use and you'll see that each one has a hazard score.

I've been astounded at the rating some the products I buy have got and I will be chucking my moisturiser in the bin as soon as I get home.

• Natalia Colman is an image consultant who works with people to help them find the right clothes, accessories and overall look to express who they are and help them achieve their goals. Natalia has worked as a stylist with Nicky Hambleton-Jones of Channel 4's Ten Years Younger programme, BMI Airlines and Jaeger. She is also the style expert for a national magazine. She runs her own company from home, Style Specialists, Salterhebble, Halifax. She can be contacted on 01422 241115 or natalia@stylespecialists.co.uk