If you thought ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products are the thing you need to turn to in a world full of chemicals, well… you’d better think twice. U.S. scientists have uncovered that some of the care products on the market today, 100 percent ‘natural’ and ‘organic’, such as soaps, shampoos, shower gels and other similar products contain in fact 1,4-Dioxane, a chemical that increases the risk for cancer, the Organic Consumer Association (OCA) reports.

According to the study, the harsh ingredients in the products require a touch of mildness offered by the cancer-causing petrochemical Ethylene Oxide that generates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product. Not only is this chemical thought to be responsible for cancer, but it could also be a neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant among other things.

The 1,4-Dioxane is usually present in conventional products too, but according to the study, the branded ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products are not certified to use it under the USDA National Organic Program.

“The practice of ethoxylating ingredients or using other petroleum compounds must end for natural personal care, and is that much more outrageous in so-called ‘organics’ brand products,” said Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA.

David Steinman, environmental health consumer advocate, also said: “At a time when our nation is dangerously dependent on foreign oil and attempting to wean itself off unnecessary dependence on petroleum-based ingredients in major consumer products for national security reasons, it is self-defeating that we are all literally bathing ourselves and our children in toxic petroleum compounds.”

For the consumers, OCA presented them with a list of ingredients they should watch out for: "myreth," "oleth," "laureth," "ceteareth," any other "eth," "PEG," "polyethylene," "polyethylene glycol," "polyoxyethylene," or "oxynol.”

“When it comes to misbranding organic personal care products in the US, it's almost complete anarchy and buyer beware unless the product is certified under the USDA National Organic Program," said Cummins in the OCA report.