The same way you pay attention to the ingredients that are in your food, you should pay just as much attention to the ingredients that are in your skincare products. Believe it or not, there are thousands of ingredients that are absorbed into your skin and most of the companies that make these products use ingredients and raw materials that are not regulated by the government without review or approval.
The skincare and cosmetic industries are extremely unregulated and there’s no pre-approval process before products hit the shelves and find their way into your home. In fact, the only approval process that does exist is checking for color additives and ingredients labeled as over-the-counter drugs.
Many of these ingredients in beauty products contain synthetic chemicals that can irritate your skin and disrupt your endocrine system, along with raising your risk of many other health complications. There are hundreds that you could be paying attention to, but here are just a few of the most common ones you should be aware of when you see them.
Ingredients You Should Avoid
Synthetic coloring: If you read the label of a beauty product and you see anything resembling D&C Red 27 or FD&C Blue 1, you should stay away. Synthetic colors are composed of coal tar substances and petroleum, which have been suspected to be a human carcinogen that has been linked to ADHD in children.
Parabens: Parabens are used in makeup, body washes, deodorants, shampoos and facial cleansers that serve as a preservative to prevent mold and bacteria. But what most people don’t realize is that parabens possess an estrogen-mimicking ability that is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer
Phthalates: This ingredient is used in hundreds of products to make plastic more soft and flexible. They are known as endocrine disruptors that have been linked to increased risk of breast cancer, early breast development in girls and reproductive birth defects in both males and females. This ingredient can be found in deodorants, perfumes/colognes, hair sprays and moisturizers.
Formaldehyde: Also known as formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs), it is used in many products to help prevent bacterial growth. This ingredient has been classified as a human carcinogen, linked to occupation cancers, cause allergic reactions and lower the immune system. Formaldehyde can be found in nail polish, body washes, conditioners, shampoos, cleansers, eyeshadows and nail polish treatments.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) / Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES): This ingredient is found in 90 percent of skincare and cleaning products. If you have any foaming products in your house, there’s a very high chance that it contains SLS in them. SLS has been known to be an eye, skin and lung irritant and when combined with other chemicals, it forms nitrosamines, which is also a carcinogen. These combinations can lead to a variety of other issues like kidney and respiratory damage. This ingredient is predominately found in shampoo, body wash, cleansers, mascara, acne treatment and facial wash.
We expose ourselves to a variety of chemicals by purchasing beauty products that raise our risk of developing certain health conditions. During times like this, it’s important to know that there are plenty of natural beauty products free of harsh chemicals and natural remedies you can use that’ll promote the health of your skin without exposing you to toxic additives.
