Acne, rashes, dry skin, early ageing skin are problems that so many women tackle every day. So you go for an expensive visit to the dermatologist for him/her to review your routine. You end up buying from the pharmacy products that do not work.
Do not judge me, but for years I have been blaming my parents for that acne or rashes on my face (blame it on the bad genes). I never thought that products in my daily routine could be the issue. I even began to not care anymore… Never realising that not taking care of my face has a huge impact on your presentation. Lack of confidence, low self-esteem or feeling dirty: without a good skin or a skin you take care off, you are not making the impression you hope for.
Because of the number of skincare products on the market and the competition, I believed that companies tried to be clean and transparent with their products… You can understand how shocked I was when I realised that not only they lie but also they make so much profit on us.
If you have skin issues or are just trying to find better products for your skin, you are at a good place. In this article, we will see which ingredients you normally find in skincare and are so important to remove from your routine.
Aluminium
Why companies use it: Aluminium is a metal that can be used as a pigment or help with the thickness. It is mainly used in deodorant. Regulations are in place in the US and the EU for the use of aluminium in skincare products.
Why is it bad: Aluminium has been found toxic when a high dose is ingested. It has been found that the amount of aluminium in beauty products is low nowadays. We would still recommend to not use it.
Parabens
Why companies use it: It is mainly used in beauty products for its conservation. Paraben prevents the growth of bacterias and mould. Most of the time, companies use more than one type of paraben in their preparations. When you look for the ingredients every one which contains the world parabens is part of the family-like methylparaben or ethylparaben
Why is it bad: A lot of studies shows that parabens could have a direct impact on hormone unbalance and cancer. However, none of those research got yet approved a lot of research are currently done to find out if the non-use of parabens in the product (risk of harmful bacteria) would be risky for the consumer.
Artificial fragrance
Why companies use it: Most companies use it to cover the smell of other products. By also selling a product with a different smell they can expand their selling strategy: one body butter but 5 different smells. For this reason, they will use artificial fragrance which can be very strong;
Why is it bad: Most of the fragrance are artificial and contains a lot of products that are not listed. Your skin can have a bad reaction from it, allergies, or even rashes and acne due to the too hard chemicals.
Sodium lauryl or sodium sulfate
Why companies use it: Sodium lauryl or sulfate is a detergent and mainly used in cleanser, bath soap or detergents. It is a very inexpensive chemical product and a foaming agent.
Why is it bad: It is a chemical which can rash your face because of its composition. It is like using your laundry cleaning product on your face. It will wash the natural and necessary oil of your face and can create eczema, acne, rashes and other skin irritation. The reaction fully depends on the percentage of use in the product’s composition and your skin type.
Phthalates
Why companies use it: It is a chemical that helps the plastic to be more flexible and unbreakable. It is mainly used in nail polish and hair spray.
Why is it bad: no research has proven the impact on health issues. There is no regulation on its use. However, we let you understand the impact of using a plastic agent on your products.
Polyethene glycol
Why companies use it: It is a chemical agent that helps your skin absorb the product quicker. It is used in skincare to prevent the products from melting too much or freezing
Why is it bad: It should not cause any irritation but as it is a skin-enhancing product: it opens the skin to other possible irritations. Depending on the concentration of the product it can be considered a strong skin irritator and can cause eczema or dry skin.
Formaldehyde
Why companies use it: It is used in nail polish, nail hardener, hair gel, deodorant, eyelash glue and makeup primer. It is used mainly as a cheap gas preservative.
Why is it bad: because of its high concentration in products. As it is a chemical it can give scalp and skin irritation. One of the side effect found was hair loss.
To find out if the product you are using in your skincare is harmful you can use the app think dirty. Here is the post where we talk about it and its work.
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