Do you ever check the ingredients labeled outside your skincare products before buying them? The ingredients in your skincare products affect your skin either positively or negatively, according to the choice you made. The commercial products with harmful petroleum ingredients plasticize your skin making germs more likely to get in and toxins less likely to get out of your body. This, in turn, makes you and your skin unhealthy.
On average, you are exposed to 200 different chemicals every day, many of which are suspected of causing cancer. Ingredients in shampoos, dyes, and other personal care products disturb the hormones responsible for controlling reproduction and development in your body.
Just, to be safe, avoid these toxic and harmful skincare ingredients in your beloved products:
Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40) –: Alcohol strips away all the moisture from your skin because of its dehydrating property, making your skin vulnerable to bacteria, fungus, molds, and viruses. Propylene is a petroleum derivative contained in numerous skin and hair products. It accelerates the penetration of harmful chemicals in your skin. Brown spots and premature aging can also be caused by it.
DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl) – it is a preservative that often releases formaldehyde, which is responsible for causing joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. Other possible side effects include a weakened immune system and cancer.
FD&C Color Pigments – synthetic coloring used in many skincare products is harmful as it is made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins on the skin and causes skin sensitivity and irritation. If absorbed into the skin, certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death.
Synthetic Fragrances – The synthetic fragrances used in personal and skin care products have as many as 200 ingredients. These chemicals are not known yet but they are harmful. The word “Fragrance” listed within the ingredients label can cause headaches, lightheadedness, rash, hyperpigmentation, coughing, nausea and skin irritation.
Triethanolamine – It is often used in skincare products to adjust the pH of the skin. It is used with many fatty acids to convert acid to salt (stearate), which then becomes the base for a cleanser. Triethanolamine (TEA) causes many allergic reactions like eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if used for a longer period of time.
Petrolatum – Petrolatum is mineral oil jelly and mineral oil causes a great deal of trouble by promoting sun damage to the skin. It tends to intervene with the body’s own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping. It can be seen on lip products, which is funny because they’re usually advertised as protecting the lips from sunburn, chapping and so forth. Instead, the products which are being sold to you create the very condition it claims to alleviate. Petrolatum is used by manufacturers mainly because it is incredibly cheap.
Methyl and Propyl and Butyl and Ethyl Paraben – It inhibits the microbial growth and extends the shelf life of the products. Even being highly toxic, they are used widely in cosmetics and skincare products. It has a tendency to cause many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Methylparaben combines benzoic acid with the chemicals of methyl group making the combination highly toxic.
Phthalates – it is a group of chemicals used in many products to enhance the flexibility and softness of plastics. The main phthalates in skincare and personal care products are dibutyl phthalate in nail polish, diethyl phthalate in perfumes and lotions and dimethyl phthalate in hair spray. They are recognized as endocrine disruptors and have been related to increased risk of breast cancer, early breast development in girls and reproductive birth defects in males and females. This is not disclosed on every product that phthalates are added to fragrances.
Sunscreen chemicals – The chemicals which are used in sunscreen lotions to absorb ultraviolet light are known to disrupt the endocrine system and get easily absorbed into the body. They are also responsible for causing cellular damage and cancer in the body. Common names of these chemicals are benzophenone, PABA, avobenzone, homosalate and Octyl methoxycinnamate. They can be found in sunscreen products.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium Laureth sulfate (SLES) – This is found in more than 90 percent of personal upkeep and cleaning products (think foaming products). SLS’s can cause skin, lung, and eye irritation. The main concern regarding SLS is its potential to combine with other chemicals to form nitrosamines, a carcinogen. This combination can lead to other problems like kidney and respiratory damage. It can be found in shampoo, body wash/cleanser, mascara, and acne treatment.
These are some really toxic and harmful skincare ingredients. You must choose your skin care products wisely by checking how safe and natural its ingredients are. A few natural products are present in the market and they are much safer from these so-called effective but harmful products.
