We all use skin care products, whether it’s through you favorite body wash, skin lotion, or even shaving cream. Most of the time, we choose these products depending on their fragrance, how they make our skin feel, and their price. However, we often overlook the ingredients which are being used in these products. We assume that no company would ever use anything harmful in a product which we use daily on our skin. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly true.
There are companies out there that manufacture skin care products and use ingredients that have been proven to be harmful and in some situations even dangerous when used topically. Whether it’s to save on production costs or to ensure that their products last longer, these unethical companies are willing to compromise the integrity of their products at your expense.
We feel that every consumer should know the potentially dangerous ingredients that can often be found in some of these skin care products. We have compiled a short list of ingredients that are unhealthy for you. These ingredients should always be avoided. Luckily, most skin care products still have to list the ingredients which they use on their product labels, so simply checking the labels to ensure none of these ingredients are present should be more than enough to keep you out of harm’s way when using skin care products. Let’s take a look at some of these ingredients and why they aren’t good for you.
Ingredients To Avoid When Buying Skincare Products
Parabens
Firstly, you need to understand what parabens are and then you will be able to understand why they are potentially harmful. Parabens are essentially chemicals that are used in many skin care products, as well as many other cosmetic products, to keep microbes and bacteria out of the product. Surprisingly, parabens are made up of acids which are naturally found in blackberries and raspberries. So why are they potentially harmful?
As it turns out, parabens interfere with your body’s hormones, specifically estrogen. This interference has been studied and researched and linked to potential development of breast cancer, fertility issues, and chronic diseases.
We should mention that the FDA states that there is currently no reason for consumers to be concerned with the small amounts of parabens found in cosmetic products. However, using products that have parabens in them in excess or using products that have high levels of parabens should be avoided.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS/SLES)
Over the years, there have been thousands of studies done about SLS and SLES, and all of them have been deeming that this chemical is extremely dangerous and terrible for both your body and the environment. After digging through all this research, we determined that this is true only if products that contain SLS and SLES in high quantities are used over a prolonged time period.
Higher concentrations of SLS and SLES can cause severe irritation and even skin corrosion. Irritation can occur on the scalp, gums, and skin at just 1%, so we strongly suggest avoiding using any product that has more than 1% concentration. Furthermore, some people might be sensitive to SLS and SLES, in which case we strongly suggest avoiding products with SLS and SLES completely.
Synthetic Fragrance
While we love the fragrances that some of our favorite products give off, there is a huge problem with using synthetic fragrances. Unfortunately, synthetic fragrances are very complex and are engineered with many various chemicals which can potentially be harmful in more than one way to the human body. Some of these chemicals can even cause hormone disruptions.
Phthalates
Another common issue that many skin care product companies face is making the fragrance in the product stick to your skin. That’s exactly what phthalates do; they make the product more flexible and the fragrances within it more likely to adhere to your skin. The problem is that it has also been deemed to be toxic to the reproductive system and may even disrupt the endocrine system.
Polyethylene Glycol
PEGs have been used in the skin care world as solvents, conditioners, and thickeners. While we all love what some of these products do to our hair and skin, the problem is that those that use PEGs may contain trace amounts of carcinogens.
Mineral Oil
This oil us usually used to reduce water loss from the skin, thus making it look more hydrated. Unfortunately, this odorless and colorless oil is also made from petroleum, is considered to be a comedogenic, and sometimes contains harmful impurities as well as carcinogens.
Triclosan
While triclosan has powerful anti-bacterial properties, the problem is that it was approved by the FDA over 40 years ago when chemicals weren’t as rigorously scrutinized as they are today. Its long term side effects have raised much concern over the past few years, to a point where FDA is reevaluating its used. Triclosan has been linked to unusual endocrine system and thyroid hormone signaling, weakened immune system, and increased chances of developing allergies, asthma, and eczema in children who have been exposed to it at an early age.
Gluten
Unless you are part of the 1%, chances are gluten isn’t bad for you. In fact, it is packed with fiber and Vitamin B and holds plenty of nutritional value. We wish we could say the same about gluten when used on our skin. Skin care products that use gluten often make your skin irritated and result in dermatitis herpetiformis. We think it’s best to stay away from skin care products that contain gluten.
Potentially Harmful Skin Care Product Ingredients Review Summary
The compounds and chemicals we listed here are known to cause issues and problems with many consumers. This doesn’t necessarily mean the same will be true for you. We listed these compounds so that you can be aware of potential problems that may occur, and if they do surface then you will know which of the ingredients is responsible. Keep in mind that these aren’t the only ingredients that can cause problems; there are others which we have not listed in this article. We always suggest staying away from synthetic chemicals and ingredients and always choosing natural products.
