Ingredients to Avoid When Selecting Your Skincare Products 

Do you do enough research when shopping for beauty and skincare products? While it is common to study the promised benefits of a skincare product, very few people bother to check the ingredients from which it’s made. It’s vital that you know what elements are coming into contact with your skin. Refrain from getting carried away by marketing gimmicks. The cosmetic industry sells thousands of beauty products that claim to enhance your looks without fail. However, many of these products can also lead to serious health consequences in the long run.

If you have no idea how to identify the harmful agents from a long list of ingredients, we can help you. Below, we have listed some of the most notorious ingredients that hide in many skincare products.

How Can Chemicals in Skincare Products Harm You?

Before we delve into the list of ingredients to avoid in your skincare products, let’s discuss what makes these chemicals so detestable. You will be surprised to learn how even a tiny amount of harmful ingredients can impact your body.

The harmful compositions in the personal care products you use daily can cause discolouration and allergies. You may also notice skin texture alteration and other permanent skin damage. These side effects are only the tip of the iceberg.

Often, many skincare ingredients contain carcinogens. Carcinogens are toxic ingredients which cause cancer. Even though each skincare product may have certain carcinogenic ingredients in small doses, and at times even permissible by the governing authority when kept at very low levels, the cumulative effect is rather concerning.

Remember, you use multiple products in a day - putting yourself at risk of life-threatening carcinogens over time. On average, an individual uses over 10 personal care products daily, exposing the body to over 100 chemicals. This is why it is essential to check the ingredients of each product and assess them carefully.

While there has been a lot of research on these ingredients, proving how dangerous they can be, they are still allowed in specific quantities by regulatory bodies. So the best way to stay clear of these harmful synthetic ingredients is to go for products that are formulated using natural components. This is because they are not only good for your health but also the environment.

Ingredients to Look Out for In Your Skincare Products

Parabens

From makeup to soap to lotions - all types of personal care products can be befouled by parabens. Parabens are preservatives that most companies use to prevent bacteria growth in products. Basically, this chemical is what helps skincare products last longer on the shelves.

Even though it is beneficial for those in the business to use parabens, excessive exposure to the chemical can wreak havoc on your health. Parabens are endocrine disruptors that act like oestrogen hormones and cause hormonal imbalances. As if that was not enough, parabens may also cause cancerous breast tumours.

Commonly used parabens include methylparaben, isopropyl paraben, propylparaben, and isobutyl paraben. Look out for any ingredient that contains the word ‘paraben’, and you’d be surprised how common this ingredient is found even at your local pharmacy!

Artificial Fragrances

Beware whenever you see artificial fragrances on a product label. Anything synthetic should usually be avoided. In the case of skincare, it is a red flag. Artificial fragrances are made from thousands of ingredients that might not be mentioned on the label. So, you cannot know for sure what you are getting exposed to.

The toxins in fragrances can lead to nose, eye, and throat irritation; headaches; respiratory symptoms; forgetfulness; and a slew of other symptoms. It may also increase the risks of infertility, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is another carcinogenic element that is repeatedly used in not only skincare products but also in makeup, body, and hair products. For example, it is commonly found in hair smoothing and straightening chemicals, nail polishes, eyelash glues, soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. Exposure to high levels of formaldehyde can cause skin sensitisation, sensory irritation, and respiratory problems.

To make matters worse, this cancer-causing agent might be hiding under a completely different name in your personal care products. Check the ingredient list and refrain from buying if it contains bronopol, quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, or sodium hydroxymethylglycinate. All of these release formaldehyde. Join the clean beauty movement by choosing skincare products that don't contain such harmful ingredients. 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS) are foaming agents commonly found in your skincare and hygiene products. Check your cleanser, shampoo, and even toothpaste to ensure they are free of this surfactant.

Even though it allows your products to foam well, it does not improve the cleaning efficacy of the product. Furthermore, SLS can damage your skin. It can reduce the skin’s natural oils and cause dry skin. SLS can trigger allergies or cause other skin irritations such as eczema, dermatitis, and itchiness. Furthermore, it often leaves nitrosamines as by-products, which have the potential to be carcinogenic.

Diethanolamine

Diethanolamine is another foaming agent that can pose a big health threat. The same ingredients that make your body wash, shampoo, and bubble bath so creamy and frothy can lead to a plethora of health-related discomforts.

Diethanolamine is a respiratory toxin and known carcinogen. Sometimes it can be mentioned as ‘DEA’ in the product labelling. DEA can set off a range of allergies. It can cause shortness of breath and coughing. Moreover, excessive exposure can lead to a fluid build-up in the lungs - a medical emergency!

Oxybenzone

Look carefully and check if your skincare products contain oxybenzone. Oxybenzones are endocrine disruptors that can be found in cleansers, lip balms, sunscreens, and lotions. Even baby products can have oxybenzone in them, so be sure to look at the labels carefully.

Oxybenzone can get absorbed into your circulatory system if it comes into contact with the skin. This extreme exposure can cause hormonal imbalance.

The chemical is also known to cause skin pigmentation and allergies. So you should avoid this skincare ingredient, especially if you have acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Heavy Metals

Your personal care products can contain heavy metals as well. Yes, toxic metals like aluminium are used to produce various skin products and cosmetics.

Aluminium has an oestrogen-like impact on your body, thus disrupting the hormonal balance. The most common source of this heavy metal is antiperspirant deodorants. Other heavy metals to look out for are cadmium, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, mercury, lead, and nickel.

Conclusion

Navigating through the long list of ingredients in every product you buy may be a tiresome process, but it is a necessity. Check carefully and make sure you are not investing in a serum, cream, or lotion that can do more harm than good. If you find it difficult to decipher any list of ingredients, there are apps and websites to help make it easier for you to process the information.

Buying from organic brands that focus on natural and vegan ingredients is generally safer. Thankfully, there are plenty of ingredient-conscious brands that make clean personal products for you to choose from.