28 Jan, 2009
Chemicals to Avoid in your Skincare Products
Posted under: Skin Care | Subscribe by RSS | Subscribe by Email
Taking care of our skin is a priority. If we are good to it, it will be good to us. With so many skincare products to choose from, what do you do? Whatever skincare line you decide to use, there are some chemicals that shouldnt be contained in any of them.
1. Alcohols“Alcohol is a drying agent. If you have dry skin, alcohol will make your skin feel even drier. Alcohols go by many names so look closely at the label for words ending in -ol. Drying agents will further strip your skin and hair of necessary moisture.
2. Parabens“In the ingredients, you may see methylparaben listed. They are preservatives used in skincare products. They decrease the amount of bacterial growth in lotions and other skincare products. Some people may have an allergy to parabens. Its hard to know if this is the source of your skin irritation with so many other chemicals in some skincare products, so avoiding parabens altogether is a wise choice.
3. Fragrances“Everyone wants to smell good. Plenty of skin care products contain fragrances to give them a nice scent. Unfortunately, these fragrances can cause skin irritations. A fragrance is created by combining chemicals. Any one of those chemicals can cause an adverse reaction on you face or elsewhere on your body.
4. Phthalates“This word is hard to pronounce and with good reason. It is normally found in plastic to increase its flexibility. A chemical like that doesnt belong in any substance that goes on your body. But, it does wind up in some lotions and even soap.
5. Dyes“Dyes give skincare products their color. Even if it is a beige color, you can bet that there was a dye added to your product. People with sensitive skin develop dryness and itching from various dyes. Try natural products that are dye free.
It is a little known fact that skincare products are not monitored by the FDA. We place our skin in the hands of these manufacturers when we buy their products. It is up to us to take our health into our own hands.
We hope that manufacturers wouldnt sell us a bad bill of goods but it happensa lot. The only thing that these manufacturers are required to do is list ingredients on the label according to how much is included. Even with skincare products claiming to be all-natural, check the label to validate their claim.