Shampoo, skin care, cosmetics and deodorant: products we come into contact with on a daily basis. But these daily products aren’t all that great for us. A lot of these contain harmful substances that can seriously damage your health, because our skin absorbs part of these substances.
My advice: learn to understand the list of ingredients. A tricky thing, I admit, because the terms on these labels usually aren’t that clear. But to help you get started, I’ll be telling you which substances you’re better of avoiding when it comes to skin care products!
Understanding the list of ingredients
I don’t have to tell you that parabens aren’t good for you. There’s already a lot of talk going on around it and brands try to play into this. A lot of products have the phrase “free of parabens” on them these days. But there’s more to it than just this substance, there’s a load of other ingredients that aren’t good for you either. So don’t let that little phrase fool you.
There’s also a lot of claims that products have been dermatologically tested or are hypoallergenic. Yes, SELF has been dermatologically tested and that’s a good thing, but as a consumer you should look a little closer to your brands list of ingredients. It’s the only way you can make sure the product is safe for you to use!
Ingredients to avoid
There are a whole lot of synthetic and natural ingredients you should avoid. They’re the irritating substances that can give your skin problems. Let me line them up for you.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) in shampoo
Does your favorite bottle of shampoo have ‘Sodium Lauryl Sulfate’ on it? SLS and SLES are detergents, substances you can find in cleaning products because this makes it foam. A lot of people think shampoo should be foamy to be a good cleanser, but it doesn’t have anything to do with it. Even facial cleanser, bath soaps or shower gel contain SLS. This substance can cause irritations and skin problems and you could be allergic to them. So be careful!
Bad alcohol
There are a lot of alcohol products with synthetic or natural origins. Irritating alcohols are ethanol, ethyl, benzyl, isopropyl and methanol. Tip: the list of ingredients is ranked in the order of most to least. Is alcohol on top? Better not use this product because a high amount of alcohol can dry your skin out and cause acne or other problems.
There are healthy kinds of alcohol as well, such as cetearyl, an alcohol produced from coconut. SELF contains this kind of alcohol, this substance allows the skin to absorb other ingredients better. Is cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl or lanolin on your bottle? Then it’s a healthy kind of alcohol.
Synthetic perfumes and artificial colors
A whiff of perfume could make you a little happier, but your skin won’t be. Did you know this kind of substance is the biggest trigger for allergic reactions? It could also induce cancer. The sensitive types of skin won’t enjoy those chemical perfumes, it usually causes itching, irritations, redness and itchy eyes.
SELF uses mandarin and geranium oils to get that typical SELF scent. Our products contain only a small dose of these naturals oils, and they’re perfectly safe for you skin.
Irritating pure oils
In our previous article we talked about how natural skin care isn’t always better. Yes, even pure ingredients can cause irritation. Some etheric oils can be incredibly irritation, so you’re better off avoiding tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus and citrus. Avoid putting these on your skin.
Checklist
There are a lot more harmful substances. Should you come across any of the following names, the product probably isn’t that good for your skin.
Butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA): a substance found in sunscreen. It’s advised against using by the SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety)
Parabens: a conservative. It could damage the balance of hormones and trigger allergies.
MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons) and MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) found in lip balms. A study showed that a lot of lip balms could be harmful to children.
Aluminium (chlorohydrate), aluminiumoxide: found in deodorant because aluminium stops you from sweating. It’s also linked with breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.
phthalates such asDEH, DHEP, DINP, BBP, DEHA: these substances cause products to stay on your skin for a longer amount of time. It’s also linked with cancer and hormone disruption. You can find it in synthetic perfumes and hairspray.
So you see, not every beauty product is good for you. The skin care industry is filled with false claims and you should be careful. SELF is 100% natural and vegan, our products are a source of vitamins and are truly healthy.
Do you have any more questions regarding the composition? Feel free to mail me at: team@nauralself.eu
