7 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products

7 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products With better education and awareness of toxins and harmful ingredients in conventional food products, many of us have opened our eyes and minds and become more particular about what we put ‘into’ our body. But what a whole lot of us miss out on is what we put ‘on’ our body too!

Did you know that potentially harmless products like your moisturizer, soap, lipstick and even sunscreen can contain some really diabolical ingredients? With the lack of proper awareness and more so, the lack of strict guidelines and regulations, manufacturers hide a wide range of such ingredients in fine print and unrevealed ‘trade secrets’.

Here are some of the worst skin and health offenders you can commonly find in skincare. They are added to serve specific purposes while proving to be cheap and easy in manufacturing.7 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products However, they penetrate through the skin and into the body with nasty side effects in the short and long term.

1. Alcohol

Most conventional skincare products contain alcohol. Alcohol is added to increase the penetration of ingredients such as vitamin C and retinol. It is also added as a solvent for a number of ingredients that are insoluble in water. This makes skincare formulations smooth and creamy for even application on the skin.

Alcohol is also known to increase the shelf life of certain ingredients and works as a preservative. It is appealing for those with oily skin because of its quick-drying properties. Additionally, its antiseptic properties are touted to those with acne-prone skin as a killer of acne-causing bacteria.

However, in the long term, alcohol’s many benefits also make it a culprit when it comes to skin health. The irony is that in the process of increasing the absorption of vital ingredients in the skin, it breaks the skin’s barrier function – the very barrier that these ingredients are meant to strengthen!

While it has a desirable drying effect on oily skin, it also irritates the skin and triggers it to produce even more oil to compensate for the dryness. Moreover, in the process of killing acne-causing bacteria, it also kills the skin’s microbiome which is responsible for keeping the skin healthy, protected and hydrated. By doing this and stripping away the natural oils, alcohol in skincare actually increases acne-risk in the long term!

2. Parabens

These are a group of chemicals usually used in skincare as artificial preservatives. They are added in order to prevent the bacterial and fungal growth of biodegradable ingredients that skincare products contain in order to increase the product’s shelf life. The most common forms include ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben.

Some studies indicate that parabens are harmful to the body as they penetrate through the skin into the bloodstream and disrupt the normal functioning of hormones. 7 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products They mimic oestrogen and have links with reproductive diseases, even breast cancer.

Parabens don’t just harm the body, they also have an impact on the environment. They get washed away into the sewage system into the water bodies to affect marine life.

3. SLS

SLS or sodium lauryl sulfate is another common chemical ingredient found in conventional skincare products such as cleansers, makeup removers and body washes. It is added to produce lather and give the products a soapy, foamy consistency.

While SLS gives your product that bubbly, sparkling effect that we tend to associate with anything that has cleansing properties, it is also a skin irritant. It irritates the skin and eyes in the long term and is especially harmful for those with dry, sensitive skin and allergies. SLS also tends to clog the pores and increase risk of acne.

4. Artificial Colors

Artificial dyes are added to skincare products to make them look vibrant and more appealing. Made with petroleum, tar or heavy metals such as lead or arsenic, they are synthetically combined to make colorful products. Did you know that it takes almost 50 different types of synthetic chemicals to make purple!

Synthetic colors don’t have any practical purpose but are actually harmful to the skin. They get absorbed into the skin and cause irritation, inflammation, sensitivity and even clogged pores. They make acne troubles worse by ruining the skin’s oil balance. What’s worse? They are toxic to the skin microbiome preventing the skin-friendly bacteria from thriving and maintaining skin health.

Artificial colors have also been linked with cancers and neurological diseases.

5. Synthetic Fragrances

Like synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances are man-made and are also added to skincare products to make them more enticing. In fact scents work better than colors because they have a longer-lasting impression on the mind! They are also added to mask the sometimes-repelling smell of other effective ingredients in skin care.

Synthetic fragrances are worth avoiding because they come with the risk of allergic reactions, sensitivity and headaches. In fact there is evidence of their connections with diseases like cancer, asthma, nervous system disorders and even birth defects. If you have sensitive skin, it’s definitely a good idea to stay away from skincare with synthetic fragrances.

6. Emulsifiers

Emulsifiers, also known as surfactants, are synthetic components added to skincare products like creams and lotions that contain a water element. Since water and oil are insoluble, an emulsifier is added to bind the two together to make a homogeneous mix.

The problem with emulsifiers is that they have a tendency to break the skin’s natural barrier making it prone to water loss, infections and damage caused by irritants. They’re especially concerning for those with sensitive skin as they can lead to irritation and inflammation. Another concerning fact about emulsifiers is they are proven allergens causing risk of allergies in several people.

7. Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is one of the most common ingredients used in chemical sunscreens. It works by photo-chemically reacting with UVA and UVB rays to prevent them from penetrating through the skin.

While its SPF makes it a desirable ingredient in skincare products, oxybenzone also comes with some nasty side effects. To begin with, it’s a hazardous irritant to the skin and eyes and is known to cause allergies.

But the scarier fact is that oxybenzone penetrates deep through the skin and circulates freely in the body. It has even been detected in breast milk! Also a hormone disruptor, oxybenzone is known to affect the production of reproductive hormones in men and women.