Chemical ingredients to avoid in skincare

Helping you to make smarter choices for you and your family

Read your labels

Our advice to you is to read your labels, understand what you’re putting on your skin and consider a gentler alternative. The first ingredient on a label is usually water (aqua) which generally makes up about 30% upwards of the product. The ingredients on your cosmetic labels have to be listed in descending order of weight until they reach the ingredients that are present in quantities of 1% or less.

There is nothing wrong with being cautious. If you don’t want to use certain ingredients, then look for alternative products to use.

Looking after your body

Whilst our skin isn’t a sponge, it’s certainly worth considering that some of what we apply to our skin is being transported into the body and may have adverse effects on our well-being .Every person is different and every chemical is different and is impossible to estimate the absorption rate of chemicals that end up in our blood stream therefore your body’s response will be individual.

Our top nasties to avoid;

These may result in skin/eye irritation, allergies and/or hormone disruption

Parabens– Most widely used Preservative

Phthalates -Preservative, commonly hidden under the term ‘fragrance’ (Banned from cosmetics in the European Union)

Methylisothiazolinone  (MI) – Preservative

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) -Synthetic antioxidants/preservative

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) -Foaming agent    

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)-Foaming agent

Diethanolamine (DEA)- Foaming agent

Synthetic colours & fragrances and parfum

This list is just the ‘tip of the Iceberg’- for more comprehensive information http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/