Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare
Today’s beauty landscape makes it easier to educate ourselves on the products we put in our skincare routines. Did you know that up to 60% of what we put on our skin—from moisturizer to sunscreen and lotion—gets absorbed? This can negatively impact our overall health!
With platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, we no longer have excuses to use harmful ingredients that may potentially sensitize and wreak havoc on our skin, the largest organ in our bodies. These ingredients may even be on your top shelf right now, and some skin types don’t necessarily react to it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! Read ahead to know more about ingredients to avoid in your skincare.
Classified as comedogenic ingredients, these are common and tend to clog pores and promote impurities like the dreaded acne and blackheads. Mineral oil-based ingredients are petroleum by-products that interfere with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins. These are commonly found in creams, lotions, ointments, and even cosmetics.
Look out for potentially harmful vegetable oils like cocoa butter, linseed oil, peanut oil, wheat germ oil, corn germ oil, olive oil, and coconut oil in your skincare products. But if you find these comedogenic oils in your beauty drawers, fret not. You may pass these products on to your mother or aunt since these are more suitable for mature and dry skin!
What else? The controversial parabens—from methyl, butyl, ethyl, and propyl—are considered preservatives and may contribute to hormone imbalance. Even your deodorant has it! Artificial fragrances should also raise a red flag since these products are made up of hundreds to thousands of unlisted ingredients on the label; you never really know what you’re being exposed to.
Take these into consideration when shopping for skincare products next time! It’s also best to stick to products made with pure and organic ingredients. To be 100% sure, just look for the terms “non-comedogenic” and “oil-free,” and you’re good to go.