Ingredients Can Be Tricky

Don’t be fooled. Sometimes it’s difficult  to know what’s in every  product we purchase, and beauty products can be especially confusing.  We really need to be aware of exactly what we’re putting on our bodies, so let’s take the time to check out your skin and hair care choices.

For example, consider microbeads.  These are  plastic microspheres widely used in cosmetics as exfoliating agents, and in personal care products such as toothpaste. They are most frequently made of polyethylene but can also be made of other petrochemical plastics such as polypropylene and polystyrene. Over the years, microbeads have replaced traditional biodegradable alternatives such as ground nut shells and salt crystals. Currently, the tide is turning back to safer and more eco-friendly alternatives. The USA and  Europe have been quite proactive in  addressing the problem over the past 12 months. A number of states have voted to pass legislation to ban plastic microbeads in personal care products. This legislation will be phased in around 2018. In December 2015, President Obama signed into law a bill which will ban the production of microbeads as of July 2017, ban product-specific manufacturing in 2018, and prohibit sales of products containing them in 2019.

 Other ingredients to be aware of:

Synthetic Colors:

If the product you’re using is highly pigmented, take a look at the label to double-check for added synthetic colors. These colors could look like “FD&C blue 1” or “D&C Red 27.” These synthetic pigments are often derived from animal byproducts, petroleum, and coal tar sources, which no one wants on their skin!

Triclosan:

This is an artificial, antibacterial and antifungal agent often found in products such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, and soaps. Why don’t we want it in our products? Triclosan has been known to be an endocrine disruptor, targeting the thyroid gland and reproductive hormones often causing skin irritation.

Formaldehyde:

Often used in nail polish, cleansers and makeup, Formaldehyde is used to prevent bacterial growth. What  the label doesn’t tell you is that, while formaldehyde prevents bacterial growth  over an extended period of time, it has  also been deemed a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Carcinogens.  As if  that weren’t bad enough. formaldehyde has also been linked to various cancers of the nasal passage.

These are just a few of the harmful ingredients hiding in the labels of your beauty products. Check those  labels from now on and don’t be fooled!