Ingredients. Now you’ll know…

Everyone is aware how important ingredients are in our food but how much do we know about ingredients in skin-care products? Our skin is our largest organ, so we want to treat it well. We all have an outer layer of skin called the “stratum corneum” which acts as barrier between our body and the outside world. This skin barrier is very important for retaining moisture in our body, however there are many ways in which this could be damaged; our environment, allergens, pollutants, detergents, and soaps as well as, exposure to harsh chemicals, and steroids when used regularly, all compromise that skin barrier. Think about how many of these damaging ingredients you use daily, each one of them maybe individually may not pose an issue however, it’s more than likely we all use several products daily with ingredients that are doing more harm than good.

Check some of your product labels:

• Parabens

• Sulfates

• Phthalates

• Fragrance

• Formaldehyde

• Phenoxyethanol

• Alcohols

• PEG

Why do we care about these ingredients? It’s the overexposure I’m most concerned about. Several are known for being hormone disruptors while others can be causing your hair loss, rashes, and even loss of taste & smell. Even worse, some have been linked to certain cancers.

The reason you need to educate yourself is because there are many misleading product labels on the market. No one is monitoring the label unless it is making a medical claim in which the FDA will step in.

“FDA doesn’t dictate what products go into skincare “Under the law, cosmetics must be safe when consumers use them according to product labeling, or the way in which the products are customarily used. But the law does not require cosmetics to be approved by FDA before they go on the market. Drugs, however, must have FDA approval for both safety and effectiveness before they go on the market. Similarly, medical devices must go through FDA’s clearance process.
FDA is concerned about drug claims made for products marketed as cosmetics, such as skin care products with anti-wrinkle or anti-aging claims that involve supposed effects on the structure or function of the skin. [1]”

Are you “Greenwashed”?

Greenwashing is when a company makes “natural’ or “clean” claim when in fact they are not. Many of these brands pour a lot of money into advertising and marketing to lead you to believe you are making a good choice for you and your family. An eye-opening article I came across years ago was from Kristen Arnett, a makeup artist and clean beauty expert. Check out her interesting list, some brands will open your eyes https://kristenarnett.com/category/greenwashing-beauty-brands/

It is really is important to educate yourself and not allow companies to bamboozle you by pretty bottles and labels. It’s equally important not to take the word of a (well meaning) friend, as a true Virgo, I am here to tell you to research for yourself, ask questions, and verify. But where to start looking? As an advocator for cleaner brands, I am always researching professional companies that offer the best quality, effective ingredients for my clients. Of the brands I carry, I have direct access to lead professionals that can help me with any questions on anything from allergic reactions to proper usage.

Even seemingly ‘natural’ ingredients can pose a problem. Take Coconut oil for example, it is highly comedogenic, meaning it is pore clogging. For those with acne or large pores, why would you want to use this? Shea Butter for is not considered comedogenic however, because if it’s thickness caution should be used as to over applying to avoid possible breakouts.

Oils that are considered noncomedogenic are: Hemp Oil, Sunflower seed oil, Grapeseed, Neem, and Sweet Almond oil – unless of course you are allergic to them.

So who is your “lead” professional? Let it be me!

If you need to detox your skincare routine feel free to contact me. If you are having a skin issue, let’s review the ingredients in your current products.

My bookmarked sites:

Campaign for safe cosmetics https://www.safecosmetics.org/chemicals/

Environmental Working Group https://www.ewg.org/the-toxic-twelve-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-cosmetics

Acne Clinic: https://acneclinicnyc.com/pore-clogging-ingredients/

Apps to check out:

Think Dirty https://www.thinkdirtyapp.com/ 4,500+ brands analyzed

INCI https://incibeauty.com/ a cosmetic analyzer app

EWG https://www.ewg.org/ empowering you to make good choices

Shop cleaner:

Neal’s Yard Remedies https://bit.ly/3CmaeDJ iconic organic skincare

The Detox Market https://the-detox-market.pxf.io/LP5z4a vetted brands with cleaner options

[1] https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/wrinkle-treatments-and-other-anti-aging-products