Petroleum on a girl's face


Skincare Ingredients to Avoid: Petroleum

Many of us have found ways to reduce our use of gasoline, plastic bags, and other petroleum-based products. But did you know that most, if not all, of your standard skincare and cosmetic products contain petrochemicals? Moreover, petroleum is not only unhealthy for the environment; it poses a risk for your skin too.

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Types of Alcohol

Skincare Ingredients to Avoid:  Some Alcohols

The word “alcohol” usually refers to ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, commonly found in alcoholic beverages. In the cosmetics industry, however, you may also find ingredients such as benzyl or cetyl alcohol. Are any of these chemicals beneficial in skincare?

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Silicone Minerals Used in Powders


Skincare Ingredients to Avoid: Silicone

Although silicone is a popular ingredient in cosmetics products, advertised as a miracle solution for everything from concealment to anti-aging, there are some recent clinical studies that have shown that the same qualities that make the mineral attractive to cosmetic manufacturers can prove problematic to users over time.

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Chemical Pthalate Compound


Skincare Ingredients to Avoid: Phthalates

Recent media coverage has begun to expose the dangers of phthalates, often used to improve texture or taste of alcohol ingredients in in beauty and skin products. What is alarming is that they are proven to enter the human bloodstream through the skin, yet they are used in products intended for children and even infants.

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Sulfate Salts


Skincare Ingredients to Avoid: Sulfates

Chemicals have become so entrenched in our consumer lifestyle that we barely even notice how many of them we are consuming or applying to our body daily. Your facial cleanser alone may contains 10 different chemical compounds,  likely including a sulfate, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, a substance you might want to avoid.

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A rat in an animal testing lab.

What to Look for in Skincare Products: Cruelty Free

When thinking of animal testing laboratories, most of us picture wire cages stacked along cold white walls, while innocent, mournful eyes peek through steel bars. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too real in hundreds of labs across the country. However, more and more beauty companies are ceasing animal testing.

 

Woman applying skincare product.

Avoid PEG’s in Skincare

Over 50% of your standard beauty products contain polyethylene glycol compounds (PEGs). According to the International Journal of Toxicology (IJT), this chemical has been associated with health problems from severe skin irritation to breast cancer.

 

Cosmetic Products

Avoid Parabens in Skincare

Some of the most controversial skincare ingredients on the market today are parabens. While the FDA insists that they are safe, various studies suggest that these commonplace preservatives could threaten our health.

 

Questionable Ingredients

Avoid Propyl Alcohol in Skincare

It’s a dangerous toxin. Chemists and lab technicians are encouraged to use gloves, protective eyewear, and extreme caution when handing it. So why is this ingredient in our cosmetics and skin care products?

 

Perfume

Avoid Synthetic Fragrances in Skincare

A perusal of the ingredients list is the deciding factor for many health-conscious shoppers. But what if there were a way for manufacturers to cloak toxic chemicals in their products without naming them on the ingredients list? That is exactly the case with synthetic fragrances.

 

Solvents

Avoid Industrial Solvents in Skincare

Solvents are sometimes a necessary component of skin and hair products that help to dissolve, stabilize, and preserve a cosmetic solution for consumer use. The question is, how do you know if the solvents used in your personal care products are beneficial or toxic?

 

Glossary

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