Years ago, celebrities started raving about the major benefits of beauty products with all-natural ingredients. Lines that offered this were often extremely expensive though, apparently because (among other marketing reasons) the lack of preservatives significantly shortened shelf life etc.
In the meanwhile, so-called natural beauty products are booming and have become a well-established hype.
There’s no arguing that natural beauty products are usually much better for you, since synthetic ingredients mainly function as (cheap) fillers and have so many down sides and long term side effects the list seems endless.
Try to avoid these ingredients:
– Cleansers (detergents): sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium myreth sulfate.
Sulfates are added to increase lather and give the false impression of giving us a thorough cleansing. Can be extremely drying, cause frizz and strip colour.
– Aromatic compounds: ingredients that include phenyl or benzyl
– Petrochemicals (mostly used in moisturisers): petrolatum (petroleum), parrafin, mineral oil.
These products give us the false impression that they’re keeping us moisturised, but in fact they do the opposite since they only add a coat of “wax” to your hair or skin, preventing the uptake of moisture.
– Preservatives: DMDM hydantoin, parabens.
Parabens have been linked to breast cancer, cancerous tumors and skin irritation, and are nowadays luckily often replaced by less harmful alternatives.
– Synthetic fragrances
– Synthetic dyes: Listed as FD & C or D & C colours. FD & C colours are allowed in drugs, food and cosmetics. D & C are only allowed in cosmetics and drugs.
Downside to natural products?
Nevertheless, beauty products labeled as “natural” often still include a lot of these synthetic ingredients. Alternative? Make your own and create your own all-natural concoction adapted to your specific needs and integrate them into your routine (link to other article)
A brief list:
* Isopropyl Alcohol
Also Known As: Isopropanol, 2-propanol, propan-2-ol, sec-propyl alcohol, dimethylcarbinol, isohol, petrohol, pro
Petrolatum
A.k.a.: Mineral oil (petroleum byproduct), petrolatum, petroleum jelly, soft paraffin, white paraffin
Propylene glycol
A.k.a.: Ethylene Glycol 107-21-1; Propylene Glycol 57-55-6
Polyethylene glycol
A.k.a.: Ethylene glycol, PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene
Sodium oleth sulfate
Sodium coceth sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and Sodium laureth sulphate (SLES)
Magnesium laureth sulfate
DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (momoethanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine)
A.k.a.: Cocamide DEA / MEA, Lauramide DEA
Sodium Hydroxide
A.k.a.: Caustic soda, Lye, Main ingredient in Perm / Relaxer
FD & C Colour Pigments
Hair Dyes
Fragrance
Mineral Phosphates
Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl, Ethyl)
Phalates
A.k.a.: Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
