7 Common Ingredients In Skincare To Avoid

Gandhi tells us that “we must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Often, we use this quote as reminder to be kinder, or to be more environmentally-aware. What if we used this quote as motivation when choosing our skincare and beauty products?

There is already a huge push in the market to use products that are organic and “green”. Yet, most times, companies tend to mask harmful chemicals very well. What does this mean? Well, this means that we need to be aware of what harmful ingredients are out there.

To make it a little easier, I have gone ahead and made a list of 7 ingredients to avoid at all costs. These ingredients are commonly found in a variety of skin and beauty products.

1.) Parabens

Parabens function as preservatives. They are known endocrine disruptors that can develop into carcinogens in certain cases.

 2.) Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene Glycol is a thickener often found in shampoos and cream. Polyethylene Glycol often contains the chemical ethylene oxide which is a known carcinogen.

3.) Formaldehyde

Yes, Formaldehyde. The same chemical used in Biology class to preserve dead animals. Not only is this a known carcinogen, but it is an allergen, and an irritant to the skin.

4.) Phthalates

Phthalate is a plasticizer often found in things such as nail polish. It is an endocrine disruptor that can be linked with carcinogen formation.

5.) Diethanolamine (DEA)

DEA is a foaming agent. When DEA meets Nitrous, a chemical reaction occurs that may cause the chemical to become a carcinogen in the body. Yet, you’ll find this in some body wash products and shampoo.

6.) Triclosan

Triclosan can be found in both cosmetics and soap. It is an antibacterial agent that was banned from health-care settings in 2016. It is a known endocrine disruptor and was shown to promote more tumors in a study on mice.* 

7.) Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is commonly found in sunscreens, lip balms, and makeup. It is a known endocrine disruptor and may cause skin irritation.

While these chemicals are harmful, you’d be surprised by how common they are in every day beauty and skincare products. This is why you should always check the ingredients in a product so that you know what you’re putting in your body.

Find out what ingredients are in Noche Skincare below. Hint, Hint: Noche Skincare is always free of parabens. Plus, Noche is 100% cruelty-free!

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For more information on how these ingredients are used in cosmetics, please reference the FDA articles below:

FDA: Parabens in Cosmetics

FDA: Phthalates

FDA: Diethanolamine

FDA: 5 Things To Know About Triclosan

FDA: Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun

FDA: Hair-Smoothing Products That Release Formaldehyde When Heated

 

*Source

A common antimicrobial additive increases colonic inflammation and colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis in mice: https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/443/eaan4116