5 Common Man-Made Chemicals Found in Skincare Products,  November 18, 2019

5 Common Man-Made Chemicals Found in Skincare Products, November 18, 2019

With so many synthetic ingredients in products on the market today, who knows what’s real anymore? 

Today, we’re going to take a look at the most common chemicals found in skin care products and why you should choose natural alternatives. 

 

Are there are dangerous chemicals in my skincare products?

If you’ve used any type of skincare or beauty products in the past, you’re likely aware of some of the ingredients they contain. 

But most skin care products have ingredient lists that are half a mile long and filled with ingredients that you can hardly pronounce. 

Who knows what orimidazolidinyl really is anyway?

But with so many hard to read ingredients that you’ve never heard of before, can you really be sure what’s in these products?

 

 

Chemicals Commonly Found in Beauty Products

Today, most skin and body care products contain five chemical ingredients that are used only to preserve them longer, improve their look, odor, or texture, and to try and highlight the way the product works. 

Below, we’ll take a look at five chemicals that you should avoid in your beauty and skincare products. 

 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

These sulfates are commonly used as foaming agents in skincare and body products. One well-known by-product of sodium lauryl sulfate is known as nitrosamine, of which, most of its molecules are known carcinogens. 

And while sodium lauryl sulfate is not a carcinogen itself, it has still been known to cause irritation and skin allergies in some individuals. 

Learn more about the dangers of sodium lauryl sulfate here.

 

Parabens

In almost all beauty and cosmetic products today, you’ll find parabens. 

Parabens are used as a preservative in skincare products that contain water because of their anti-bacterial properties. 

Which is a good thing! They stop your products from going rancid...

But in some studies, parabens have been linked to disruptions in the endocrine system by impersonating estrogen molecules. This can lead to severe hormonal imbalances and has even been linked to the development of breast cancer.  

So watch out for this potentially harmful ingredient in your skincare products. It can have many different names, such as propylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben and methylparaben. 

But if you see any ingredients with the word “paraben” in it, it’s best to be avoided. 

 

Phthalates

Commonly found in skincare products and fragrances, phthalates are plasticizers used to prevent products from becoming hard and brittle. 

Phthalates are also been known to cause disruptions in the endocrine system, as well as causing reproductive complications.

You’ll often find phthalates listed as DEP, DEHP, and DBP.

 

 

Oxybenzone

Although oxybenzone is most commonly used in sunscreen, it can also be found in many cosmetic skincare products such as moisturizers and makeup. 

Oxybenzone is yet another endocrine disruptor, which has also been linked to issues in the thyroid gland. 

 

Formaldehyde

Lastly, we have formaldehyde, a well-known carcinogen that has been linked to neurotoxicity and respiratory complications. 

Unfortunately, this ingredient can be a bit harder to spot in your products. Instead of listing it as formaldehyde, it can usually be found listed as DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15, and orimidazolidinyl.

Read more about formaldehyde in cosmetics here: https://www.ewg.org/research/exposing-cosmetics-cover/formaldehyde-releasers

Making The Natural Choice

More than ever, people are concerned about the products they’re using in their daily lives. 

Because of this, a growing number of people are turning to natural alternatives to help them escape the heavily manufactured products that are so common today.

Your body consumes and processes any type of product that you put into it. And this includes your cosmetics, lipstick, makeup powders, and even the hairspray that you breathe in while getting ready in the morning. 

 

 

In other words, all of the chemicals and toxins that are found in the products you use, end up in your bloodstream either through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through your skin.

But by using natural skin care products, products that use plants and other organic materials as their main ingredients, you can significantly reduce the number of chemicals your body absorbs. 

So why should you choose natural?

 

Unregulated Chemicals

In the skincare industry, the chemical ingredients that are used are often unregulated by any sort of safety organization. 

Because of this, you’ll often find ingredient listing or labels to be deceptive. 

For example, many cosmetic skincare products contain formaldehyde. 

But if manufacturers were to put formaldehyde into their ingredient listings, they’re sales would likely plummet and they’d go bankrupt within weeks. 

So instead, they use much more vague ingredient names such as DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15, and orimidazolidinyl, to disguise the fact that they’re products actually contain formaldehyde, a well-known carcinogen. 

At the same time, “fragrance” is almost always listed as an ingredient in cosmetic skincare products. 

Manufacturers are not required to list what is in a fragrance - they can claim it as proprietary - but one single fragrance can contain up to two thousand chemicals, including the dangerous ones listed above. 

To learn more about what goes into your skincare products, check out the documentary Stink! on Netflix. If you’ve never really put much thought into your skincare products before, you’re guaranteed to think twice after seeing this film. 

 

Better Health

Parabens and phthalates are two molecular groupings that have been proven to cause endocrine dysfunction. 

According to a recent study, continually using products that contain ingredients such as parabens can cause hormonal imbalances and health problems later on down the road. 

The truth is, there are many natural ingredients that work just as well as the heavily processed, commercial skincare products so common today.

And when you use natural products and substances, it’s much easier for your body to absorb and process them. 

 

 

 

Escaping Chemical Skincare Products

Today, it’s easier than ever to find products to relieve all sorts of skin conditions.

But most of the products available on the market are made using heavily processed and manufactured ingredients, many of which are unstudied. 

These products can wreak havoc on our bodies. 

On the other hand, natural products are often just as effective. And they also contain many other essential nutrients that help feed your body and your health. 

In the end, simple is always the better answer.

So make sure to watch out for skincare products with long ingredient lists that are hard to read. 

Instead, use products that you know, and trust, and can actually pronounce. 

Natural skin care products are also usually more affordable than most other commercial products. 

Check out our Shop and browse our wide selection of natural skin and body care products. 

 

Interested in learning more about natural skincare? Download my Complete Guide to Natural Skin Care, and learn all there is to know about keeping your skin happy and healthy naturally. 

Claim your 100% FREE copy here.

 


 

Have you been looking for a way to escape chemical skin care products? What natural products would you recommend to others?

 

Back to blog