Ingredients to Avoid in Your Face Wash
You probably noticed a lot of ingredients you didn’t recognize if you’ve ever read the packaging on your favorite face wash. The cosmetics industry uses a variety of chemicals in its products, many of which may not do anything to benefit your skin. Worse, some chemicals can actually be harmful, especially if you’re pregnant. The skin generally provides an effective barrier, but it does absorb some types of chemicals relatively easily. This possibility is a matter of particular concern when you’re pregnant, due to the ability of some chemicals to reach the placenta and affect your baby’s development.
- Parabens
- Sodium lauryl
sulfate
- PEG
- Alcohols
- Fragrances
- Oils
Parabens
Parabens
are esters of parahydroxybenzoic acid, which includes a large number of
specific chemicals. Their names should contain the term “paraben” somewhere,
often as a suffix. Cosmetics routinely contain parabens due to their
bactericidal and fungicidal properties, which prevent these products from
spoiling.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t currently regulate the use of parabens in beauty products. However, the primary concern with this class of chemicals is they have estrogen-like effects, which raises the possibility of them interfering with the body’s endocrine system. This risk is prompting many consumers to look for paraben-free alternatives in skincare and other products. A small percentage of the population is also allergic to parabens, which can cause skin conditions such as dermatitis and rosacea in those individuals. Some studies have also shown that methylparaben on the skin can lead to increased aging of the skin and a greater risk of skin cancer.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium
lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant, meaning that it reduces the surface
tension between a liquid and some other phase of matter. This property allows
SLS to dissolve fats, which is a major component of substances like dirt and
makeup. SLS is found in the majority of personal care products, where it’s
primarily used as a foaming agent. Other uses of SLS include an emulsifier,
solvent and skin conditioner.However, the same property that makes SLS useful for these purposes also strips the skin of the natural oils it needs for protection. This drying effect can be highly irritating, especially to someone with sensitive skin. Exposure to SLS lasting more than an hour can also irritate the face in young adults. Low concentrations of SLS can even cause allergic reactions in some people. Another problem with SLS is that it can prompt the body to produce more oil as a defensive response, which is an undesirable property in products like facial cleansers.
Polyethylene Glycol
Polyethylene
glycol (PEG) is a plastic polymer with many applications in health and beauty
products. Face and body washes often contain tiny, plastic beads made of PEG,
which act as a gentler exfoliate than natural alternatives like walnut shells.
The biggest risk of using products with PEG is that it’s frequently contaminated
with 1,4-dioxane, which the EPA considers a probable human carcinogen. Dioxane
penetrates the skin readily, so you should never use products containing PEG on
broken skin. PEG beads aren’t biodegradable nor are they filtered by sewage
systems, so they can easily enter the ecosystem.
Alcohols
An alcohol
is any chemical with a hydroxyl group (OH) bound to a carbon atom. The alcohols
most likely to be found in facial wash include ethyl alcohol, which is also
found in alcoholic beverages. Skin care products with a high alcohol content
are likely to be mixed with bittering agents to make them unpleasant to drink.
SD alcohol 40 is a common example of this type, which is a mixture of ethyl
alcohol tert-butyl alcohol and denatonium benzoate. Isopropyl alcohol is also
found in many personal care products.Alcohols are routinely included in skin care products to reduce the thickness of the product, making it feel lighter when it’s on your skin. Alcohols also cause the skin to become more absorbent, allowing other chemicals to penetrate the skin more deeply. This property is particularly important for ingredients like vitamin C and retinol, which must be absorbed to become effective.
As with other ingredients in skin care products, the same properties that cause manufacturers to use them can also damage the skin. In the case of alcohols, their ability to remove the skin’s natural barriers to absorption also makes them very drying and irritating. A 2003 study of hospital workers in Journal of Hospital Infection showed that regular washing with alcohol-based products erodes the skin's barrier. Avoid products with alcohols to keep your face healthy and hydrated.
Fragrances
Many skin
care products contain fragrances, especially face washes. However, the FDA
generally allows the manufacturers of these products to simply include the word
“fragrance” in the ingredient list without specifying the exact chemicals in
the fragrances. This practice means that a scented face wash could contain
hundreds of chemicals you won’t even know about. Many of these chemicals can
cause symptoms such as allergies and headaches in a large number of people.
Furthermore, synthetic fragrances are almost always stabilized with phthalates,
which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has linked to birth defects and
reproductive problems in animals.It’s best to avoid any face wash with fragrance, especially those that are overly scented. Fragrances tend to be irritating and drying to the skin, so they don’t increase the effectiveness of a face wash. If you must have a scented face wash, use a product that gets its fragrance from natural sources like fruit and plant extracts. Essential oils are also a better source of fragrance than synthesized chemicals.
Oils
Cosmetics
and personal care products often contain ingredients derived from petroleum and
mineral oil, usually to provide hydration. These ingredients are attractive to
manufacturers because they’re inexpensive, have no odor and don’t degrade over
time. While oils do provide moisturization, some types can also clog your
pores, which can lead to breakouts.You’re typically better off with an oil-free cleanser in most cases unless you have severely dry skin. The ones to avoid most strongly include butylene glycol, mineral oil, paraffin, petrolatum and propylene glycol. Look instead for products with natural plant oils, which provide hydration without clogging your pores.
About Belli Skincare
Belli Skincare makes a variety of natural health and beauty products including
stretch mark minimizing cream, belly oil, anti-blemish facial wash and eye
brightening cream. Our products don’t contain dyes, fragrances and
preservatives. They’re also free of harmful chemicals, including gluten,
parabens and phthalates.We know that pregnancy can be a stressful period in your life, since you have to be more concerned with what you’re exposed to in your environment. That’s why all Belli products are pregnancy-safe, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. We’re dedicated to providing safe, responsible skincare products that work. If there’s a question about whether or not an ingredient is safe, we don’t want it in our line.
Source
https://www.womenschoiceaward.com/awarded/best-in-health-wellness/beauty/belli/www.belliskincare.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14629966
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