As the beauty and personal care industry grows rapidly, it is easy to get scammed and caught in the trap of market giants. Skin is the largest organ of our body. The products we use and apply to the skin impact our overall health greatly. Products applied to the skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Prolonged absorption can reduce immunity and even minimal exposure to cause immense harm. The repercussions may include irritation, hormonal imbalance, or as serious as cancer.
There are no days when even a single skincare or personal hygiene product doesn’t touch our skin. Every day we use products that we believe to be enhancing the health of our skin and body. According to the Environmental Working Group, an average woman is exposed to more than 110 chemicals every day through such products.
This is why you are urged to read the labels of all products very carefully and cautiously. Pay close attention to the names and percentages of each ingredient. After all, your health is at risk.
Reading Labels and Ingredients
The long list of ingredients on the backside of the products can be overwhelming. When none of those names make sense and we don’t understand what is what, it can be further discouraging. Here are a few things to remember to make the task easier.
Order of Percentages
Ingredients on the labels are required to be listed in the order of concentration. Meaning, the first name on the list is the ingredient that is in the highest quantity of the product. So, take a long and hard look at the first 4-5 names on that list.
Scrutiny of all ingredients is necessary as we don’t know which toxic chemical we may be exposing our skin to. Even small amounts of extremely harmful toxins can successfully cause trouble in the endocrine system.
This also makes falling for marketing gimmicks easier. Personal care products are shown to contain fruits and natural ingredients and whatnot, making us believe that those are the primary ingredients of the product. However, the list reveals a completely different picture. These marketed heroes are found somewhere at the end of the list.
Active vs Inactive Ingredients
With the rising popularity of active ingredients in skincare products, it is easy to be swayed by ads selling you potent elixirs that can “change your life”. But it is imperative to remember that brands show you only the “stars” of their products.
Active ingredients generally constitute 2-20% of the product. Anything more than that can be extremely harmful unless prescribed by a healthcare professional.
So, what about the other 80-98% of the ingredients? That’s where you should pay attention. More often than not, we tend to blindly trust brands that we love or prefer because of our past experiences with them.
However, examples like the Johnson and Johnson talc lawsuit are a reminder that even brands reigning the market for more than a hundred years can not be completely trusted.
Although the brand has been claiming that its products are safe, they have been sued with multiple lawsuits alleging otherwise. Anyone who developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using their talcum products can be a part of this lawsuit.
Ingredients vs Packaging
More ingredients simply mean a higher possibility of contamination. Every ingredient goes through a long process. From sourcing to final mixing, there are multiple stages the ingredients get exposed to other factors. It is difficult to determine which of those factors end up impacting the final product.
Don’t let statements and taglines like “Paraben-free” or “BPA-free” elude you. The absence of these ingredients doesn’t mean the absence of other harmful chemicals. Brands also use words like “natural”, “organic” or “fresh” on the packaging, making us think these are descriptions of the product.
In reality, some of them trademark these words into the product name itself. This means, “natural” or “organic” is simply a part of the name and not the quality or description of the product.
All of this tells us that the ingredient list is more important than anything else on the packaging. Additionally, less number of ingredients on the label may simply be better and safer.
Harmful Chemicals to Keep an Eye On
According to research done by One Earth Journal, there are more than 80,000 chemicals used in products and only around 1% are tested for safety. That is an intimidating number.
Here are a few categories and chemicals to keep a check on when you’re buying your next skincare product.
Preservatives
Preservatives in products are meant to prevent any growth of microbial organisms. However, studies show that these preservatives can further cause multiple side effects when applied to the skin.
Preservatives like Parabens, BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole), and BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) are linked to endocrine disruption. Toxins like methylisothiazolinone can impact the lungs, and lead to allergic reactions or even neurotoxicity. Substances that release formaldehyde over time are extremely harmful as formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.
Colorants, Emulsifiers, and Foaming Agents
Coal tar dyes may contain carcinogenic heavy metals that impact your brain heavily. Eyeliners and mascaras containing carbon black are also harmful due to their carcinogenic nature. Colorants like D&C Red 33 or FD&C Yellow 5 are synthetics that can result in extreme skin irritation.
As fun and smooth as the experience of using foaming face wash and shampoo is, it can be equally detrimental to your health. Agents like ethanolamine compounds (cocamide DEA, MEA, TEA) can lead to organ system toxicity and cancer. The well-known sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate irritate the skin and are contaminated with substances that are carcinogenic.
Plasticizers, Fragrance and Cleansing Agents
Plasticizers make the products smoother and more flexible. Names like dibutyl phthalate and ethyl acrylate are examples of plasticizers. The words “parfum” or “phthalates” may be used to describe ingredients that add fragrance to the product.
Sulfates and alkylphenols are cleansing agents that assist in cleansing the skin. However, they may contain carcinogenic substances, and cause endocrine disruption and skin irritation.
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Other Chemicals and Ingredients
Ingredients like PEG compounds, toluene, triclosan, hydroquinone, resorcinol, ethylene glycol, and DEA-related ingredients are some names you should avoid.
According to TorHoerman Law, even everyday products like talcum powder have been linked to ovarian cancer. Many of these names are associated with cancer, can affect your nervous system, and cause endocrine disruption.
They are known to cause organ toxicity and be human carcinogens. They also cause skin irritation and antibiotic resistance in the body.
The list of ingredients that are unsafe for our skin and health is long. These names are simply the well-known and well-researched ingredients of the lot.
As the product industry grows, all sources tend to push on customers to buy one product or the other. However, it is upon us to not succumb to the pressure and hast. At all times, be vigilant and aware of the ingredients you let enter your system. If any name is unfamiliar, take your time to read about it and then make a decision. Those two minutes of research could save your life.
