Makeup And Skincare Ingredients To Watch Out For
Like many women out there, you use makeup and skincare to improve your skin’s appearance…but, at what cost? Yes, it looks nice but do you really know what you’re putting on your skin every single day? To give you an idea, these are the chemicals you should watch out for.
The FDA’s Restricted List
These are the ingredients the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already banned. If any company uses these ingredients, they’ll get in big trouble:
- Bithionol
- Chlorofluorocarbon propellants
- Chloroform
- Halogenated salicylanilides
- Hexachlorophene
- Mercury
- Methylene Chloride
- Cattle Materials
- Vinyl Chloride
- Zirconium
While the FDA does keep a lookout for these ingredients, do know that the FDA doesn’t regulate other ingredients like color additives which are proven toxic. This means other ingredients are free for all, which is why you have to be more cautious about the makeup or skincare product you’re buying. Here are some of the most common ingredients that are proven to be carcinogens.
- Formaldehyde
- Phenacetin
- Coal Tar
- Benzene
- Mineral oils
- Ethylene Oxide
- Heavy metals
- Cadmium and its compounds
- Arsenic
- Chromium
- Silica
Formaldehyde is commonly seen in eyelash glues. Since it’s used close to the tear ducts and the mucous membrane of the eyes, it means that it can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream.
Parabens and phthalates are quite controversial, though. Parabens are used as preservatives, and some were saying that it was found in breast cancer tissue. However, there’s been no proven study about that. Meanwhile, phthalates are plasticizers, and they’re added into things to make them more flexible.
Talc is also controversial. Due to a lawsuit a woman filed against Johnson & Johnson about using talc powder and then having ovarian cancer, people are now associating talc with the disease. However, there is no proven study on this link yet.
Talc – no link talc to ovarian cancer from FDA –
The Suspicious 6
Drunk Elephant founder Tiffany Masterson created her own list of six suspicious ingredients used in makeup and skincare products. These are:
- Fragrances – She says fragrances are completely unnecessary and doesn’t add to the effectiveness of the product. For those with sensitive skin, it can be irritating, drying, and causing inflammation.
- Alcohol – Alcohol is used because it binds products together. However, there are two types of alcohol: fatty and drying. The fatty ones are cetyl, lauryl, stearyl, cetearyl and these are okay to use. The drying ones are SD, ethyl, isopropyl, denatured, benzyl, propanol, ethanol and should be avoided in makeup or skincare products.
- Essential Oils – Masterson believes that essential oils only contain 20% real oil and everything else is synthetic. It can also be irritating on the skin and can react to certain medications and even cause allergic reactions.
- Sulfates – Sulfates help make the product easy to lather on the skin. They’re often seen in shampoos and lotions. The most common is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). These can be very drying on the skin and can cause irritation, too. Watch out for SLS in cleansing products as well.
- Chemical sunscreens – These contain active ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate. They absorb the skin’s UV rays and is definitely not good for your skin and health. They are also estrogenic which can interfere with the body’s hormone production.
- Silicone – Most emollient products contain silicone. That’s because this ingredient helps the product moisturize and hydrate the skin. Yet, this can also mean covering the pores to lock in that moisture. While it’s okay to use for people with dry skin, those with oily skin should avoid this.
Do Your Own Reading, Too!
Our list can serve as your guide, but you are encouraged to do more reading and research. Always check out the websites of the American Cancer Society, Center for Disease Control and Prevent, and the FDA. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) also has a website where you can look up specific ingredients and see their hazard scores.
Apart from the FDA banned ingredients list, you have to be more cautious about the ingredients you read in the label (if you’re not reading, do so now). Some ingredients are not proven to be carcinogenic but of course, if you want to stay away from them, you can always do that. It’s really up to you and hopefully, after reading this, you can stir clear of possible health hazards you can get from makeup and skincare products.
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