The ingredients you need to avoid
Do you know what your body care products are made of?
The indicaion of all ingredients allow you to know what's really in your cosmetics, and therefore, identify substances that can cause allergies.
In Europe all cosmetic brands must mention on the packaging, the complete list of ingredients in increasing order of their quantity and under the denomination INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients).
But very often consumers come up against the incomprehensible language of INCI initials written in English or Latin. In addition, the exact quantity of the ingredients is not known, nor is their origin, as well as their method of manufacture (linked to the manufacturing secrets of certain manufacturers).
Among the various unidentified ingredients, some may be irritating, allergenic, drying.
As this is such a broad topic, I thought it would be interesting to introduce some, potentially toxic to identify within your products.
Some of them are endocrine disruptors.
An endocrine disruptor is a molecule that blocks or modifies the action of a hormone and disrupts the normal functioning of an organism. They can cause major health problems such as infertility, abnormal fetal development, precocious puberty, cancers, diabetes, obesity, neurological problems, learning disabilities and many others. Because they come from multiple sources and accumulate in significant amounts in the body, they could have a cumulative effect and disrupt normal hormone function.
The major endocrine disruptors (or suspected endocrine disruptors):
BHA, TBHQ and BHT: these chemical antioxidants are used in the food industry for their ability to prevent rancidity in oils and fats.
They are also found in cosmetic products. In the long term, these substances prove to be toxic.
Dyes derived from coal tar: derived from petroleum, coal tar is known to be carcinogenic to humans. They are widely used in beauty products, hair dyes and are generally recognized by "CI" followed by 5 digits.
DEA-related ingredients: DEA (diethanolamine) related ingredients are used to make cosmetics creamy or foamy and adjust the PH, neutralizing the acidity of other ingredients. So be careful with Cocamide DEA and Lauramide DEA. They can react with other substances and form carcinogenic compounds.
Dibutyl phthalate: phthalates are frequently used as an additive in a range of plastics and other materials. They make plastics soft and flexible. They do not form chemical bonds with the plastics to which they are added, so they can be released from consumer products into the environment. Dibutyl phthalate is used as a plasticizer in nail products. It is considered reproductive toxicant and suspected of interfering with hormone function.
Formaldehyde releasers: these products such as Quaternium-15, sodium Hydroxymethylglycynate, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl urea or even Methenamine are widely used as preservatives for cosmetic products. They slowly release formaldehyde or formaldehyde classified as carcinogenic.
Parabens: Parabens are part of the range of preservatives and are considered endocrine disruptors and could interfere with male reproductive functions. Dreaded, they cause various allergies and penetrate the skin quickly.
Synthetic fragrances: These chemical fragrances can trigger allergies. Some are associated with cancer and neural poisoning.
PEG, PPG : mainly used as emulsifiers, gel base, emollients. Their action can make the skin permeable and thus let harmful substances pass.
Petrolatum: is a mineral oil jelly used in some products as a moisturizing barrier to keep the skin moist (lip balms, lipsticks, etc.) and for hair shine. They may contain potentially carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Siloxanes: these silicone-based compounds are used in the manufacture of cosmetic products to soften, smooth and moisten. It is considered reproductive toxicity and suspected of interfering with hormonal function.
Sodium laureth sulfate: an extremely powerful product, it is commonly used for industrial cleaning. Paradoxically it is also used in shower gels, shampoo, etc.. it may contain 1,4-dioxane potentially carcinogenic.
Triclosan: it is present in antibacterial products (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, hand sanitizer, ect.). It is suspected of being an endocrine disruptor, interfering with hormonal function and contributing to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
UV filters: the controversy remains for several years around chemical UV fliters. These substances with complex names (benzophenone, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane; PABA, ect.) are recognized as endocrine disruptors. They penetrate the epidermis and are released into the blood, urine and even breast milk with all the harmful consequences that this entails. They are also responsible for the discoloration of coral by contamination. Therefore, we must move towards the right UV filters, mineral (inorganic) filters such as zinc oxide.
And now, will you look at your skincare products the same way?