What’s In Your Makeup

You must know about all the ingredients that are present in your makeup and their effects that you apply on your face. Especially if you are someone who wears makeup every day. Many brands carelessly use some ingredients in their makeup products that can be really harmful for your skin which is why you need to be careful about what you are applying on your skin.

How to know what is in your makeup and top ingredients to avoid in your makeup

Below are a few ingredients that can be harmful for your skin if present in your makeup products. Thus, it is best not to buy the products that contain the following ingredients:

Parabens

Parabens are considered to be one of the most harmful ingredients to be present in makeup products and yet these are found in 70-90% of the cosmetics. Parabens have similar properties to estrogen as these are preservative chemicals that can wreak havoc on your hormones.

Use of paraben can result in decreased sperm count as well as breast and skin cancer. Another drawback of parabens is that they get absorbed into the skin easily making all the harmful properties present in it soak right in.

Avoiding parabens in cosmetics can be difficult but if you look at the label of ingredients clearly and know what you are looking for, you can avoid it. If the product is paraben-free, it will be written so on the label. So, scan the label carefully and put the product back if it is not paraben-free.

Fragrance

You may not be surprised that Fragrance is one of the top five allergens in the world. Did you know when a company lists fragrance as one of it’s ingredients, they do not mention the chemicals that are involved in it which make up the fragrance. This is dangerous as any number of harmful chemicals can be present and we would never know it.

Some of these chemicals can cause asthma, hormone disruptions, and allergies. Moreover, why does your foundation require a good smell anyway? Isn’t that what perfumes are for? So keep it simple and avoid any product that has fragrance present in its ingredients.

Triclosan

Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical that is commonly found in antibacterial soaps. It is also found in some cosmetics. Triclosan in cosmetics can cause thyroid, and contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives

Formaldehyde is commonly known as a skin sanitizer, carcinogen and allergen. Formaldehyde may not be directly included in the product but the company includes some chemicals that add up to release formaldehyde as they decompose. Very tricky, isn't it? Here are a few chemicals that you can check in ingredients of the product and avoid:

1. Methenamine
2. DMDM hydantoin
3. Quaternium-15
4. Diazolidinyl urea
5. 5-bromo-5-nitro-1, 3-dioxane
6. Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
7. bronopol(2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol)
8. Imidazolidinyl urea

Retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinoic acid and retinol

Retinol products are known for their anti-aging properties but retinol in sunlight becomes carcinogenic which is very harmful for the skin. Avoid using daytime cosmetics that consist of retinol

Rather save anti-aging products before bed. Strictly avoid using anti-aging foundation without checking for retinol family.

Sodium laureth sulfate

Sodium laureth sulfate is common in cream-based cosmetics such as concealer and foundation. It helps the skin and hair to absorb products that are harmful easily. It is also linked to cancer causes such as 1, 4-dioxane, and ethylene oxide. Alongside that, it can cause skin irritation, acne, eye damage, and canker sores.

Petroleum distillates

Petroleum distillates are most commonly found in mascara. This ingredient has been combined with chemicals that can cause cancer. Along with that, this ingredient may also cause contact dermatitis, irritated rash, and an itch.

Lead

We know how lead in noodles and kids eating lead-laced paint chips, and pencils can be dangerous. You will be shocked to know that despite it being so dangerous, 61% of lipsticks consist of lead.

Even a little amount of lead can be very harmful. Lead is a neurotoxin which can cause behavioral, language and learning problems. It can cause hormonal and reproductive issues in both both and women as well.

Phthalates

Phthalates are commonly found in colour cosmetics. Using products that contain phthalates can cause severe health issues such as cancer, endocrine disruption, development and reproductive toxicity.