There has been much in the press about natural beauty and organic products as the green movement takes a strong hold in the beauty product market. More and more women are consciously avoiding products which contain harmful chemicals or cause environmental issues.
You can find reviews of the best facial cleansers available at Which Beauty Products.
Green beauty is growing in popularity and now forms a high percentage of the overall beauty product market with consumers becoming ever more conscious about what they are buying and the potential problems it could cause in the future.
But how do you know which ingredients are natural and which are toxic? It’s not always easy to read and understand the ingredients labels as a consumer so here are some of the key toxic or harmful chemicals to look out for in your facial beauty products.
1. Parabens
Parabens covers a group of chemicals – look for anything that ends in the word parabens – which are used to give products a longer shelf-life. They have been known to cause hormone problems which can potentially disrupt fertility. They can be found in facial cleansers, among other products. Swap out anything you have containing parabens for products labelled paraben-free.
2. Phthalates
Phthalates are a group of chemicals which are sometimes used to soften plastics used within cosmetics, which help our beauty products to adhere to our skin rather than sliding off. They can cause all kinds of problems and are very dangerous to children. They can be found in some lotions, as well as other products so always check the label.
3. Added fragrance
Products which just say added fragrance means the company doesn’t have to actually declare the individual chemicals used within the fragrance so it can be impossible to tell what you are using. Fragrance is often added to facial moisturisers so look for fragrance-free versions.
4. BHA and BHT
These toxins are often found in moisturisers and lipsticks and are synthetic antioxidants which are used as preservatives to make products last longer but are harmful to health, particularly the liver. Avoid these by swapping out any which contain these chemicals for more natural versions.
5. Retinol and Vitamin A
While these are normally good for you to help reduce wrinkles and plump up skin, they can be harmful during pregnancy as they can damage DNA when used topically and they are most often found in facial skin care products. Swap them out for more natural products which don’t contain these chemicals
6. Lead
This has largely been removed since being recognised as neurotoxin but it used to appear in lipsticks so if you have old ones lying around it’s best to bin them just in case – it’s not something you want to be applying to any part of your face.
7. Anything tested on animals
While not necessarily toxic, if you want to go green, then avoid facial cleansers which are not cruelty-free. That way you can rest assured that what you are using on your face was not first used in a way which harmed animals first.
8. Anything sourced unethically
As well as looking at what the ingredients are, it’s good to know where they came from in the first place so check your facial products label to make sure it’s sourced from ethical and sustainable sources as well as being made from natural ingredients.
9. Artificial colourants and preservatives
Another type of chemical which can appear within facial products occasionally are artificial colourants, preservatives which are all designed to keep the products looking good and on the shelf for longer so check these out. Ideally you want good quality, natural products – they might not last as long but they won’t be harmful.
When buying beauty products we tend to look for what suits our skin and our purses, without paying much attention to what’s actually included within the ingredients list. However, many chemicals which commonly appear in beauty products can actually cause long term harm.
Check the ingredients label for any of the highlighted chemicals and avoid these products wherever possible. If you want to choose ethically viable options then look out for confirmed accreditation that the products you are buying are organic and sustainable.
When applying any kind of product to your face you want to be sure that it will work to your advantage and improve and enhance your skin without causing any other potential long-term health problems in other areas of your body.
While chemicals can make products smell nicer, look nicer and last longer than their natural counterparts, it’s important to consider the long term impact both on your own health and on the planet as a whole. Wanting to have good skin and look younger shouldn’t be achieved at the expense of your overall wellbeing or of the environment all around us.
Featured image by VIP Studio India
