Even if you are lucky enough to not have sensitive skin, what’s happening where you can’t see is a different story. Many factors can contribute to skin sensitivity and over time if you are not caring for your skin you will begin to notice a change in your skin’s health. Exposure to pollution, UV rays and harsh skincare ingredients can all damage your skin in irreversible ways. While you don’t have much control over the environmental factors that affect your skin, you can control what products you use. Many products contain chemicals and other ingredients that can cause skin to react badly. Whether it is dryness, redness and breakouts now or enlarged pores, wrinkles and sunspots in the future, it’s important to avoid harsh chemicals in our daily products now; before it is too late. Below, we have compiled a few of the major ingredients to avoid in your makeup and other skincare products.
Fragrances
One of the lesser considered assaulters to sensitive skin is fragrance in products. Though the product may smell amazing as you apply it, the way that most fragrance ingredients impart scent is through a volatile reaction. Usually this natural reaction will cause a sensitizing reaction on the skin. In fact, research has found that the most common cause of irritation to skin in skincare products is fragrance in the product. Luckily, there is no real need for fragrance in your makeup or skincare so there are plenty of natural products out there that don’t contain fragrance.
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Lauryl Sulfates
Sulfates are most common in products such as face washes, soaps and shampoos. These chemicals are what create the lather that we often feel is so important in getting our skin ‘clean’. In reality, that lather has nothing to do with how clean your skin is and the sulfates may cause dryness and serious irritation. They are present in a lot of products, but once you try swapping out sulfate-filled skincare products for more natural ones, then you will notice a difference.
Talc & Mica
Many powder makeups such as foundation, bronzer, and highlighter can be a major skin irritant. The tiny mineral particles that make up the powders often have irregular and rough edges that can cause microscopic tears and subsequently aggravate sensitive skin. Fortunately, many products will brag that they are talc and mica free on the label so it’s easy to determine which products are safe.
Parabens
Parabens are a family of chemicals used in cosmetics and other skincare products to preserve the product and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold while extending the shelf-life. The problem with parabens is that they can be be highly toxic and disruptive to the endocrine system. This means that they will affect the hormones your body produces. This is never helpful when trying to calm breakouts and redness on the skin.
Silicones
Silicones are widely used in the cosmetics industry. They are a basic ingredient that many manufacturers use in creams, serums, shampoos and makeup. Their purpose is to create a softer, smoother formula that spreads onto the skin easier without being sticky or shiny. While this sounds like an amazing trait for skincare, they end up leaving a thin layer on the skin which is extremely hard to fully remove (even with your favorite makeup remover). Over time this thin layer will clog pores leading to breakouts and a duller appearance of the skin. Because it is such a broad category of chemicals, it may be hard to tell when they are present in products. The easiest way to tell is to look for any ingredient names ending in –cone or –siloxane.
Being aware of the ingredients in your skincare and makeup products is vital if you want healthy, glowing, beautiful skin. It is worth spending time reading ingredients on your products before applying them to your skin. Checking these labels for harmful chemicals will always tell you more than the bold claims on the front of the packaging. Thankfully, CherylLeeMD products are completely free of the top 88 allergens and toxins found in many of today’s skincare products.