Body & beauty

4 beauty ingredients to AVOID

Do

you know what’s in that little tub of cream you rub into your face every day?

If you haven’t already gone natural it might be time to make the switch, as there are a lot of chemicals in your beauty bag that could be doing your body real harm.

Ingredient: Parabens (Butyl-, Ethyl- or Methylparaben)

Harm: Parabens possess estrogen-mimicking properties that are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. These chemicals are absorbed through the skin and have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors.

Found in: makeup, body washes, deodorants, shampoos and facial cleansers.

Ingredient: Propylene Gycol

Harm: Polyethylene when it is not combined with glycol, is the most common form of plastic used in the world. Moreover, according to a report in the International Journal of Toxicology by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, it often includes ethylene oxide (which The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as group 1, meaning it is a proven carcinogen) as well as heavy metals (lead, iron, cobalt, nickel, cadmium and arsenic).

Found in: shampoo, soap and shower gel.

Ingredient: Petrolatum

Harm: Petrolatum comes from crude oil and while it is classed as non-toxic, there is a risk of contamination from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cancer-causing chemicals found in crude oil and its by-products.

Found in: most commonly, Vaseline, but also skincare and eczema products.

Ingredient: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or Sodium Laureth

Harm: A former industrial degreaser now used to make soap foamy, large quantities of it could be absorbed into the body and irritate skin, causing inflammation. It seems to be quite low risk but this increases the longer it’s left on the skin, the more concentrated it is and the more often it’s used.

Found in: shower gel, shampoo and lathering, cleansing products.

And the ones that sound bad, but aren’t:

• MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a special biological sulfur found in plants, soils, fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs, meats, and milk and could help joint pain and clear your skin.

• Hyaluronic acid is a type of carbohydrate (made up of simple sugars), that occurs naturally in our bodies and binds to water, helping to lubricate eyes, muscles, and our skin.

• P-Anisic acid (also known as draconic acid) is derived from anise, a flowering plant native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southwestern Asia and has antiseptic properties.