Our skin is the body’s largest organ and absorbs what you put on it. Just as we would watch what we eat, we also need to watch what we put on our skin as both are going into our bodies! Just like looking at a nutrition label, don’t forget about looking at the ingredient list on your skin care products. Unfortunately, a lot of those ingredients look foreign but here are a few to look out for and ones you want to avoid!
Mineral Oil: This is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores (gross). Makes it hard for the skin to eliminate toxins which can cause acne.
DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine): These chemicals are restricted in Europe due to the known cancer causing effects. However they are still used in the United States.
DMDM Hydantion & Urea (Imidazolidinyl): These preservatives can release formaldehyde which may cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep!
Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40): This drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more venerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. This harmful skin care ingredient may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin.
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): A petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin’s natural moisture factor. This harmful skin care ingredient could increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria. Used in cleansers to dissolve oil and grease.
Triclosan: This is a synthetic “antibacterial” ingredient that the EPA registers as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment. Stored in body fat, this harmful skin care ingredient can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs.
Don’t bypass looking at your skin care product ingredient lists! You can avoid putting unnecessary and harmful skin care ingredients on and in your body! Need a place to start? Give our Dr.LaMond Skin Care Products a try!