Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid

Many of us buy cosmetics either because of the brand name or recommendation.  Rarely do we check the labels for the ingredients.  Over the last 20years, there has been an increasing move away from pharmaceutical cosmetics to more natural ones in the West.  Shops like Body shop, Fresh etc leading the way.  Yet again Africa is lacking behind in this regard.  Many of us pay little attention to the content of what we put on our skin.  In order to have a healthy skin, it is important that we ensure that we don’t put harmful stuff on them.  Just like there are products we ingest that are harmful, there are some ingredients that are just toxic for the skin and the entire body.  Below are a list of some of the harmful ingredients found in our cosmetic products.  


Alpha-Hydroxy Acids - a new trend in cosmetics, claim to reverse aging, however, AHA's remove the outer layer of skin, prematurely exposing skin to the elements, providing the appearance of healthy, young skin, yet aging the delicate skin faster.

Collagen - derived from cattle hide or bird's feet. Molecules are too big to penetrated our pores. Once again, this just coats the skin giving it an appearance of softness, but in reality, drying out the skin by inhibiting the body's natural moisturizing process.

Formaldehyde - severely toxic when inhaled or swallowed. 44% of all people whose skin is exposed to it get an irritating reaction. It is used in shampoos at concentrations of .1% to .2%. Methanol is sometimes added to formaldehyde at a 15% concentration to prevent polymerization.

Petroleum/Paraffin Products - used in lip balms and African hair products, a by-product of the petrochemical industry. Can produce photosensitivity, and interfere with the body's natural moisturizing capabilities, leading to dry skin and chapping. This ingredient creates the conditions that beauty companies claim to heal. It is more cost-effective to use this product that any other substitute. This ingredient cannot be absorbed by the skin, it clogs the pores, preventing the skin from breathing and prevents the absorption of vital vitamins

Pvp/va copolymer - petroleum derived chemical used in hair sprays, wave sets and other cosmetics. Particles contribute to foreign bodies in the lungs of sensitive persons. TOXIC!

Synthetic Colours - These and all dyes should be avoided. They are labeled FD&C and a number after it. These are believed to be carcinogenic. Blue 1 and Green 3 are carcinogenic, Yellow 5,6 and Red 33 have caused cancer when ingested and applied to the skin. These contain coal tar and may contain arsenic and lead.

Synthetic Fragrances - each can contain up to 600 ingredients. There is never any way to figure out what the actual contents of the fragrances are so just avoid them altogether. Fragrances are the leading cause of allergic reactions to cosmetics.


Sources:
"The Safe Shopper's Bible" by David Steinman, and Samuel S. Epstein, MD. Macmillan, 1995, New York
"Living Healthy in a Toxic World", by David Steinman and R. Michael Wisner. The Berkley Publishing Group, 1996. Berkley, CA, USA.
"The Truth About Hair Care" Consumer Reports, June 1992.
"The New Medically Based No-nonsense Beauty Book" , by Deborah Chase. Henry Holt and Co., 1989, New York.