Ingredients to Avoid in Moisturizer
Would you rather drench your skin in beautifying ingredients or toxic chemicals?
Welcome to my monthly round up of GROSS ingredients to avoid. I’ll pick a different product every month and focus on common toxins found in these products.
This month: Facial Moisturizer
Why?
It’s crazy to me that skincare is not more regulated, like food and medications. Just because we only put it ON our body, doesn’t mean that it’s not going IN our body.
There are so many toxic ingredients in products we use every single day. When I first started looking at the ingredients in my products, I was shocked. It made me oh so sad. AND WORRIED! What was I doing, putting all of this stuff on my body that could be absorbed right into my bloodstream?! As we all know, our skin is our largest organ. It can absorb up to 60% of what we put on it. Would you go slather toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer on any of your other organs? I don’t think so. Skincare ingredients can be linked to SO many health problems, like hormone disruption, allergies, cancer, and reproductive issues.
SO, while I’m still in the learning phase and can’t possibly know every single toxin out there at the moment…I can at least give it a start with some of the most common (and most gross) ingredients to avoid. If you see any of these on your products, it’s time to start looking for a replacement! Check out some of my reviews for help with this…
Since I’m going to work on replacements for products SLOWLY over time (progress, not perfection), let’s start with keeping our face a-glow.
Here are THREE toxic ingredients commonly found in facial moisturizers
If you see these ingredients, RUN! Run as fast as you can….
Parabens.
What are they? Parabens are preservatives used to prevent products from growing bacteria. They can be found in many makeup and skincare products.
Why to avoid? Parabens are endocrine disruptors, as they mimic estrogen in the body. This can lead to hormone imbalances, reproductive issues, or possibly even breast cancer.
*Sneaky ways it can show up on labels: methylparaben, proplyparaben, isopropylparaben, and isobutylparaben*
Fragrance.
What is it? So “fragrance” can be anything. And…it’s everywhere! Companies are not required to actually tell us the ingredients in their “fragrance” mixture. So, we really have no idea what dangerous toxins are lurking in there!
Why to avoid? Some fragrances have been linked to respiratory problems, allergies, and reproductive issues.
Oxybenzone (chemical sunscreen).
What is it? This is one of the main chemical sunscreens out there.
Why to avoid? It has been linked to hormone disruption and skin allergies. Who wants a random itchy rash just from wearing moisturizer with SPF? No, thank you! There are much better options out there!
*Better choice: Physical sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide)*
There you have it! Start with checking your moisturizer for these ingredients and if you see one…it’s time to make some changes. You can start by reading some of my product reviews here.
*All information on this site is my opinion only. It is not professional or medical advice.*