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Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:26 pm |
I just finished doing some reading on the Better Healthy Skin website and Dr. Fulton mentions Laureth-4 as being very comedogenic and irritating. I had never heard this before. He says that this is a sufacant. What does that mean exactly? Does it have something to do with reducing the surface tension of water? Is it a detergent, emulsifier or both? Can anyone verify that this ingredient is indeed very comedogenic? I knew that I had seen this on the ingredient list of a product that I use and when I checked I found it listed on my Proheal!! Why would it be in Proheal? Is it to help the water and oil ingredients combine? I only express great concern about this because I am very acne prone and have been debating whether I should reorder the Proheal or go with another C serum. Any information would be appreciated!
For anyone interested there is a lot of interesting information on the BetterHealthySkin website. Here is a link to their Knowledge Database.http://www.betterhealthyskin.com/knowledgebase.aspx |
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Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:47 pm |
Hi Theresa, unfortunately it is in a lot of higher-end stuff and it is not a good ingredients. I try very hard to avoid any product that has Laurel or Laureth anything in it - but it is hard.
Even my beloved Cellcosmet Activator Gel has MEA-Lauryl Sulfate in it!! (mind you did not know that till I had the product in hand)
Laureth-4
Origin: A synthetic compound obtained by the extensive chemical modification of lauric acid, a natural fatty acid, and oxirane (ethylene oxide)..
Function: Emulsifier / Surfactant |
_________________ SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:42 pm |
I thought 'Surfactant' was like a detergent. Am I wrong? |
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Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:49 pm |
Nope Theresa you're not wrong, there's just alittle more to it.
From Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary:
Partial definition of surfactant (surface active agent), this can be emulsifiers,foaming agents,solubilizers,wetting agents and cleansers.
The definition then goes on to explain each of the above in detail. My guess is in regards to your ProHeal that the ingredient Laureth 4 is a solubilizer. A solubilizer allow for incompatible ingredients to become part of a homogeneous solution.
Makes sense to me, but then again I'm no chemist.
HTH |
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Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:18 am |
Thanks for all your replies! From what everyone has said here is my take on it. It sounds like a surfactant can be anyting that reduces the surface tension of water, it can be a detergent but it does not necessarily have to be. I believe that soap is also a surfactant. Here's another question, what makes something a detergent? I thought that any surfactant that was not soap was a detergent, is this wrong? Would Laureth-4 be a detergent? From what tiger_tim said it is produced by extensive chemical modification. And is laureth-4 bad to put on your face? Dr. Fulton really put this ingredient front and center as one to avoid if you are acne prone and ranks it very high as an irritant! I just wonder if I would be better off with another C serum?
tiger_tim it is hard to avoid the laureths! After going through numerous samples of it I finally started using my full size Cellcosmet Eye Cream last night and as I was cutting of the ingredients I noticed that it had PPG-25-Laureth-25! The Sensitive Day Cream also has this. So what is this ingredient?
Lifeplyr01 I have been considering purchasing the Milady's book that you mention, would you recommend it? Is it detailed enough? It sounds like it might be. |
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Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:24 am |
Theresa,
It's a wonderful reference book!! I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to know more about ingredients and also definitions in general. Check out amazon.com for used books or new. |
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Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:29 am |
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