How many care about the chemicals in their skincare?
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free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:57 am

I have posted many times about being fussy on my ingredients.. but I am wondering just whether it is worth it seeing as 95% of brands out there are loaded with chemicals.. and well, 95% of the world dont have horrible things happening to them because they use these products...

Surely there are a lot of people out there with beautiful skin who dont have cancers and allergic reactions and who live to 90 AND who use major brands which are full of these chemicals, no?

The reason I feel so frustrated tonight is because I was looking over the DHC products here in Japan and there were a few I was interested in trying...

The shampoo I liked the look of listed "sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, lauramide DEA" within the first 5 ingredients..

Every single cream etc I looked at had butylene glycol listed as the second ingredient.

(really like the sound of the Acerola gel for hubby and the micro skin water for me)

I know there are SOME chemicals that really really really should be avoided.. um.. the Urea (?) one (the one that produces formaldehyde) and mystri-something or another Laughing

And I do avoid fragrance and colors like the plague...

But, am I being stupid avoiding products with propolyene/butylene glycol, parabens, etc. etc. in them?

Have I ruled myself out of a lot of great skin-saving cosmetics? (and a long, happy, and financially-strapped life of trying them...)

ARGH Seriously frustrated!!

So, lets do a poll as well as post opinions...

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:47 pm

Hi Tiger_tim,

First...It is great seeing you back on EDS. Very Happy

I don't get overly excited about chemicals in skin care products. So far I have not had any bad reactions. I have been using creams and cosmetics for DECADES. Laughing

The only thing I prefer to avoid is floral fragrance as it can be irritating to my face. Colorless products are more appealing to me.

Most of the products I use have parabens. No way would I give up those products.

No, you are not being stupid avoiding products that you feel uncomfortable with ingredients. Perhaps if I were in my thirties and just finding out about certain chemicals I would feel the same way. It just seems every time you turn around we hear of some ingredient either in skin care, food, medicine that can hurt us. In certain cases I turn a deaf ear. Rolling Eyes

BTW: A few of the chemicals you mentioned I am not aware of the dangers. I am afraid to ask. Don't believe they are in the products I use. Confused

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:39 pm

i'm big on avoiding chemicals (parabens, propylene glycol (found in anti-freeze!), sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate and so on) but also other types of things too - i was thinking about buying a certain eye cream but found out it was made from animal that i thought was distasteful (i won't say what the product is because i know people use it and may not be aware of the ingredients) so i decided not to buy it - even though it is supposed to be amazing. it just contradicts my morals somehow.

i guess for me (and this is totally my point of view, if other people choose to use these products that cool) the long-term effects of some of these things bothers me. i mean, we just don know what using these products will do to us long-term... i guess there's a limit to the lengths i'll go to for good skin!

i also practice this in my everyday life and try not to eat foods with 'e-numbers' or too many preservatives or additives - i don't like the idea of pickling myself from both the inside and outside!

Kiwigirl.

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:59 pm

I picked the last one, although that is not really my opinion, just the closest to it; not quite that naive Wink

. I don't avoid any spefic ingredients, chemical or not, unless I know it has a spefic, negative effect on my skin, and I don't worry about it. Some things very well might be danger for us, but to what extent? Is it any more dangerous than what I come into contact with in the rest of my life? I really don't think that they are. I am far more concerned about chemical that I actually consume from my environment around me and from food. Overly simplistic?? Perhaps, but I really like the products I use and how my skin looks. Smile

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:13 pm

I only pick products that are not tested on animals Smile

Sometimes I worry about chemicals in products but I have extremely bad memory for chemical names Embarassed

So, I can never remember which ones are really bad for me.
As a result, I am trying slowly to switch all my skin care products to "Natural" brands like Jurlinque, Dr. H, Declor etc. Hopfully, by doing this, I can reduce the amount of chemicals I get from skin care products. A bit naive Embarassed

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:52 pm

I use only all-natural products and eat all-natural food. I believe that the food you consume is more important though, so if I were to 'slip up' in the natural department I'd feel more comfortable with less natural skincare.

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:22 pm

The big one I avoid is MINERAL OIL. Other than that, I am not too picky about chemicals and such.

However, I do get put off by companies that make claims that are just obviously not true.

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 8:23 pm

When my skin became sensitized due to the use of certain products I found that my skin responds well to natural products. However, I am not put off by all chemicals, our very bodies are made of chemicals! And I don't think anything natural is automatically good. Poison ivy is natural Laughing

The world we live in nurtures us and is toxic to us at the same time. There is a growing view that dismisses the value of man made chemicals, but I think we should harness scientific progress in skincare. I am looking for actives, either natural or engineered, that have the backing of solid evidence.

I have realized that it is very important to educate myself re skincare ingredients. Cosmeceuticals are not strictly regulated and formulators have a lot of room to make whatever claims they want. Some products, for example, may contain a proven active but not in concentrations that are high enough to make a difference. Beauty is *big* business. Here in the US the biggest demographic group, the affluent babyboomers, are aging and so theres a big market for the anti-aging products that seem to be sprouting every second. We are better able to navigate our way through countless products if we are equipped to evaluate their real merits.

Deciding that a particular ingredient is bad is a little complicated. Propylene gylcol is a good penetration enhancer and can even act as a hydrator and preservative, but if there's too much of it the product can be irritating. Mineral oil, inert and usually well-tolerated, is very good for barrier repair but in high concentrations may be too occlusive. SLS is a very efficient surfactant, but again may be too irritating to some. It appears that for many ingredients the crucial thing is to find a level where positive payoffs are maximized and negative effects kept to a minimum.

Sorry for getting too wordy, and thank you for reading this far. Smile

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:05 pm

Thanks for the WB Winnie! I was off from everything for a few months due to illness, but I am back and trying to resusitate my skin (yes, I spend 4 very lazy months and they were summer months so I have been paying for it!)

I should have put an option "I only care 'bout the little critters" too I guess! I never thought of that.

One thing I should clarify, if the paraben etc is listed right at the end of ingredients list then I am a lot more comfortable than having it in the first few ingredients listed.

The DHC products have butylene glycol listed SECOND on the the list of ingredients so that is what really raised my alarm bells because it must be in a very high quantity.

I know that our government here in Japan sets min/max levels for any chemical to keep it in safety levels, but this seems concerning.

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:16 pm

Oh! what I meant to say on those "avoided" content of mine is that they are actually called "Formaldehyde donors". Through combinations with other substances or heating they can produce formaldehyde. One of these is a preservative called "diazolidinyl urea" and as it degrades it can produce formaldehyde AND we all know what that stuff can do to a body.

A further preservative note that confuses me is that Jurlique products list no preservative other than Grapefruit Seed Extract. BUT in Japan this is not allowed as a preservative. You must have some other chemical preservative like a paraben. Therefore, if Jurlique products are sold in Japan (and they are) then there MUST be some chemical preservative in it.

Now here is the interesting bit:
When it comes to product labeling, many countries have a minimum level of an ingredient that has to be reached before it needs to appear on the ingredient list. This also includes parabens. SO if the product contains parabens below the "labeling level" the company does not have to list them in the ingredients even though they are in the product. The only thing they would not be able to do is publicise the product as "paraben free".

I cannot find anywhere on the jurlique boxes or web site that clearly states the products are "paraben free" so I am wondering if this is what their products have...

As a final note on Grapefruit Seed Extract, I got this from the Avalon Cosmetics site (they have very intesting page called Consciousness in Cosmetics)

Quote:

Note: Grapefruit Seed Extract in its purest form is a safe and beneficial ingredient. However, many companies claim to use this ingredient alone as a preservative. It does not have the long-lasting anti-microbial effectiveness required to maintain the integrity of a personal care product when used alone. Many studies show that the true anti-microbial benefits being attributed to Grapefruit Seed Extract are due to the presence of residual synthetic preservatives within the extract.

Sorry for all the babble!

PS. It is "Isopropyl Myristate" that I also avoid because it can clog pores (it is added to help a product go on smoothly).

Like so many others who have replied, I have also been trying to avoid petrolium based ingredients (mineral oil and propolyene glycol), as well as animal-tested products

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:22 pm

crazyskin wrote:

When my skin became sensitized due to the use of certain products I found that my skin responds well to natural products. However, I am not put off by all chemicals, our very bodies are made of chemicals! And I don't think anything natural is automatically good. Poison ivy is natural Laughing

The world we live in nurtures us and is toxic to us at the same time. There is a growing view that dismisses the value of man made chemicals, but I think we should harness scientific progress in skincare. I am looking for actives, either natural or engineered, that have the backing of solid evidence.

I have realized that it is very important to educate myself re skincare ingredients. Cosmeceuticals are not strictly regulated and formulators have a lot of room to make whatever claims they want. Some products, for example, may contain a proven active but not in concentrations that are high enough to make a difference. Beauty is *big* business. Here in the US the biggest demographic group, the affluent babyboomers, are aging and so theres a big market for the anti-aging products that seem to be sprouting every second. We are better able to navigate our way through countless products if we are equipped to evaluate their real merits.

Deciding that a particular ingredient is bad is a little complicated. Propylene gylcol is a good penetration enhancer and can even act as a hydrator and preservative, but if there's too much of it the product can be irritating. Mineral oil, inert and usually well-tolerated, is very good for barrier repair but in high concentrations may be too occlusive. SLS is a very efficient surfactant, but again may be too irritating to some. It appears that for many ingredients the crucial thing is to find a level where positive payoffs are maximized and negative effects kept to a minimum.

Sorry for getting too wordy, and thank you for reading this far. Smile

I agree a lot with what crazyskin is saying. Natural isn't always better not all chemicals, especially in small amounts, are bad.

I generally avoid things that irritate my skin, mainly volatile essential oil, alcohol, highly fragranced products and sls/sles. Some of which are 'natural' I believe.

Sun Oct 16, 2005 2:23 am

I avoid Hydroquinone. A while ago I would probably have also said that I avoid mineral oil, but I am now using a Thalgo eye cream that has mineral oil as a second ingredient and it's a *great* eye cream.

free skin care · Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:07 am

I smoke a pack and a half of cigarettes each day so the chemicals in makeup and skin care products aren't really scary to me at the moment.

-Cheri

Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:05 am

I was introduced to a line of products called Placentor from Sicobel International, a French company. At the beginning, I was skeptical of any skin care, much less an all botanical line. However, I was suprised at the results. My wrinkles have smoothed out considerably and I like to see the younger face in the mirror every morning.

What I like most about the Placentor line is that there are no petrochemicals and no alcohol in them. So my face will not dry out and get even more wrinkles. I want my face to get the best treatment around and I am sticking to it. Now you can by the products even directly in the United States. Check out this store and they will deliver everywhere in the US in a couple of days boca-raton-anti-aging.com

free skin care · Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:25 am

samaraxx wrote:

I was introduced to a line of products called Placentor from Sicobel International, a French company. At the beginning, I was skeptical of any skin care, much less an all botanical line. However, I was suprised at the results. My wrinkles have smoothed out considerably and I like to see the younger face in the mirror every morning.

What I like most about the Placentor line is that there are no petrochemicals and no alcohol in them. So my face will not dry out and get even more wrinkles. I want my face to get the best treatment around and I am sticking to it. Now you can by the products even directly in the United States. Check out this store and they will deliver everywhere in the US in a couple of days boca-raton-anti-aging.com

Wow, plant placenta, now I have seen everything!!

free skin care · Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:56 pm

My skin hates everything but the most simple of preparations! I have tried high end department store name brands ... and I've tried health food stores "natural" brands. My skin generally finds something to hate in them.

I have discovered that the simpler the product ... the better my skin likes it ... which is why I'm a die-hard "home crafter" in terms of skin care.

I love various creams and lotions ... but my skin doesn't ... and I want to keep my skin as clear as possible since at 54 things don't heal quite as quickly as they used to do! Confused

As for makeup, I've recently discovered minerals ... and am working my way through the various brands to see which ones my skin likes better than the rest.

I use jojoba oil as a moisturizer ... I use OCM and DHCC to cleanse ... I use carekate's super ACV toner [mixed with green tea/willow bark infusion] ... my own vitamin C serum ... and finish with mineral makeup.

Even the DermaExcel7 seems to have clogged a pore or two since I have had a "spot" right where I apply that wonder product! Sad

So ... yes ... I avoid chemicals. I don't know which ones bother my skin specifically ... because there are generally so many in commercial preps.

I have much better results with the home crafted things. At least I know what's in them! Laughing

Mary

free skin care · Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:38 pm

Hi Mary

its great that you are making your own stuff! Someday I might just get off my lazy back and do the same Laughing

The thought of customizing a formula or even tweaking a product I bought to better suit my needs is sooo tempting. Have a look at the book that opened that door for me -

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/browse/store/biochem.30393410

I bought it to learn more about active ingredients and for that info alone its a steal at 11 USD. I highly recommend it to both self-formulators and lazy bums (like me). Good luck and have fun at the lab! Very Happy

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