Fancy A Cleaner Beauty Routine? Here Are 7 Harmful Ingredients To Avoid
Cleaning up your beauty act requires very little time and effort. All it takes are a few tweaks to the ingredients you use in your daily routine. Simple.
According to studies carried out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average woman uses around 12 cosmetic products a day. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But the problem is, these products equate to a staggering 168 chemicals and contaminants that could be potentially harming your skin, your health and even the planet.
Now, we don’t know about you, but we’re not down with exposing ourselves and our precious world to so many chemicals on the reg when, frankly, we don’t have to. So, here, we talk you through some of the nastiest ingredients you should put on your beauty blacklist.
Oh, and public service announcement: you won’t find any of these ingredients in your TruSkin products. Not one. So, if you’re looking for a very lazy but super effective way to get a cleaner skincare routine, we’ve got your back.
Now let's get to it. Beauty bad boys, it’s time to stand up and be accountable
1. Parabens
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 years, you’ll know that parabens are a major no-no on your ingredients label. In theory, they sound like a great idea because they act like preservatives to prevent gross stuff like bacteria, mold and fungi from growing in your beauty products. However, while considered safe by the FDA, research suggests that parabens such as butyl, methyl and propyl parabens can be linked to hormone disruption, fertility and reproduction problems, even cancer.
The good news is we use small concentrations of alternative preservatives like ethylhexylglycerin and phenoxyethanol which are safer and much kinder to your skin and health.
2. Sulfates
Just like parabens, sulfates will undoubtedly be familiar to you for their notorious bad press in recent years. And sorry, sulfates, but we agree with every word of it, you’re nasty and unnecessary.
The thing about sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) is they’re known irritants. Yes, they work extremely hard to clean your skin and hair by lathering up and removing oil, dirt and product residue. But they can cause all manner of problems for your eyes and skin including dryness, itching, redness and breakouts. Claims from the early ‘90s that sulfates were carcinogenic have since been disproven, so that’s something. But still, we say a big fat ‘no’ across all of our products.
Instead, we use milder, non-drying surfactants like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate in our Vitamin C and Charcoal cleansers. Because we care about your skin as much as we care about our own.
3. Phthalates
Be wary if you ever see DEP, DBP or DEHP on your ingredients list. While deemed safe by the FDA, these phthalates are not cool, according to the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics.
Often found in makeup, nail polish, cleansers and moisturizing lotions, phthalates are chemical compounds used as solvents, fixatives and fragrance stabilizers. Many experts believe phthalates cause reproductive and fertility problems and they’re actually banned from cosmetics in the EU which should be enough of a red flag, right there.
4. Hydroquinone
No harmful beauty ingredient list would be complete without the oh-so-controversial hydroquinone getting a brief mention. It’s completely banned in Europe, Australia and Japan and, as of September 2020, also became banned in over-the-counter products here in the US. Not only that, but all prescription hydroquinone products must now be approved by the FDA.
Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching chemical that inhibits melanin production to help fade dark spots and discolorations. It’s effective, boy is it effective. However, it can also be super irritating, thin your skin and may even make dark spots worse if it’s not used with the utmost of care.
5. Silicones
There are hundreds of different silicones used in skincare and, while they might not be toxic, they have occlusive properties and therefore have the potential to build up on the surface of your skin. Not great for oily or acne-prone skin types for a start.
Silicones are also non-biodegradable which means there are gazillions of silicone microparticles being washed down the drain and into our oceans and wildlife on a daily basis.
It's still unclear exactly how detrimental silicones are to the environment, but we’re not willing to take the risk just to produce skincare that ‘feels good’ when you apply it. Plus, we think ours feel pretty darn amazing on your skin anyway, thanks, in part, to sustainable, natural oils like sweet almond and avocado oils. You'll find both of these in our Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.
6. PFAS
Otherwise known as polyfluoroalkyl (or perfluoroalkyl) substances, PFASs are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics to condition, soften and smooth or add shine to your skin or hair. They’re also formulated in things like waterproof mascara, to help repel water. Teflon is a common PFAS. Yes, the stuff used to make nonstick pans. Eesh.
There've been very few studies on PFA substances as skincare ingredients meaning the jury’s still out on whether they’re harmful to your skin and your health. However, the EWG reckons PFASs are ‘among the most worrisome’ of chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products and have the potential to pollute ‘people, animals, drinking water and the environment.’
If that worries you – and we believe it should – be wary of any beauty ingredient that has the word ‘fluoro’ in it. These are all PFA substances.
7. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is banned in many countries and highly restricted in Europe and Canada due to its links with cancer and potential to harm your immune system. While historically used as a preservative, it’s pretty unlikely you’ll see formaldehyde in your skincare these days as it’s become a well-known toxic ingredient that manufacturers prefer to avoid. Phew.
However, there are many other preservatives still in use that slowly release formaldehyde when applied to your skin. Not cool. Look out for, and avoid, ingredients like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, bromopol and glyoxal.
Now, you can better understand what you put on your body. And reap the benefits of better skin and a cleaner conscience into the bargain.
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![The Most Effective Ingredients For Sagging Skin]()
One wish: to enjoy the tight, gravity-defying skin of 20 years ago. Sadly, it’s not going to happen, so the next best thing? Skincare ingredients that boost collagen and help your skin appear subtly firmer and just a tad more lifted.
Let’s get one thing straight: skincare cannot perform miracles. We’d love to be able to tell you that our new Caffeine Facial Serum can give you the skin of someone 30 years your junior or that our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub will eradicate every single one of your much-loathed dark spots after just one use. But we’d be lying. Skincare is awesome, absolutely. And yes, it can 100 percent help to subtly improve the appearance of acne breakouts, wrinkles and aging skin. But it has its limits. And knowing that your favorite moisturizer or prized facial serum can only do so much is crucial. Otherwise, you will always be disappointed. And that’s not what we want for you.
OK, so now this bombshell is out of the way and you understand that skincare ingredients aren’t going to give you an instant facelift or smooth out your laughter lines like fillers or Botox, here’s what they can do.
Choose the right formulation, crafted with thoughtful, clinically-proven ingredients, and skincare can very much improve the look, feel and health of your skin. And if you’ve ever woken up after trying a new serum for the first time, only to be greeted in the mirror by visibly brighter skin, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.
So, which ingredients should you pin your hopes on if you’re specifically looking to lift and firm sagging skin? Well, skin starts to go south because of dwindling collagen supplies so boosting collagen production is your first and best bet. Bearing in mind everything we’ve just said about managing expectations, therefore, here are five topical favorites we believe are the most effective for encouraging healthy collagen and helping you on the road to firmer, more toned skin.
1. Peptides
Without blinding you with science, peptides are chemical compounds made from amino acids. They’re very similar to proteins, but where proteins are large molecules made up of long chains of amino acids, peptides are their baby cousins, containing much shorter chains. Why is this of interest? Because due to their similarity, peptides have the smart ability of being able to penetrate the skin where they work like little messengers, signaling for your cells to produce more proteins. And which protein is most abundant in your skin? Yes, you got it, collagen.
In simple terms, applying topical peptides encourages your cells to keep on producing collagen (and elastin, for that matter), thus helping to counteract the skin’s inevitable loss of this vital protein and staving off all that comes with it – namely wrinkles, lines and sagging skin.
Try: Firming Collagen Day Lotion which contains vegan collagen peptides, amongst other skincare powerhouses like ceramides, green algae, vitamin E and aloe.
2. Retinol
When it comes to boosting your skin’s supply of healthy collagen very few topical ingredients trump retinol. Ask your derm or any skincare expert and we bet 1,000 bucks they will agree. So, what makes it so darn good? Well, it’s been studied for decades and it never fails to deliver the same skin-regenerating results. You see, retinol has an innate ability to communicate with your skin at a deep cellular level to encourage a speedier production of collagen and elastin in a bid to heal and strengthen your skin. Simple as. Well, it’s not that simple, but that’s all you really need to know.
Of course, retinol isn’t for everyone – it’s so good, it can be a tad irritating for some skin types – but if you used it slowly and carefully, always patch testing it first, you’ll find it can be a fantastic way to help keep your skin firm and youthful-looking for years to come.
Try: Retinol Facial Serum which has been formulated with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, helping it to be as gentle on your skin as possible.
3. Bakuchiol
If retinol isn’t for you but you’re looking for something that does almost the exact same thing and offers very similar results, allow us to introduce you to bakuchiol.
One of the newest ingredients to the skincare world (but an absolute keeper unlike other ridiculous ingredients that are all fluff and no function), bakuchiol is nature’s best alternative to retinol. How so? Because it works just like its long-running counterpart, stimulating collagen synthesis and accelerating cellular turnover at a deep, below-the-surface level.
Bakuchiol is extracted from the seeds and leaves of the babchi plant and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The reason it’s gained such momentum in Western skincare recently is that, granted, it's very similar to retinol, but more importantly it comes with way fewer unwanted side effects. Of course, its gentle nature means it works more slowly but if you sensitive skin and have patience, bakuchiol is a great choice for fighting the visible signs of aging –including sagging skin but certainly not stopping there!
Try: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum which combines bakuchiol with antioxidant-rich lingonberry stem cells and snow algae.
4. Vitamin C
If you don’t know by now how awesome vitamin C is then we’ve been doing something wrong! In our minds, this antioxidant wonder kid can do no wrong.
Like retinol, vitamin C is one of the most trusted and clinically-proven ingredients in the entire world of skincare. It’s known mainly for providing brightening benefits but never forget what an excellent antioxidant it is, offering the absolute best in environmental protection by neutralizing free radicals before they get a chance to destroy collagen – and believe us, that is exactly what free radicals will do if you don’t get in there first.
But it's not just vitamin C's antioxidant prowess that’s crucial for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost your collagen and elastin levels. So there’s that.
Try: Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream which gives your skin a delicious overnight boost of protective vitamin C, along with skin-loving botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose.
5. MSM
Sure, we’re all about vitamin C for president here at TruSkin, but another of our skin-firming favorites comes in the form of methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM to friends like you.
Very well tolerated by even the most sensitive of skin types, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur. And if you didn’t know, sulfur is one of the most important elements in the human body, often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral.
What does that mean for sagging skin? Yeah, we’re getting to that. And the answer is simple: MSM plays a key role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. Its anti-inflammatory qualities also help decrease damage to the skin caused by lifestyle aggressors like stress, lack of sleep and a sugar or carb-heavy diet. Oh, and as an extra sidenote, MSM also boosts the body’s production of glutathione which is one of your most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. Take that free radicals!
Try: Vitamin C Super Serum+ which partners MSM with its bestie, vitamin C. Why do they love each other so? Because vitamin C helps the skin readily absorb MSM, thus doubling up their combined collagen-boosting effects.
The Most Effective Ingredients For Sagging Skin
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