Synthetic Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid
When it comes time to buy a new face cream or lotion, you might find yourself overwhelmed by your options. Navigating the store aisles can be difficult when trying to decide between hundreds of beauty products that crowd the shelves. You might even get so frustrated that you decide to choose one at random, just to try it out.
But what if the product you just chose is harmful to your body?
Unknown to some, many companies use synthetic ingredients in their products. These ingredients get absorbed into our body and have the potential to cause detrimental effects. Many of the synthetic chemicals are skin irritants, carcinogenic, and cancerous. Just like how you would look at a food label for ingredients, you should do the same for your beauty products.
BHA
The National Toxicology Program classifies butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” It can cause skin de-pigmentation and can form cancer-causing nitrates. In animal studies, BHA produces liver damage and causes stomach cancers such as papillomas and carcinomas. It also interferes with normal reproductive system development and thyroid hormone levels.
Coal Tar
A byproduct of coal processing, coal tar is a known human carcinogen, according to the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Hair stylists and other professionals are exposed to these chemicals in hair dye almost daily. Europe has banned many of these ingredients in offered products. While FDA sanctions coal tar in specialty products such as dandruff and psoriasis shampoos, the long-term safety of these products has not been demonstrated.
Colors
If you look at your product label and notice FD&C or D&C, they represent artificial colors. F representing food and D&C representing drug and cosmetics. These synthetic colors are made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins into the skin. This causes skin sensitivity and irritation. Synthetic colors are suspected to be a human carcinogen and are linked to ADHD in children.
Fragrance
Fragrances are in everything from shampoo to deodorant to lotion. Federal law doesn’t require companies to list on product labels any of the chemicals in their fragrance mixture. Recent research from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name brand fragrance products, none of them listed on the label. Fragrances can contain hormone disruptors and are among the top 5 allergens in the world. It’s best to buy fragrance free wherever possible.
Polyacrylamide
This chemical is used as a stabilizer and binder in lotions and other products. It has been linked to cancers of the thyroid, testis, mammary gland, uterus, pituitary gland and oral cavity in animal studies. Polyacrylamide is used in water, sewage and waste treatment, oil recovery, to make permanent-press fabrics, to synthesize dyes, contact lenses, and in the construction of dams, tunnels and sewers. It is also present in cigarette smoke. Knowing polyacrylamide is used for all those purposes…. why should it be an ingredient in your beauty products?
Although avoiding all harmful chemicals is impossible, you can minimize how much goes into your body. Always research products before you buy. Or stick with trusted companies that are certified organic, such as Doctor Developed. byebye Creams by Doctor Developed is proud to use only natural and organic ingredients in our products. We never sacrifice the quality of ingredients by using synthetic fillers and we only source our ingredients from trusted growers and distributors. Proudly made in the USA in FDA approved facilities, try our products now and get relief from your irritated skin.