5 Of the Worst Ingredients in Beauty Skincare

It can take us years to get our skincare routine to our own personal liking, never mind what our skin and wallets like! But we’re starting to learn more and more about the negative effect some of the ingredients in our beauty products can have on our skin.

To tie in with our Skin Detox theme this week, we’re looking at some ingredients in beauty and personal care products we here at Kijani Living recommend you avoid!

• Mineral Oil - this can appear in your ingredients list as a whole host of things: petroleum, paraffin, petrolatum, white oil and more. It’s used in a variety of products across skin, hair and body care as well as makeup. When used on the skin these ingredients can clog pores and lead to blemishes. These oils also zap moisture out of our skin cells, slowing down cell renewal and weakening our skin.
• Parabens- these are synthetic preservatives used in cosmetics that are able to mimic oestrogen and can show in your ingredients list as: Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben and Heptylparaben.
• 1,4-Dioxane - the problem with this compound is it can show up in a variety of other ingredients - Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, PEGs, and more. It is used as an emollient mostly to soften the skin, an emulsifier to help mix oil and water based ingredients together and a penetration enhancer (helping other ingredients get deeper into the skin).Whilst banned and considered unsafe for use in Canada, it’s still widely used in products available in the UK.
• Triclosan - an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent thought to be responsible for the rise in bacterial resistance. When triclosan combines with chlorine-containing water, chloroform is produced, which may cause dizziness, headaches and if ingested damage to the liver and kidneys.
• Phthalates - are a group of chemicals likely to be found in your product if the ingredients list says “parfum” or “fragrance” and is not a natural brand. Phthalates are endocrine (hormone) disruptors and cause imbalance in the body.

With the knowledge that these chemicals are in many beauty products that you may be applying to your skin every day, don’t you think it’s time you adopted a more natural beauty regime? True natural products contain nourishing ingredients that feed the skin with essential vitamins and minerals, contain nutrient-dense oils such as olive and avocado, or butters such as shea and cocoa to hydrate, nourish and protect the skin.

If you are suffering from skin conditions and sensitivities, it may well be time for you to detox your skin and beauty regime. Strip it back and use as few products with as few ingredients as possible. You could even look at using single ingredients such as JASON Coconut Oil for oil cleansing and moisturising.