The issue with skincare labels is that if it states it is natural, hydrating, anti-ageing and even dermatologically tested – it doesn’t necessarily mean it is good for you. It can be extremely overwhelming choosing new products as there are thousands of options out there all stating that in some way or another – they are great for your skin!
Please remember that when choosing a product everyone’s skincare is different and what may work for some may not work for others. Don’t fall for the high-end brands, the expensive marketing and even the fancy labels. Just because a product is of high value doesn’t necessarily mean it is better for you either as you’ll often find many harmful chemicals lurk inside.
It is time to start understanding and reading the labels as you would with your food products so you can start to understand what ingredients need to be avoided.
The idea of the following is to outline what ingredients you should be avoiding and what ingredients you should be including as part of your skin care. There are thousands of ingredients which are all part of a healthy skin care regime however I just thought I would outline the main ones for you that you may come across on a regular basis.
You could even screen shot the below and keep it stored away on your phone for when you are next purchasing skin care.
AVOID – Toxic Ingredients
The main ingredients you should avoid are:
- Parabens (Methylparaben, Isobutylparaben, propylparaben)
- Sulphates & Suphites (SLS, SES)
- Propylene Glycol
- Heavily fragranced products
- Aluminum
- Mineral Oils
- Tryclosan
- Hydronique
- Monoethanolamine
- Triehanolamine
- Diethanolamine
INCLUDE- Hero Ingredients
AHAs – Aloha Hydroxyl Acids which are
- Glycolic acid helps fine lines, wrinkles, blackheads, and oily skin which is naturally derived from sugar cane.
- Lactic acid to help reduce acne breakouts and appearance from wrinkles. It is naturally derived from milk.
- Malic Acid which can help with hyper-pigmentation, it supports collagen production which comes from various fruit like apples, pears and watermelon.
BHAs
- Salicylic Acid –natural ingredient found from willow bark which is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial (don’t use if pregnant)
Hyaluronic acid helps keen the skin hydrated as it keeps collagen synthesis up allowing the skin to retain its moisture. It acts as a moisturising agent which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Antioxidants from fruit and vegetables work wonders on your skin as they limit the production of free radicals which can damage skin cells. Vitamins A, C & E are the main vitamins which will do a lot for the health and appearance of your skin.
Resveratrol protects the skin from damage and fights against premature aging. It is most commonly found in the skin of red grapes, berries and cacao.
Be mindful of what you put on your skin, because at the end of the day it could end up in your blood stream. As mentioned above, there are thousands of natural ingredients which are great for your skin so try to bear in mind – If it is good enough for you to eat, it’s good enough for your skin!
