11 ingredients that actually do not spoil the skin: says cosmetic chemist Asya Zubkova
Miscellaneous / / September 26, 2023
Don't believe the myths. Those ingredients that, after a series of tests, are actually recognized as harmful, immediately disappear from the composition of care products. The main thing is to choose what suits your skin.
1. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas that can be dangerous because, if inhaled, it causes dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing, headaches, and convulsions. But to provoke poisoning, a large amount of formaldehyde is needed. There has always been very little of it in cosmetics; in such quantities it is not capable of negatively affecting the body.
Previously, formaldehyde was used as a preservative. But now it has been replaced with safer analogues: phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate. Since preservatives differ in their properties, most often the manufacturer makes a combination of several substances.
But even if formaldehyde is still found in some cleaning products, it is instantly washed off with water and does not have time to have a negative effect. So there is no need to be afraid of him.
2. Propylene glycol
It is needed to dissolve acids or other components for better penetration into the skin. In addition, in cosmetics the substance allows moisture to stay on the skin longer.
Propylene glycol is safe. It moisturizes the skin, softens the hair, and improves the texture of the product. Does not cause negative reactions and is used in injections and medications.
3. Synthetic fragrances
Synthetic fragrances contain the same allergens as natural ones. That is, if you are allergic to some component, the reaction will appear regardless of how it was obtained.
When you buy a jar, the composition usually says Parfum or Fragrance - this perfumery The manufacturer does not disclose the composition, it is secret. The European Commission allows this, but obliges the manufacturer to describe possible allergens: limonene, linalool, geraniol. If you have allergies, look for these notes at the end of the composition.
4. Silicones
Silicones don't actually cause allergies They are completely inert, that is, they do not clog pores and do not remain as a film on the skin. They prevent the evaporation of moisture, but do not block gas and water exchange in the skin, they have a large structure and both air and water easily pass through them.
In addition, silicones decompose very well in the soil, because in fact silicone is sand. To make them, they take silicon dioxide and make a polymer out of it, which has nothing in common with sand in properties until it decomposes.
Silicones provide slip and lighten the texture. If you have oily skin, creams with waxes and oils often feel heavy and you want to wash them off, but silicones do not.
5. Surfactant
There are a huge number of surfactants, or surfactants. SLS and SLES - the so-called sulfates - are usually considered aggressive. These surfactants degrease the skin very well, and many are afraid of them because it seems that they dry out too much.
Indeed, washing only with sulfates is gradually disappearing; now softer surfactants are being added to products. But, for example, for cleansing scalp sulfates are irreplaceable. Various medicated shampoos are made with sulfates precisely because it is a recognized good cleanser.
It is worth remembering that sulfate-free products do not mean soft, because there are other aggressive surfactants: saponified oils (stearates, palmitates), olefin sulfonates, isethionates. Therefore, if the package says “sulfate-free,” it is still worth examining the composition for the presence of other hard surfactants.
Softer surfactants that are used today are, for example, cocoglucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine.
6. Glycerol
This is an excellent inexpensive moisturizer. It retains moisture on the surface of the skin and prevents its evaporation. Of course, glycerin in cosmetics cannot penetrate very deeply into the layers of the skin, but for its proper functioning it is important that its surface layers are also moisturized.
Previously, it was believed that glycerin was not very useful because it was not present in our skin. However, it is now known that the skin contains aquaporin proteins, which are able to circulate glycerol for better hydration. That is, glycerin is not a foreign substance that is not absorbed, it is very physiological for us, and the skin adapts perfectly to it.
7. Triclosan
This is a good component, but it is important to consider some subtleties when using it. It was developed and added to cosmetics only to have an antibacterial effect. About 10-15 years ago they released products with triclosan to rid us of bacteria. However, our body needs them, so you shouldn’t often use products with triclosan.
If at a special moment you need to treat your hands with an antibacterial agent for some purpose, a product with triclosan will do the job perfectly. The main thing is not to abuse it. It doesn't cause any more harm.
8. Mineral oil
It is derived from petroleum and seems to be the most unnatural source of oil. In fact, oil is a natural, non-synthesized component.
Yes, it is not very physiological for the skin. But mineral oil has a big advantage - it does not cause allergies. Products with it are necessary for people with atopic dermatitis, eczema, dry skin, which has an immediate reaction to vegetable and animal oils.
For people with oily skin, mineral oil is not the best ingredient, but for people with very dry skin, it can significantly help.
Mineral oil is a neutral component. It doesn't have super healing properties for the skin, but it works as a protective layer. If the skin's protective barrier is compromised, mineral oil can create a water and gas permeable barrier. This is not a film, as many people believe, it is precisely a barrier that allows moisture to stay in the skin longer.
9. Albumen
This is whey egg white, which is not used very often in cosmetics because it is quite allergenic. But it moisturizes the skin, has a lifting effect, slightly smoothes wrinkles. However, now other assets are appearing for these purposes: polysaccharides, mushrooms, algae.
If you see albumin in the composition, you should be wary of it only if you have egg white intolerance. In other cases, this component is harmless.
10. Kaolin
Kaolin is a clay that is suitable for people with oily skin and enlarged pores. It collects impurities and makes the skin more matte. However, kaolin can be drying. If your skin is normal or dry, you will notice dryness and tightness after using kaolin masks.
Nowadays, glycerin or other components are added to such masks to prevent the mask from hardening on the face and prevent this feeling of tightness.
11. Placental extract
The placenta is rich in peptides and nutrients to nourish the fetus during pregnancy. Since it is so useful, many have decided that it can be used in cosmetics.
Human placenta is not used for these purposes; it is unethical. In addition, eating someone else's placenta and foreign proteins can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, now they use animal placenta extract or synthetic one.
Synthetic placental extract is a mixture of various proteins, peptides, and microelements that can be beneficial to the skin. It can moisturize and nourish the skin, it is not harmful. But there are very few studies showing that placental extract provides any incredible benefits compared to more well-studied, well-evidence-based ingredients.
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