Here’s a quick blog of ingredients you will find in non-natural/organic skincare which you should avoid at all costs, but PARTICULARLY if you have eczema! I wrote this list for a journalist who asked what ingredients should be avoided in children’s skincare, well these five for a start, but there are soooo many other ingredients you should be careful/aware of:
- Petroleum: petroleum jelly, a mineral oil used for its emollient properties, it has no nutrient value and interferes with the body’s own moisturising mechanism by blocking pores and sitting on the surface of the skin. It contains hidden impurities from the petrol industry (it is a by-product of petrol production). It causes skin to chap and dry (in other words it actually causes the conditions it claims to help). It is widely used because it is unbelievably cheap. Also avoid paraffin for all the same reasons.
- Parabens: they stop microbial growth and therefore extend products shelf life, which is why they are widely used. However they can cause skin rashes, and as they are absorbed by the body, studies have shown they are estrogenic. Parabens are commonly found in breast tissue of women with breast cancer.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES): a cheap, harsh detergent that causes a product to foam, used in nearly all shampoos, bubble baths and shower gels. Often derived from petroleum, it causes eye irritation, dry skin, rashes and other allergies reactions.
- Artificial Fragrances: when you see the label “perfume” or “fragrance” on a label, this could be up to 200 different chemical ingredients, and there is no way to know which. They cause problems such as rashes, headaches, dizziness, coughing, amongst many other things. Avoid at all costs.
- Propylene Glycol (PEG): usually a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant (i.e. helps products bind to skin). Causes allergies to skin and eyes, and also enhances skin absorption of other chemicals.
Of course children and those with sensitive skin should avoid these, but actually EVERYONE should avoid them. Head over to my website where you won’t find any of these www.lj-natural.com . It’s why I recently got shortlisted in the Free From Skincare Awards 2014; more and more customers are now looking for products that are free from unnecessary and possibly dangerous chemicals. For more information, go to: www.skinsmatter.com
