Scary Facial Ingredients to Steer Clear Of

Do You Know What’s In Your Skincare?

The promises of many store-bought skincare, makeup, and facial products may seem pretty great — but have you ever stopped to look at the ingredients list? Knowing the harmful toxins that these products contain can be a scary thought, but it can also help you protect your skin and keep it radiant.

Here are some top ingredients you should avoid at all costs:

Parabens

About 70-90% of cosmetic products contain parabens, preservative chemicals that mimic estrogen and help give off a radiant, youthful appearance — albeit an unhealthy one. Parabens have been linked to breast and skin cancer and are easily absorbed, causing them to spread throughout your body.

Before choosing a product, make sure the label reads ‘paraben free’, and check the ingredients list to be sure.

Fragrances

That sheet face mask may smell like coconut, but does it actually contain coconut? When a skincare company lists "fragrance" as one of their ingredients, they aren't required to disclose the actual chemicals that make up this fragrance. This means that the calming lavender or coconut smell in your product could be any number of irritating chemicals that can harm your skin — or even cause asthma, allergies, and hormone disruption.

Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives

Does formaldehyde sound familiar to you? If you’re familiar with household products such as plywood or fiberboard maybe — but it has no place in your skincare. Yet, many cosmetic companies get away with adding this colorless, strong-scented, and flammable gas to their products. How? By disguising it as one of these ingredients:

DMDM hydantoin
Diazolidinyl urea
Imidazolidinyl urea
Methenamine
Quaternium-15
Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol)
5-Bromo-5nitro-1,3-dioxane

The next time you’re on the marketing for a new moisturizer or toner, you may want to screenshot this list and bring it to the store with you.

Professional Skincare Services in Canton & Watertown

When it comes to finding the right products and routine that works for your skin — our estheticians at UniQ laser Center can’t be beaten. If you need help reducing the signs of aging, treating oily or dry skin, or need help controlling acne, book an appointment with our team today!