8 Makeup Ingredients To Avoid And The Reasons For It

Ignorance is bliss until it comes to skincare. Whenever you apply anything on your skin, you want to ensure that no harmful ingredients are being used. And yet many of us still choose to consume conventional makeup products that contain harmful chemicals that can tarnish the quality of your skin easily. One shouldn't compromise on the quality of the products for the sake of vanity because at times it can do more than good. It is always best to know some of the commonly known ingredients used in your makeup products so that you can prevent yourself from applying unwanted chemicals on your face. We tell all you all the ingredients you need to avoid using found in most beauty products and the reasons for it to protect your sanity in vanity.

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8 Makeup Ingredients That You Must Avoid When Picking Makeup 

1. Fragrance

Fragrances can be present in your makeup products but the solution or the detailed ingredients may not be mentioned necessarily. This implies that innumerable ingredients could be present in the solution and one may never even know about it. Fragrances are potential carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), irritants and allergens that can do your skin more harm than you know. Fragrances can easily be found in many liquid based makeup products like liquid foundation, concealers, micellar water, primers and so on. Who even needs a fragrant foundation anyway, right?

2. Parabens

We hear parabens often these days and how we should completely stay away from using it for the skin and hair. This is one such ingredient that we should avoid and yet is present in 70-90% of most cosmetics. Parabens are preservatives that are used in makeup products to keep it germ free. So how is that harmful then, you ask? Parabens mimic the function estrogen in the system and can create potential havoc with your hormones. The use of parabens has been often linked to skin and breast cancer among women which can easily be avoided by choosing paraben-free products.

Many makeup products contain parabens in them; Image Credit: Pexels

3. Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives

Formaldehyde is usually present in many makeup products but may never be listed in their ingredients making this one a tricky component to detect. Many companies add other chemicals that work together with the regular formaldehyde that decompose easily to release this harmful chemical. Many of these preservatives or often listed as DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methenamine, Quaternium-15, Sodium Hyroxymethylglycinate, Bronopol among others that cause allergies on the skin and can be potential carcinogens.

4. Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Another commonly found ingredient in most cream based makeup products such as foundation and concealers, sulfates help absorb faster in the skin. While it may seem beneficial in that aspect, these are unfortunately also usually contaminated with many known cancer causing agents. Acne is one of the most commonly known skin problems that are caused by this as the product easily absorbs into the skin and clogs the pores.

5. Lead

Some of the most commonly known makeup brands, both drugstore and even some luxury ones, continue to use lead in lipsticks. Lead is a neurotoxin which is linked with learning, behavioural dysfunctionalities. It can also cause hormonal imbalances in many men and women along with permanent discolouration of the lips.

Many known makeup brands use lead in their lipsticks even today; Image Credit: Pexels

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6. Petroleum Distillates

Petroleum distillates are pesky ingredients found in mascaras that are made from the same refineries that automotive oil and heating fuel is extracted from! Often combined with cancer-causing chemicals, this ingredient can cause dermatitis, rashes and swelling which we're sure is not the looking you were going for.

7. Synthetic Colours

Synthetic colours are majorly derived from petroleum or coal tar. Coal tar is made from many hydrocarbons and water which is thick, dark and has an unpleasant smell and is used in larger quantities when used on darker colours. So the darker your lipstick or eyeshadow may be, the higher quantity of this vicious liquid is used to produce it. So perhaps the next time you choose to do a smokey eye makeup or use a deep lip shade, you'd want to think again.

8. Petrolatum

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Petrolatum is where petroleum jelly gets its name from and is a no brainer that it is mainly used in many lip balms for its skin-softening properties. While it is true that petrolatum locks in moisture, it also prevents air to get absorbed into the skin and that eventually dries out the lips in the long run making you reapply lip balm from time and again.

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Now that you know the ingredients to avoid, make the best choice for your skin by choosing safer alternatives.