When it comes to marketing a product, two of the beauty world’s most favorite catchphrases are “natural ingredients” and “vegan.” While many of today’s high end, and even a few drugstore brands, are beginning to understand the desire for healthier beauty options, there are still many products that utilize ingredients that are very harmful to your skin.
Congested Skin vs. Makeup
If you have acne-prone skin, large pores, or uneven texture, you are fully aware of how difficult it can seem to find and utilize products that will improve the look of your skin. Oftentimes, it will simply make your skin appear worse. So how do you battle this? Is the answer simply to just not wear any makeup at all and just let your skin figure itself out? Now, this I wouldn’t totally agree with while taking a break from makeup to let your skin breathe is not a bad idea, the products you are using may not be the issue. Most likely, just one or two ingredients that the product is composed of causing the issue.
Aggravating Ingredients
There is an exhaustive list of products that aggravate the skin, here are the top five products utilized in makeup and beauty that should be avoided at all costs:
- Talc: it can be dehydrating to most skin types, which will lead to your skin starting to trap and clog not just the product but anything else your skin comes into contact with.
- Bismuth oxychloride: If you are a powder foundation lover, this is an ingredient you may find in your makeup. It is made up of crystals that are sharp, irritating, and can get stuck in pores. If you are prone to acne, this should be especially avoided as it has been linked to causing cystic acne.
- Silicones and Petrochemicals: Now we all joke that gross stuff is used to make up the products we put on our faces, but these should never be utilized in those products. Silicones were originally used in beauty products because they are supposed to make the product and your skin feel silky and smooth. Though this does work for some, silicones are now known to be one of the worst ingredients for pulling moisture and nutrients from the skin and clogging the pores, which in turn causes redness, pore scarring, and acne breakouts. These are mostly found in primers so opt for oil and silicone free. Petrochemicals, on the other hand, are a derivative of petroleum. This is equivalent to putting gasoline on your skin. Petroleum is used in so many products so finding it in makeup isn’t really that surprising, but you may be shocked to hear what these ingredients can do to the skin. Petroleum-derived ingredients are essential pore clogging machines. Working as a delivery agent by bringing the product and whatever your skin comes in contact with over the course of the day deeper into your pores, these chemicals will clog your skin so fast.
Healthy Ingredients
Now that we’ve discussed ingredients you should avoid, here are ingredients that are healthy and good for the skin:
- The fewer the ingredients the better. By this rule, think of it as food. If you can’t pronounce it you probably shouldn’t use it!
- If you see Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, or Iron Oxide in the ingredient list. It is a pretty safe bet that the product will not clog your pores. However, everyone’s skin is different so when trying out new products it is always best to refer to the thought that less is more.
It is possible to find what you are looking for in today’s beauty market if you are willing to invest some time and research. Follow these tips for success in finding the beauty product that is right for you.
