Face the dangers of chemicals in your exfoliants.

Face the dangers of chemicals in your exfoliants.

Face the dangers of chemicals in your exfoliants
by Reby Baldoz

Ladies, gents, let’s talk face to face. Now, everyone has a skin care routine –or at least I hope so. It consists of cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing. Each step has a different benefit and each are just as important. I’m here to talk to you about the one step that gets taken for granted the most. That is, exfoliating.

Facial scrubs are a great way of exfoliating and getting rid of dead skin cells. It takes your skin from looking dull, tired and lifeless to vibrant, healthy and radiant. Now, before reaching for that facial scrub that promises youthful-looking, glowing skin, you might want to read the label. Did you know that your facial scrubs contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin but to the environment as well? Here are just some of the many harmful chemicals that can be found in facial scrubs that you should watch out for.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid is one of the most common ingredients found in most facial scrubs. It’s designed to fight acne and is also used as an exfoliant.  And while this ingredient is common, it has its many harmful effects that we should all watch out for. According to cosmetics database.com, salicylic acid may have harmful effects on your brain, nervous and reproductive systems and can act as a skin irritant and penetration enhancer allowing other harmful chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin. Because of this, its use is restricted in Canadian and Japanese cosmetics.

F, D & C Color Pigments

Ever wonder where your facial scrub gets that fun blue, pink or peach color? Well, more often than not, it’s made with synthetic colors that are either petroleum-derived or come from coal tar. While it hasn’t been found to be cancerous to humans, it has been found to cause cancer to laboratory animals since they are continuously tested on them, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Not only that, but different studies have also shown that these color pigments contain heavy metal salts that deposit toxins into the skin causing sensitivity and irritation. As a company that stands for green and natural living and against animal cruelty, we say stay away from these synthetic colors!

Polyethylene

From the dangers brought on to our own bodies, we move on to the dangers brought on to the environment.  Another harmful ingredient that must be avoided is polyethylene. Remember those microbeads that you feel really do do their job of exfoliating? Well, according to studies, they’re more often than not made of plastic and contain polyethylene which when washed down the drain, stays in our rivers, lakes and oceans thus harming the environment. Let’s all do our part to avoid this, not only to protect our planet but also to protect ourselves since it has been suspected to be a human carcinogen. Better safe than sorry, right?

Excessive scrubbing/exfoliating can result in redness, irritation and long-term brown hyperpigmentation. Only exfoliate once/twice a week and make sure to do it in the evening. If you must exfoliate during the day, make sure to protect your face with sunblock. So make sure to read the label and avoid the bad guys that can cause harm to not only you but to mother earth as well.