The personal care industry has many big, bad wolves. There are countless ingredients on the market that are commonplace in beauty products but are synthetically derived, rife with side effects (some known, some unknown) and on consumers’ blacklist. Of those ingredients, phthalates, triclosan, parabens, synthetic fragrance and surfactant byproducts are among them. Phthalates are common in the moisturizers and fragrances, but they have been shown to cause certain types of cancers and increase the risk of ailments such as type 2 diabetes and asthma. Triclosan is used to kill bacteria, but it too has negative links to conditions such as thyroid disorders. Parabens, well … need I say more? Aren’t they the “original” big, bad wolf? Synthetic fragrances can contain up to 400 to 600 chemicals. That’s quite a lot of chemicals to be spraying on your body every day. And surfactant byproducts are used to create that bubbly lather consumers are so accustomed to. But they too are known to have backfiring health effects.
But to every valley is a mountain; and the natural products industry has mountainous alternatives to the ingredients listed above. Rosemary extract and vitamin E both offer free radical protection via their antioxidant fighting power. Additionally, vitamin E’s oil solubility functions as a moisturizer. Grape seed extract, although green in the personal care industry, is proving to be very beneficial as an antifungal, and is demonstrating some antimicrobial activity as well. Essential oils are always a great addition to any personal care product, such as lavender and sandalwood.
It seems consumers and cosmeceutical formulators are on the same mission: to find beauty products with as little to no synthetic, potentially deleterious ingredients as possible.