Are you an ingredient nerd?
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Apr 13, 2013
Jenn S.
I love learning about what is in bath and beauty products and helping others make healthier choices with that information. Are there any other ingredient nerds out there?
What is your #1 "avoid like the plague" ingredient and #1 "safe and loving it" ingredient?
Apr 13, 2013
Eileen A.
I know exactly what you mean! I avoid red 40 like the plague but it's in everything!!! Just found out is in my favorite Colgate toothpaste lol.
Apr 13, 2013
Denice D.
Panthenol is an ingredient in shampoos and body washes - if it shows up in first 10 ingredients do not use it! Pathenol causes acne breakouts.
Apr 13, 2013
Tiffany D.
No as long as it smells good I'd rather not know lol.
Apr 13, 2013
Amie L.
Not so much when it come to my hair. Kind of like you Tiffany if it smells good I don't need to know about the bad stuff. Now when it comes to my face I'm a little more picky.
Apr 13, 2013
Jenn S.
I have to ask, what is it that makes you want to not know? What would happen if you knew other than needing to find another brand that smells the same? (Not hounding, just curious.)
Apr 13, 2013
Stephanie G.
To be honest I don't pay any attention to the ingredients at all.
Apr 13, 2013
Jenn S.
My #1 "avoid it like the plague" ingredient is anything that has paraben in the word and my #1 "safe and loving it" ingredient is argan oil. I do wish that the FDA would update there 1960's ban list though. According to their site there are only 3 ingredients that are limited but not banned in makeup:
Hexachlorophene, Mercury compounds (Yep, what made the mad hatter... well, mad but it was a real thing too in the 17th century), and Sunscreens in cosmetics.
That last one might throw some of you for a loop because there are literally 100's of cosmetics that say they have "Sunscreen" in them... here is the page that explains exactly what that "sunscreen" is when it is in other products.
http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/SelectedCosmeticIngredients/ucm127406.htm
There is only 8 banned/prohibited ingredients of the 1000's of ingredients out there in cosmetics- Bithionol, Chlorofluorocarbon propellants, Chloroform, Halogenated salicylanilides, Methylene chloride, Vinyl chloride, Zirconium-containing complexes and Prohibited cattle materials.
But it should be recognized that just because the FDA says it is safe doesn't mean it is.
Apr 13, 2013
Stephanie G.
Honestly, there is so much crap in the air we breathe...even the water we drink--that I don't really worry what's in my makeup.
Apr 13, 2013
Stephanie G.
What I mean to say is why is this a major concern for you? Am I not informed about the dangers? Should I be? And are the bad ingredients found more often in cheap cosmetics?
Apr 13, 2013
Loren B.
Actually I've found that the dept store brands usually have way more chemicals.
Apr 13, 2013
Jenn S.
STEPHANIE G. - Ohhh... gotcha! :) It is best not to freak out about it but just to get informed. The reason it is a concern for just me is because there are certain ingredients can cause nerve damage, internal organ, developmental and reproductive toxicity, cell break down, cancer and other side effects used over time. It is scary considering all of those dangers can be found in a single product but we use on average 5-15 products daily on our faces alone. And why I am concerned for others about this is because I don't want anyone ending up with health problems when they could have known about it but I just didn't tell them. Cause I heart you all!!
There are in my research more of the "bad for you chemicals" in low end than high end cosmetics. The reason for this is because synthetic and alternatives to good chemicals are cheaper. That does not mean that all low end or drug store makeup is bad for you though.
My advice is to start slow, find out about one yucky ingredient at a time and make sure you find reputable sources for ingredient information. It can be unbelievably overwhelming otherwise. There were many times I was like, "Fine then! I won't use ANYTHING!" but knowing the difference in what products have more dangerous chemicals than others is a process that is easier than you might think.
I have a couple resources if you are interested:
http://www.green-blog.org/2009/01/23/harmful-ingredients-in-cosmetics-101-how-to-tell-a-safe-product-from-a-toxic-one/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/260750-harmful-cosmetic-ingredients/
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ This is the database I use to look up everything from single ingredients to whole product lines.
Best of luck and if you want to chat more about it I am here! :)
Apr 13, 2013
Jewels H.
I try to avoid anything with the word "paraben." Elf has a lot of products with that chemical
Apr 13, 2013
Stephanie G.
Thanks Jenn! I don't like the sound of phytoestrogens. Just the word sounds icky.
Apr 13, 2013
Jenn S.
You are soooo welcome! Remember babysteps and you can always ask me and I might know about an ingredient or have a resource for you. :)
Apr 13, 2013
Amie L.
@jenn it's not that I don't care or wld have any problem finding a different shampoo I just have really never paid enough attention on what's bad. I'm sure it would do me some good to get a little more educated on the matter. So thanks for the advise
Apr 13, 2013
Shelley W.
Having a cosmetic chemist for a spouse has turned me into an ingredient nerd. I avoid mineral oil at all cost. Especially in hair products because my curly hair does not react well to it and its a no go for my face.
Apr 13, 2013
Marilyn O.
I wish I could remember everything and know more! I try :)
Apr 16, 2013
Jenn S.
I have been studying cosmetic and bath/body product ingredients and there are ones that should be simple to remember but I have to look them up over and over and over. Meh!