What should I look for in my skin care products?
What ingredients really work?
There are many ingredients, but most don’t have any scientific proof that they work.
So here are some ingredients that are proven to work!
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin B3 (niacin, or nicotinamide)
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Vitamin E Alpha-hydroxy acids Ubiquinone (small-molecule antioxidant)
Ferulic acid (small-molecule antioxidant)
Good ingredients are important, but you should also be aware of which ones to avoid. Some ingredients are damaging to skin cells and others can be very irritating to your skin.
Look out for these:
1.) Imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea: They’re used as preservatives to prevent bacterial growth (not fungi), but they’re also a relatively common cause of contact dermatitis.
2.) Fragrances: They may smell good, but these little molecules are responsible for allergic reactions in as much as 14% of the population.
3.) Sodium lauryl sulfate: It’s commonly used in shampoos and cleaners to create suds and is relatively safe, but longer contact time can cause irritation and dryness because the detergent strips the skin of lipids.
4.) Mineral oil: Used as a base in some products, it may interfere with perspiration.
5.) Monoethanolamine (MEA) and triethanolamine (TEA): They’re common pH stabilizers, but when they’re exposed to air, they form potentially irritating substances called nitrosamines. And they have a tendency to clog pores and create blackheads.
6.) Dimethylethanolamine (DMAE): This common “instant facelift” ingredient in wrinkle creams actually does its work by causing cell damage and swelling.
Be Safe, Read Your Labels!
Be Radiant!
