“Cosmetics are absolutely safer now today than they were ten years ago… We’re not where we need to be. But the awareness is certainly making it through to the science teams at these major manufacturers, who are clearly making adjustments to their products.” — Margie Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics2
“Cosmetics are absolutely safer now today than they were ten years ago… We’re not where we need to be. But the awareness is certainly making it through to the science teams at these major manufacturers, who are clearly making adjustments to their products.”
A review on Hazardous Ingredients in Cosmetics3 suggests that the beauty product industry is one of the most stable in the world (it hardly flinched when the economic downturn came knocking). And for an industry with so many economic benefits, it faces real challenges: the ability of manufacturers to deliver good quality products at a low cost, while also ensuring safety & health for the body and the environment.
Luckily, the cosmetic sector continues to grow tremendously with consumer demands. So the more support you have for – and attention you pay towards – safer ingredients in products, the more we’ll see healthier cosmetic alternatives popping up alongside the traditional ones. Or even more so, big companies reformulating their products until safe is the norm.
But while we’re waiting for all of this to happen (and especially if you get lost navigating ‘safe cosmetics’) we can offer you some tips to make the journey less arduous – and your product choices more confident.
And this doesn’t mean minimalist packaging. But choosing products with shorter ingredient names, fewer synthetic ingredients, and altogether shorter ingredients lists, can often translate to the use of a purer product. Of course there are always exceptions to these rules – but if you skim through the ingredients of a product, you will get a general feeling of how unrefined it is just judging by the contents. Personally, I like to stick to 7 ingredients or less.
Unlike how the terms ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ have some sort of regulation in the EU (check that link for an easy-to-read infographic), there are other words like ‘pure’, ‘botanical’, ‘eco’ & ‘herbal’ which – while they could potentially be wonderful – aren’t officially regulated. Statements like “free of” and “benefits include” are also great; it’s a nice way of brands trying to tell us what’s in their product, but just make sure you know what else might be in there, too.
In light of the point above, getting to know ingredients is not just about what goes in our bodies. The best thing to do is to get familiar with the top no-gos, and learn their alternatives. For a quick summary, they are: the Laureth family (SLS, SLES, ALS); PEGs & petrochemicals; DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine); artificial colours & fragrances; and parabens.
And if Tip #3 becomes too time-consuming, keep in mind that more and more beauty shops (both on- & offline) are adopting transparent ingredient seals. These act as a label decoder, making it easier for shoppers to spot brands with safer ingredients. And on top of that, there are companies solely committed to promoting and selling only those products with safe ingredients.
Yes, this might seem pretty basic, but there are some products like hair masks, scrubs, or my personal favourite – a DIY dry shampoo for brunettes! – that can be whipped up in your very own kitchen. And nothing says “this is safe to use” like knowing that whatever I’m putting on my face, hair or body I could also eat.
“If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.”— Dr. Alkaitis
“If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.”
There are moments where technology & beauty find common ground, and these (free) apps are one such example. They’ve been developed with handy barcode scanners to help people make healthier choices – from the very comfort of our pockets! To name just a few:
Tags: Cosmetic Safety, Eye on Ingredients, Health, Skin Care
Alana is a qualified naturopath & nutritionist from Australia. After years of studying and first clinical experiences, she moved to Europe where she spent many years as a health editor and writer for Amazingy Magazine. In 2020 Alana started her online Health Practice based out of Berlin. She believes the body has the innate ability to heal itself. The core of her work is teaching individuals the foundations of nutrition for an abundance of energy, smooth digestion and vital health. The stuff she teaches we just weren't taught at school, but it is fundamental for excellent health for everyone. Get in touch with Alana via her website: https://alanabonnemann.com/
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