{"id":23957,"date":"2019-03-13T13:59:06","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T12:59:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amazingy.com\/magazine\/?p=23957"},"modified":"2019-03-28T14:26:03","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T13:26:03","slug":"6-safer-cosmetic-tips-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amazingy.com\/magazine\/6-safer-cosmetic-tips-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Safe Cosmetic Tips You Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The emphasis on safe (& healthy) ingredients<\/strong><\/em>
<\/strong>has spread far beyond the dinner plate.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In years past, it was common practice to assume safe cosmetics were the norm, posing no big risk to our health. You might recall how the situation with Johnson & Johnson\u2019s talcum powder \u2013 the beloved brand of fragrance white powder that dries up all the spots a towel can\u2019t reach \u2013 blew up into a lawsuit1<\/a><\/sup> when research linking it to ovarian cancer was proven (yikes!<\/em>). Johnson & Johnson are now paying out multi-millions in compensation and spending even more to reformulate their products. This is just one of hundreds of companies making the change towards safer ingredients. (Can we hear a \u2018hallelujah\u2019\u203d<\/em>)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Related article: Amazingy Guides: Decoding Cosmetic Labels<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCosmetics are absolutely safer now today than they were ten years ago\u2026 We\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/em><\/p> \u2014<\/em> Margie Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics<\/em>2<\/a><\/sup> <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Related article: \u2018Chemical-free\u2019 cosmetics \u2014 what does that really mean?<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Safety in cosmetics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A review on Hazardous Ingredients in Cosmetics3<\/a><\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, the cosmetic sector continues to grow tremendously with consumer demands. So the more support you have for \u2013 and attention you pay towards \u2013 safer ingredients in products, the more we\u2019ll see healthier cosmetic alternatives popping up alongside the traditional ones.<\/strong> Or even more so, big companies reformulating their products until safe is the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while we\u2019re waiting for all of this to happen (and especially if you get lost navigating \u2018safe cosmetics\u2019) we can offer you some tips to make the journey less arduous \u2013 and  your product choices more confident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 easy tips to guide you<\/em><\/strong>
on your way to safer cosmetics…<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n


1. Opt for simplicity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And this doesn\u2019t 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 \u2013 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Beware of buzzwords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unlike how the terms ‘natural’<\/strong> and ‘organic’<\/strong> have some sort of regulation in the EU<\/a> (check that link for an easy-to-read infographic), there are other words like ‘pure’<\/strong>, ‘botanical’<\/strong>, ‘eco’<\/strong> & ‘herbal’<\/strong> which \u2013 while they could potentially be wonderful \u2013 aren\u2019t officially regulated. Statements like \u201cfree of\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cbenefits include\u201d<\/strong> are also great; it\u2019s a nice way of brands trying to tell us what\u2019s in their product, but just make sure you know what else might be in there, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related article: Greenwashing \u2014 Don\u2019t let the marketers fool you<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

3. Get to know ingredients (and if it\u2019s too overwhelming, know the absolute \u201c<\/strong>no-gos\u201d<\/strong>)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In light of the point above, getting to know ingredients is not just about what goes in <\/em>our bodies. The best thing to do is to get familiar with the top no-gos, and learn their alternatives.<\/a>

For a quick summary, they are:<\/strong> the Laureth family (SLS, SLES, ALS); PEGs & petrochemicals; DEA (diethanolamine<\/em>), MEA (monoethanolamine<\/em>) & TEA (triethanolamine<\/em>); artificial colours & fragrances; and parabens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Shop where there is ingredient transparency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And if Tip #3<\/em> becomes too time-consuming, keep in mind that more and more beauty shops (both on- & offline) are adopting transparent ingredient seals.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Actually give DIY a try<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, this might seem pretty basic, but there are some products like <\/strong>hair masks<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> scrubs,<\/strong><\/a> or my personal favourite \u2013 a <\/strong>DIY dry shampoo for brunettes<\/strong><\/a>! \u2013 that can be whipped up in your very own kitchen.<\/strong> And nothing says \u201cthis is safe to use\u201d \u00a0like knowing that whatever I\u2019m putting on my face, hair or body I could also eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you can\u2019t eat it, don\u2019t put it on your skin.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\u2014 Dr. Alkaitis<\/a><\/em> <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Some other DIY inspirations: <\/em>cream eye shadows<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, <\/em>self tanner<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, <\/em>face masks<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, <\/em>sea salt spray<\/a><\/em><\/strong> and <\/em>hair highlighter<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

6. Use these handy apps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are moments where technology & beauty find common ground, and these (free) apps are one such example. They\u2019ve been developed with handy barcode scanners to help people make healthier choices \u2013 from the very comfort of our pockets! To name just a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n