There are thousands of different skin-care formulas that you can choose from to use. Whether you’re shopping at your local grocery store or online, your vision is practically flooded with row after row of products—each with unique substances depending on the brand. Because of this, it’s difficult to determine what you should pick and identify which products you should avoid. Avoiding toxin skin-care additives is just as important to maintaining healthy skin as using beneficial ones. So, it’s important that you have foundational knowledge to fall back on while you shop. Discover what skin-care ingredients to avoid in your routine and why doing so is vital for your complexion.

Parabens

All skin-care products have expiration dates that limit the amount of time a particular formula can sit on the store shelves. This is why it’s common for businesses to add preservatives to the mixture. Parabens like methyl, butyl, and ethyl all make certain items last longer and increase the probability of someone buying them. However, they also come with a downside as they affect the hormone balance within your skin, resulting in additional breakouts.

Synthetic Fragrances

Synthetic fragrances also pose a potential issue. While companies use synthetic fragrances to give products a distinct and pleasant smell, it’s hard to tell what’s in these substances. Believe it or not, thousands of different ingredients can go into making a single artificial scent, and many of them are toxic when applied to the skin. Many of these materials might not even make it onto the label. So, if you see a product with a synthetic fragrance as one of its ingredients, it’s recommended you opt for an odorless formula instead.

Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene glycol, or PEG, is an agent typically used to change the consistency of specific formulas. It generally makes products thicker and creamier for ease of application. However, they can also affect your skin’s natural moisture. In many cases, PEG can sap your skin of its hydration and make it easier for your complexion to dry out. This makes your skin prone to a series of other issues, including rashes and breakouts. As such, it’s another ingredient to look out for—especially in oil-dissolving cleansers.

Mineral Oils

In the past, many individuals applied petroleum to the skin as a way to trap moisture and help hydrate severely dry skin. But petroleum works by coating the skin in a thin layer of thick plastic and can clog your pores and hinder their ability to eliminate toxins from the body. Mineral oils, though a less concentrated form of petroleum, still contain it as a primary ingredient. Because of this, it’s highly encouraged that you stay away from any creams, lotions, or ointments that use them.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a base component in many solid products like deodorant, but it has trace amounts in a plethora of other store-bought items. As such, it’s important to know that it is toxic in some cases—even to the point where it affects the function of our body’s endocrine system. Aluminum can make it difficult for the body to regulate its hormone levels. Therefore, you’re more likely to experience chemical spikes that lead to breakouts.

Teflon

Much like PEG, Teflon can give products a smoother and creamier feel during application when added to them. However, it’s also linked to hormone disruptions and general reproductive issues down the line. For this reason, you’ll want to keep an eye out for it when reading product labels. It may even go by its scientific name of polytetrafluoroethylene on the ingredient list. Most ingredients will have an alternate name. So, familiarizing yourself with these phrasings can help you steer clear of them at the store.

Oxybenzone

Another potentially harmful skin-care ingredient to avoid in your routine is one commonly found in sunscreen products. Oxybenzone is a sunscreen additive that’s very effective at absorbing both UVB and UVA rays—which protects the skin from severe exposure to the sun. But, with long-term use, this substance can leech deeper into the body and, like aluminum, disrupt your endocrine system. The more of it you use, the higher the risk of experiencing an imbalance of hormones is. As such, making sure you find an alternative sunscreen is a good solution.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a different preservative that extends the shelf life of certain skin-care formulas. In fact, it’s one of the most common ones on the market. Whether in food, beauty products, or even construction materials, everything holds at least a small amount of this chemical, and it’s incredibly dangerous when ingested. At this time, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can lead to the development of a series of other dangerous illnesses when used in large quantities. Because of this, finding ways to reduce your exposure to it can help maintain your health down the line.

Phthalates

Lastly, phthalates are a collection of chemicals that go into the process of making plastics and other polymers. They make these products more flexible and harder to break after manufacturing. Beauty substances such as nail polish and hair spray to reduce cracking after application use phthalates. It’s a solvent as well for formulas with fragrances. Phthalates cause endocrine problems, like many of these other toxins, and, like formaldehyde, it also has the risk of causing cancer. Therefore, search each of your products for materials labeled “phthalate,” “DEP,” or “fragrance” before you commit to using them regularly.

Next time you go to the store or shop online, make sure you search for these ingredients, so you can avoid products that will damage your skin. For products that have all the ingredients you want and nothing you don’t, Flawless Beauty and Skin has you covered. Having put extensive research into various skin-care formulas, we strongly believe that natural substances promote the healthiest and longest-lasting results. That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to providing only clean beauty products. From our acne treatments to our skin whitening soaps online, all of our products contain natural ingredients like glutathione, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. That way, you know you’re getting something good for your skin.