Correct understanding of healthy cosmetics

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Cosmetics are part of the daily lives of both men and women. Makeup, skin care products help you become perfect, more confident. According to many experts, on average, women use 12 personal care products every day and men use about half of these. However, to ensure safety for health and skin, you need to properly understand about healthy cosmetics.

1. FDA, beauty product labeling and safety

Cosmetics are products that are applied directly to the skin. Therefore, if the product is unsafe, it will manifest immediately on the surface of the skin or irritate other organs in the body.
Healthy, non-toxic cosmetics are always interested and sought by men/women. Normally, cosmetics with natural ingredients, pH suitable for the skin, non-irritating... are called healthy cosmetics. However, consumers face many difficulties in identifying which brands are really good for health and the environment. In the cosmetic industry, there is no government agency responsible for defining or regulating the production of cosmetics. According to experts, products with packaging labeled "natural ingredients", "organic ingredients", "safe for the environment" ... are not 100% reliable.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to monitor cosmetics as closely as it does for food and drugs. The FDA has some legal authority over cosmetics. However, cosmetic products and their ingredients (with the exception of color additives) are not FDA-approved.
In other words, the FDA does not check to see if a product that claims to be “100% organic” is actually 100% organic. In addition, the FDA cannot recall cosmetic products that are unsafe for health. Therefore, consumers may end up buying some cosmetics that contain ingredients that are harmful to the body and the environment.
To ensure health, when choosing cosmetics, you should consult a pharmacist, a dermatologist.
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2. Harmful ingredients in cosmetics

When choosing healthy cosmetics, you should stay away from the following ingredients because it can be harmful to your skin and health. Specifically:
2.1. Surfactants According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, surfactants are found in cleaning products. They break down oily solvents secreted by the skin so that they can be washed off with water. Surfactants are combined with additives such as dyes, fragrances, and salts in products such as foundations, body washes, shampoos, and moisturizers. They thicken the product, allowing cleaning and foaming.
2.2. Conditioning polymers These substances have a role in moisturizing the skin or hair. Glycerin is a natural component of vegetable oils and animal fats that are produced synthetically in the cosmetic industry. This is the oldest, cheapest and most popular moisturizing polymer.
Hair conditioner polymers are used in hair care products to absorb water, soften hair, and volumize the hair shaft. Besides, they keep the product from drying out and stabilize the fragrance to keep the scent from seeping through the plastic bottle or tube. In addition, this substance also helps products such as shaving cream smoother and smoother.
SEE ALSO: Beware of signs of alcohol allergy in cosmetics

2.3. Preservatives Preservatives are additives that are of particular interest to consumers. They are used to slow the growth of bacteria and extend the shelf life of a product, while helping to prevent the product from causing skin or eye infections. The cosmetic industry is experimenting with self-preserving cosmetics, using vegetable oils or extracts to act as natural preservatives. However, this substance can irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions. Many have strong odors that can be unpleasant.
2.4. Fragrance Fragrance is the most harmful substance in a beauty product. Fragrances often contain chemicals that can cause allergic reactions. You might consider avoiding any product that has the phrase "fragrance" in the product's ingredients list. Therefore, healthy cosmetics are products that do not contain or contain levels of the above ingredients but within permissible limits.
In addition to the 4 harmful ingredients found in cosmetics mentioned above, according to FDA, the following ingredients are prohibited from being used in cosmetics to ensure safety such as:
Bithionol Chlorofluorocarbon Chloroform Halogenated salicylanilid, di-, tri- , metabromsalan and tetrachlorosalicylanilide Methylene chloride Vinyl chloride Complex containing zirconium Cosmetic restricted ingredients:
Hexachlorophene Mercury compound Cosmetic sunscreen Benzalkonium chloride BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) Coal tar hair dye stone and other coal tar ingredients, such as aminophenol, diaminobenzene and phenylenediamine DMDM ​​hydantoin and bronopol Formaldehyde MORE: What does niacinamide do in cosmetics?

3. Quality of cosmetic packaging

Most people when buying cosmetics only care about: ingredients, uses, and brand of the product, but ignore the packaging. Experts recommend, a healthy cosmetic must have a safe packaging for both you and the environment.
If a product is new but the mouth of the packaging has been opened before, there is an increased risk of bacterial contamination. Careful manufacturing processes keep the product sterile when it enters the bottle or jar.
Cosmetics are an indispensable product in many people's lives. However, advertising and marketing tactics have unintentionally misled consumers about these products. Therefore, when using any skin care or makeup product, you need to consider exactly what ingredients it contains. Can you read the label carefully to decide whether to choose that cosmetic or not?

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Reference source: healthline.com