When we use cosmetics, we think we care about our appearance. Decorative cosmetics, shampoos, creams, lotions and other products simplify body, face and hair care. However, if you make a mistake with the choice of a cosmetic product, instead of the expected benefit, you can harm the body. Among the dangerous substances to which we voluntarily expose our skin, sulfates and parabens are the most common. Why they are harmful and how to limit their effect on the body, estet-portal.com will tell in this article.
Why choose natural cosmetics without sulfates and parabens
Some chemicals enter the body from the air, some – from food products, and some – from cosmetics. It is simply impossible to protect yourself from some substances, but choosing natural products without sulfates and parabens will help reduce the dose of harmful substances that negatively affect beauty and health. Let's see why sulfates and parabens are so harmful.
1. Sulphates
Sulfates can be found in almost every foaming cleanser or cleanser. They (salts of sulfuric acid) wash off various kinds of pollution well, therefore, having studied the label, you can find them in the composition:
- washing powders;
- shampoos;
- washing products;
- shower gels;
- dishwashing liquids and similar products.
Names of such substances:
- SLS, also sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate;
- SLES, also sodium laureth sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate;
- SDS, also sodium dodecyl sulfate or sodium dodecyl sulfate;
- ALS, also ammonium sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate.
Sulfates, especially SLS and SLES, have been blamed for damaging the skin, disrupting metabolic processes, and accumulating in the body. There is evidence that, reaching a certain level in the body, sulfates can cause cancer, and in children they can provoke a delay in physical development. They have a detrimental effect on the beauty of hair, because they are capable of:
- destroy the hair structure;
- result in hair thinning;
- increase the likelihood of allergies;
- cause dandruff;
- can lead to hair loss.
This is why it makes sense to limit the use of beauty products that contain these ingredients: choose products without sulfate.
2. Parabens
The widespread use of these substances is due to their ability to extend the shelf life of products, including food. Parabens prevent the growth of microbes and mold in cosmetics. However, without preservatives, the shelf life of your favorite products would be a maximum of a couple of days, which is not beneficial for either the consumer or the seller. Therefore, you can do without preservatives at all by mixing fresh ingredients and using the prepared remedy immediately (which, by the way, is done by many people who do not want to risk it again).
The panic about the harm of parabens was raised by British scientists who discovered these substances in malignant breast tumors. Further studies have not confirmed that the amounts of these preservatives that are present in cosmetics (no more than 0.8%) can provoke the development of cancer. Therefore, at the moment it cannot be said that they pose a great danger.
Choose exclusively natural products and cook them yourself or trust the manufacturers of store products – you decide. It will not be possible to completely protect yourself from the negative effects of harmful substances, but by choosing products without sulfates and parabens (or other non-natural components), you can at least limit their harmful effects on the body.
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