Taking care of our skin is a priority. If we are good to it, it will be good to us. With so many skincare products to choose from, what do you do? Whatever skincare line you decide to use, there are some chemicals that shouldnt be contained in any of them.

1. Alcohol“Alcohols have a drying effect on the skin. When you blow on them, they disappear but they also take some moisture with them. shampoos containing alcohols dry the scalp and weaken the hair over time. Any listed ingredient that ends in the suffix, -ols is a dead giveaway.

2. Parabens“These substances are found in many beauty and skincare products. It is not a substance that people take the time to recognize but people do have allergies to them. the substance itself is added for shelf life-to avoid growth of bacteria in the product. With so many ingredients you wouldnt know if you were sensitive to parabens necessarily so try to stay away from them anyway.

3. Fragrances“Everyone wants to smell good. Plenty of skin care products contain fragrances to give them a nice scent. Unfortunately, these fragrances can cause skin irritations. A fragrance is created by combining chemicals. Any one of those chemicals can cause an adverse reaction on you face or elsewhere on your body.

4. Phthalates“The ph is silent. These chemicals are commonly added to plastics to make them more flexible. It is also strangely enough found in a variety of cosmetics, soap, lotions and nail polish. The substance is toxic to animals and can cause birth defects.

5. Dyes“Some of the dyes that give the products their color are also harsh to the skin. If your skin is oily or well moisturized you may not notice it but for those with skin conditions these dyes can leave you itchy and red.

It is important to read the label on all skincare products. Most people dont know that skincare products are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are on their honor to provide a safe product to the consumer. Many consumer watchdog groups keep a lookout for harmful products and get the word out in print or on the Internet.

We hope that manufacturers wouldnt sell us a bad bill of goods but it happensa lot. The only thing that these manufacturers are required to do is list ingredients on the label according to how much is included. Even with skincare products claiming to be all-natural, check the label to validate their claim.