What is in beauty products you are using? When buying beauty products, what’s important to you? How the product works and the effectiveness, the end result, or what’s in the product itself?
Or do you even know what is in beauty products you are using?
The beauty and skincare industry sometimes expect every regular user to understand, yet we don`t.
The best way to know what is in your beauty product is to understand what ingredients. (we`ll get to Apps you can use to check beauty products ingredients later)
What`s In Beauty Products?
Numerous cosmetic products can be found in the market. All of them have different combinations of various ingredients.
Typically, a single product will have 15–50 ingredients.
And to consider the fact that women on average use 9 to 15 personal skin care products daily, it can be estimated that over 500 individual chemicals are being put on their skin every day.
You sure at some point in time must have seen the long list of ingredients on the back of the cosmetic products.
They have long and sometimes difficult-to-pronounce names. What exactly are they? What do they do?
Almost all cosmetics and skin care products contain a basic combination of water, thickener, emulsifier, emollient, preservative, color, fragrance, as well as pH stabilizers to some extent.
Main ingredients in today’s skincare products
Water
:
Any bottled cosmetic product has more than likely water as one of the ingredients in it.
It forms the very basis of almost all types of cosmetic products such as creams, deodorants, lotions, shampoos, makeup, and conditioners.
Water has an important role to play in the process of manufacturing these products. Water often acts as a solvent and helps in dissolving other ingredients to form emulsions for the consistency of a product.
Please note that the water that is used while formulating cosmetic products is not your ordinary tap water.”
It is the ‘ultra-pure’ form of water which is free from microbes, any toxins, or any other pollutants.
That is why on the label it is referred to as distilled water, purified water or maybe just aqua. More on different water used in cosmetics formulating can be found here.
Emulsifiers
The term emulsifiers are used for an ingredient that can help in keeping, unlike substances like oil and water from separating.
Many skincare and cosmetic products are based on such emulsifiers. It is basically small droplets of oil dispersed into water or small droplets of water dispersed into the oil.
Oil and water do not get mixed but emulsifiers make it possible by changing the surface tension between the oil and water.
I will not go deeper into this but you can read more from scienceprojectideas if you need more info.
This results in the production of a homogeneous and well-mixed product along with an even texture.
They are mostly added in skincare creams and lotions for achieving an even texture. Preservatives:
Preservatives are added to cosmetics for extending their shelf life and preventing the growth of microorganisms.
The growth of bacteria or fungi can spoil the cosmetic product and very well cause harm to the user of the product.
Most of the microbes live in water and therefore, any preservatives used must be water-soluble.
Both natural, as well as synthetic preservatives, can be used in cosmetics. Their performance differs depending on the product’s formulation.
Parabens, salicylic acid, benzyl alcohol, tetrasodium EDTA, and formaldehyde are some of the popular preservatives used in cosmetics.
If you chose to buy ‘preservative-free’ skincare products then be aware of the shorter shelf life of the product.
Be conscious of any changes in the look, feel, and smell of the product. It might be an indication that the product has gone bad.
Thickeners:
Thickening agents give an appealing consistency to the beauty products. There are four types of thickeners:
- Lipid thickeners
- Natural thickeners
- Mineral thickeners
- Synthetic thickeners
Emollient
:
Their main purpose is to soften the skin by reducing or eliminating water loss. They are found in a wide variety of lipsticks, lotions as well as cosmetics.
Some natural and synthetic chemicals also work as emollients.
For example beeswax, petroleum jelly, olive oil, glycerine, coconut oil, butyl stearate, lanolin, mineral oil, zinc oxide, and glycol laurate. You can check more of these products here.
Want to create your own skincare?
Check an earlier post on creating your own skincare with essential oils.
Other ingredients that go into your beauty products are:
Colouring Agents or Pigments:
All the appealing colors in the makeup stand are either organic or inorganic.
Mineral ingredients that are included are iron oxide, manganese, mica flakes, chromium oxide as well as coal tar.
Natural colors are derived from plants and animals like beet powder from plants and cochineal insects from animals.
Want to create your own skincare that will promote clear, soft, and healthy skin?
The first step is to find a formula that’s not only safe but will nourish your skin and is easily absorbed,won’t clog pores, and give you positive results and that first formula is Almond oil. That you can get from here.
Glimmer and Shine:
Such effects are created using a range of materials. The most common being mica and bismuth oxychloride.
Body luminizer is not just for your cheekbones, there are skin creams like this one that also has body shimmer reflective liquid pearls to give your skin that sun-glazed finish.
Fragrances:
Regardless of its benefits and uses, a cosmetic will be unpopular if it has an unpleasant smell. But on the same note, any skincare product without fragrance is almost a no-no.
Both natural and synthetic chemicals provide an appealing fragrance.
But having said that, not every fragrance is for everyone, no matter how pleasant a skin moisturizer smells, not everyone will find it pleasant.
Case in point, I can not stand coconut oil smell although I love the product as it has many benefits as mentioned here, so I always have to use some essential oil to mix it to reduce the scent.
Conclusion On Beauty Products Ingredients
Many of the above-mentioned chemicals are believed to be safe to use by the scientists’ world over.
The final call is up to you on whether to use a product with certain ingredients or not.
It is recommended to purchase from reputed brands instead of their copies.
This is because the reputed brands ensure proper testing as well as the assessment process of each of their products before it hits the shops.
Do remember that all cosmetics are a complex combination of chemicals formulated specifically according to the skincare needs.
Having a basic understanding of the chemicals listed on the ingredients of the product may go a long way in helping you pick a safe and good product for your skin.
This will help you will know exactly what certain ingredients do or which ones to avoid. Still, if you`re unsure, do type your exact skin type or skin issues in the search.
For example, type in skin moisturizer for dry and damaged skin. Amazon will mostly recommend the right products and even show you user reviews.
How do you check the ingredients in your skincare?
Sometimes the ingredients will be listed alright, but not everyone understands the manufacturers’ lingo.
Where can you really check what is in beauty products you are using?
Most skincare products have words we`re already familiar with like aqua, or olive oil, but what if it`s a new foreign word?
To me personally, I will say to use common sense, if something sounds too strange, why not leave it until you have more info.
Still, need more info? These websites and these apps will let you understand more and make it easier to evaluate beauty and skincare products in general.
When you think of the best skincare products, think of the ingredients.
Just because everyone thinks this is a brilliant product does not mean it works for everyone.
Make your own mind, get what’s best for you and what you can afford because remember, the highly promoted products with fancy packaging cost more.
You are not paying for the package but for the ingredient and the actual product, you`ll be using on your skin.
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I always wonder about the content of beauty products because our skins are not all the same. My skin is sensitive and I have to be so careful in my selection of cosmetics. There are some that are not good for my skin because they leave it dry and sore. There are also some that work but for a limited time. When I find something that works, I stick with it. This article gives some good background into what can be found in most products. Thanks for the breakdown because all those long chemical names mean nothing to me. Good article. Thanks
You are not alone, skin care and cosmetics companies assume everyone is familiar with their lingo but we are not.But as mentioned in my post there are apps or websites that you can go to check the content of your skincare but then, maybe you`ve already bought the product.
As you said, find what works then stick with it.But that does not mean not experimenting, you can create your own skincare at home and it`s quite easy and satisfying knowing you`re using something you know exactly what the ingredients are.
Who would have thought that it was even possible to mix so many ingredients together! For someone like me who does not always care about what it is, just so it does what I expect it to do considering all that long list of stuff is a bit of a surprise. Sure I thought there had to be some stuff mixed together, but when you start adding it all together- now that is where I got lost. I had never considered how many chemicals we were putting on our skin!
This makes staying with one skin program make sense, not jumping all over the counters for products. This information will also make me more conscious of what I am putting on my skin. I am sad to admit that cost and brand trust had been my guiding factors. Thanks for the information and new way of looking at what I do every day.
Sami
You are not alone, most of us go for brands when buying skincare products, but there are brilliant skin moisturizers and skin creams out there that works brilliantly for a fraction of what top brand skin care products cost.
Case in point this under eye gel to reduce fine lines and wrinkles that also reduce puffiness and dark circles cost under $20.Don`t take my world for it, there over 16,000 people have given it 4 stars out of 5.
Another product again costing under 20 is this one here that I talked at length about in this postand it works like charm without you spending money on brand names.
Next time you`re out to get any eye cream or any beauty product ask yourself if it`s worth spending the money on.
I had no idea that there could be so many chemicals being absorbed by my skin on a daily basis! I do attempt to buy “preservative free” when I can, and had not thought about shelf life with them! I have heard of some benefits of coconut oil, for skin care as well as in food. I quite enjoyed this informative article. I have fallen victim of the highly promoted, expensive products that don’t seem to be much better than the lesser expensive ones. Case in point, as I was replenishing my foundation, the sales associate managed to convince me that my brush applicator was not a good “brand” and I should buy her recommendation. And yet, no difference in performance, imho. So I will check ingredients in my beauty products with you in mind!
Hi there
I know many people do try to use preservative-free skincare products but these tend to have a short shelf life. And to be honest ( I don`t work in a cosmetics company) but it`s almost impossible to create any skincare product without preservatives.
Talking of brand names in cosmetics and skincare, you`re not alone, we`ve all at one point or the other bought a product that later we wish we`d return because we realize that at that moment we bought it,we had left common sense out the door.
Happens to me so many times and since I`m crazy about trying(or more precisely having) this product or the other, this happens more times than I care to count.
Thanks for this. It’s nice to know what the different types if ingredients are for as we just what they are and whether or not they’re natural. I’m very picky about all the products I use, and typically only wear foundation, blush, and some eyeshadow exactly because I don’t want to have a lot of stuff on my skin. I try to use natural products, and actually do look up the big words that I don’t know. But I’ve never really thought much about the function those ingredients have within the whole mixture itself.
Out of curiosity, are paraben free products that same as preservative free, or are they just using different preservatives?
Hi there
Let`s be fair here I`ll not be 100% honest with you if I said parabens are history in the cosmetic industry. Because I do not work in the cosmetic industry, but I have a long post you might like to read.
Having said that, you can always search for paraben-free beauty products online.
You did good to make people aware of what ingredients are present in cosmetics and why. In some ways it is like medication. You are prescribed one drug to cure your disease. Then you are prescribed another to counter the side effects of the first.
Like how important water is in cosmetics. But water can foster bacteria, so other ingredients are necessary to counter that. Preservatives are a big part of cosmetics. You didn’t mention parabens. For years parabens were used and still are in some products, because they are so effective in preserving cosmetics for a very long time.
When it was discovered that paranbens ca contribute to cancer, most companies replaced them. It has not been proved that parabens cause cancer directly, but they get absorbed into the skin and create conditions where it is more easy for cancer to foster. Studies have shown this connection between parabens and cancer.
All cosmetics had a shelf life. It is crucial that these dates are not ignored for ones safety. This is the main reason for these end dates, Not the dates whey they will not work.
All the best to you.
Edwin
Hi there
thanks for stopping by, it`s true skincare products without added ingredients is almost impossible one way or the other you need to add an ingredient to make a skin lotion or sun blocker what it is.
Now you mentioned I did not mention parabens, this is because in an earlier post,(this post is more or less the 3rd concerning skin care ingredients) I already covered parabens at length and I thought the readers might have read about it.
thanks for pointing this out, I will link that earlier post with this so everything is more or less in one place.
This is an eye opener!
I do buy my skin products based on recommendation I never care to check what it is made up of, just concern about the end result. Sometimes I look at the ingredients but I don’t understand most things stated there. But I just realized that we are actually apply chemicals to our body on daily basis so we need to know the content we are applying.
Thanks so much for this article.
Thanks Lizzy, I`m sure you`d like to know what`s in the food that`s going into your mouth, why would you ignore what skincare product that you use on your skin?
Sure we all care about end results when using skincare products, but we still want to know what`s in that moisturizer or that skin lightening cream you`re using.
the skin is the largest organ in your body, don`t accept bad quality products on your skin or products that will affect your skin.If you`re unsure of what`s right for you, how about going for all-natural skincare products? although they do have less shelf life, they tend to be safer and less harmful to the skin.
Regardedless of the fact that am a guy and I use led of beauty products, I still make research when I buy skin care products to know what they are made from to acertain they suitability for usage.
its imperative we get to know about the raw products for the production of these products cos our skins might not be immune to some and could lead to skin problems, so be sure to get the products that suits your skin
Thanks Chris, not many guys (that I know) check what`s in skincare products, what they care about is ” for men” on the label.
Having said that, I`m sure many men care about the ingredients otherwise we`ll not have so many men skincare products. They just do not discuss It as we girls do. You know, hanging out powdering our noses even at a restaurant bathroom,we get to share tips on facial powders and mascaras.
Thanks for sharing such an awesome article.ones beauty and skin is something that needs constant attention . monitoring changes on skin bases on creams and make up used is quite necessary.we should know does creams and make up that do not suit or have effects on our skin which can hamper beauty.choosing a right cream is quite pivotal to the overall well-being of the skin.
Thanks, reading your cream packaging can help you decide if the ingredients are for you or not. But most of the time,we buy without reading the label.
I feel as though different brands and companies provide various marketing ploys to make us believe that we need certain types of products in order to take care of our skin. Personally I do not look too much into what I am putting on my skin because the info on the packaging of the products are enough to convince me that I need it. This article really emphasizes that we do not put much thought into what we are putting on our skin or what exact products are useful for our specific skin type. I hope more people will read up on articles like this one because it educates us on doing what is best for us and if our skincare routine is really doing what the products promise us. People will hopefully buy products that are not only beneficial, but safe as well, instead of falling for the products that are of no use. I’m hoping that you will always offer healthy product alternatives in all you beauty products, and become a trusted solution for beauty products.
You know these large multinational companies have deep pockets to promote skincare products so that even if you`re not interested,you get tempted.
Having said that, there are very affordable skincare creams and moisturizers that work just as well. Any time you buy a big brand name skincare, you`re not only paying for the product, you`re also paying for the name.
that`s why you find that small brands that work just as well are so affordable because they do not advertise extensively. Think of it, have you seen an ad for Lilyana naturals retinol cream? I`m sure not, but this under $20 anti-aging formula works better than some big brand names and contains no parabens.
I will do my best to offer healthy product alternatives in all my future posts. But having said that, most are already in my older posts.
I know as my wife and I get older we consider our health and the world around us so much more. Its great to know whats in the products that are going on our skin. While this article is more towards whats in beauty products I am going to have my wife take a closer look and see her reaction as compared to say 20 years ago.
It is so great that you would write this article. I cant even imagine the time you put in for research
Thank you
thanks Dale, I`m a beautician so I now most of skin care products and what goes into them, but for those I do not know(example Korean beauty products are all the rage now)I`m careful at what I put on my skin.
I`m no longer in my 20s, so I can`t afford to be careless with my face.