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Checking Beauty Product Ingredients

Posted on by Editorial Team

Why Check Beauty Product Ingredients?

There are over 12,000 chemical ingredients registered with the F.D.A. that can be used in skincare products. It is a dizzying array of actives, from acids to stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners, pH adjusters, preservatives and so on. While the FDA does not need to approve ingredients for use in the U.S., they do regulate them. Consumers know very little about where ingredients come from, how they’re made, or how many may cause irritation or other side effects. In addition to that, many product labels use INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names , which are not commonly known.

When you multiply this by the number of products used by the average consumer (approximately 10), the total number of ingredients used on any one day can be substantial. The FDA also lists ingredients that are prohibited in skincare products, like ingredients classified as drugs. However, should a skincare product be found to cause adverse reactions, the FDA cannot order the product off the market – they can merely issue a voluntary recall. (You can read an example of this here.) This often puts the onus on the consumer to verify claims made by skincare companies, and to check its labels for questionable ingredients.

Where can we find some of this information? Fortunately, there are online sources of information on the many ingredients that are in your beauty products. Below are examples of a few of them. Remember, knowledge is power; by knowing what’s going on your skin, you can be empowered to find the skincare products containing only the ingredients that YOU want to use.

Ingredient Resources

  • Skincarisma.com – with a database of over 32,000 products from around the world, this website created by a community of savvy consumers includes an ingredient analyzer and product comparisons.
  • ewg.org – The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database rates over 76,000 products for safety based on available data. They’re more than just a product database, however, the food guides and other helpful articles designed to help you live a green, clean life.
  • safecosmetics.org – not technically a database, but it has a “Red List” of ingredients to avoid.
  • cosmeticingredientreview – this website is sponsored by the Personal Care Products Council, and provides the results of scientific studies performed on chemical ingredients found in personal care products. If you’re into the science, it provides detailed information. (Warning; the majority report on animal testing of ingredients.)
  • incidecoder.com – this website allows you to search by ingredient or by product to get the list of ingredients and what they are used for. What more do you need?
  • cosmeticsinfo.org – this website provides an alphabetical listing of ingredients and what they are used for. Very useful if you have a product in hand and you are checking the label ingredients.

Disclaimer: We are not responsible for the information contained in third-party websites, nor does their inclusion here constitute an explicit endorsement.

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To Prime or Not to Prime?

Posted on by Editorial Team

What is a primer?

A primer is a cream or lotion that is applied under makeup to help prepare it for makeup and/or to smooth out the skin. Primers are often water-based or silicone-based, and are usually fragrance-free. They can help makeup last, but many also improve the skin’s hydration, texture and more. Some even include sun protection.

There are primers for the face, eyelids and lips, and they are everywhere. The big question is whether or not you should use a primer on a regular basis.

When Should I Use a Primer?

No doubt, many consumers swear by primers for their ability to smooth out the skin, hydrate, reflect, and protect skin before applying makeup. Ingredients like dimethicone are designed to sit on the uppermost layer of skin and make applying makeup easier. Some people experience an allergic reaction, however. If you have sensitive skin, there are water-based primers. Primers with antioxidants like Vitamins A and C, green tea extract, and other ingredients can help banish things like redness and hyperpigmentation, improving skin over time. Others choose to use a primer by itself, for its skin-improving benefits. Our Age-Defying Vitamin C Face Creme uses an alternative to silicones and Ascorbic acid, which can be irritating at high doses. It is also loaded with antioxidant rich botanical extracts like green tea, rose and geranium, and Niacinamide.

When Should I Not Use a Primer?

With so many formulations on the market, it’s easier than ever to find a primer formulation that your skin will like. However, if you have skin conditions like cystic acne or are extremely sensitive to ingredients, you should not use a primer without reading the label carefully. Make sure you understand which ingredients are in a formula and what they do. The same would apply to any product, of course.

Another reason to avoid primer might be that your current regimen contains sufficient skin-nurturing ingredients so as to render a primer redundant. For example, many BB, CC creams and regular foundations contain the same ingredients. If so, then why pay more for ingredients that you’re already using?

In conclusion, the decision to prime or not to prime is entirely dependent on your skin’s needs, your lifestyle and your personal preferences. Primers may serve an important purpose. If so, they deserve a place in your cosmetics arsenal.

September Self Care Tips Blog Post

September Self-Care Tips

Posted on by Editorial Team

In honor of National Self-Care Awareness Month, we’ve come up with a few September self-care tips to make your month just a little less stressful. After all, what’s more important than maintaining our health and wellness? You can, while carrying out your usual responsibilities, and it needn’t cost you much of anything. See our tips below:

  • Check out one of the new wellness/fitness apps that can help you stay focused on your routine, like “Calm” “Wakeout“, “Runkeeper“, or others. What you choose depends on your wellness goals and situation. No matter what you need to relax, unwind, and stay fit, there’s an app for that.
  • Enjoy the great outdoors. In Japan, the art of Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” has been proven to improve health and well-being. Gardening has its benefits as well, as does hiking and other enjoyable outdoor activities. All are designed to refresh mind and body.
  • Choose to unplug. Most of us are constantly inundated by TV, social media and smart phone notifications. These can often create a state of sensory overload that can increase tension and disrupt sleep. The solution? Take a vacation from electronic devices, even if it’s for a day. Instead, why not have a foot soak, read a good book, write poetry, or listen to soothing music?
  • Create some real connection. Human beings are social animals. Our busy schedules and many responsibilities can leave us feeling isolated. Take a mental health day and find community by exploring a new interest. Find like-minded individuals at a Meetup group, attend a Sip & Paint event, visit an animal shelter, contact someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile; the list is endless.
  • Try aromatherapy. It has been used for thousands of years to relieve stress and treat minor ailments. Read more about its benefits here. Companies like DoTerra provide aromatherapy oil kits to help you get started. Or you can use a diffuser like this one on Amazon and experiment with different essential oil scents. You are bound to find one that promotes relaxation or lifts mood. (Read our blog post on essential oil benefits.)
  • Keep a journal. Remember when diaries were all the rage? Journaling is a more grown-up version. It’s been shown to hold many benefits. Whether or not you’re fond of writing, putting word to paper is a worthwhile exercise in self-awareness and discipline. It is a less expensive form of therapy that forces the mind to work things out, clear out the cobwebs, and relieve stress. There are also specialty journals available that help with organization and goal-setting if that suits your fancy.

There are almost as many ways to provide self-care as there are people. Do you have a favorite? We’d love to know. Feel free to contact us at:

webanaturalproducts@yahoo.com
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Clean Beauty Is Here To Stay

Posted on by Editorial Team

Have you head the term “clean beauty?” Most product-savvy consumers have. It’s the latest catchword in the personal care arsenal, alongside words like “natural” “organic” and “sustainable”, and it’s here to stay. It describes products made without certain potentially irritating or harmful ingredients. So what does “clean beauty” mean?

Why Clean Beauty?

Ever since the Environmental Working Group published the “Toxic Twenty” ingredients in cosmetics, consumers have been more curious about ingredients found in personal care products. Increasingly, consumers are reading product labels to screen out personal care products that may contain potential irritants or harmful ingredients. In the U.S., the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating cosmetics, but they do not approve them before they go to market. When cosmetics are used for therapeutic purposes they are classified as drugs, which require FDA approval. For more specifics on this, visit the FDA authority webpage.

One of the major issues to come up of late has to do with prohibited ingredients. The FDA currently prohibits 11 potentially toxic ingredients for use in cosmetics. You can view the list here. In Canada and Europe, however, the list of banned ingredients is much higher. If the FDA does not have to approve, or even recall, cosmetic products, what can we do as consumers to make educated purchasing decisions?

What Are Clean Beauty Products?

According to an article in Good Housekeeping, clean beauty products are formulated without potentially harmful ingredients, whether synthetic or natural. Beauty retailer Sephora has created its “Clean At Sephora” line of products made without 1) sulfates, 2) parabens, 3) formaldehyde, 4) phthalates, or 5) mineral oil, among others. A number of beauty brands have created their own lists of banned ingredients. Even Target has joined the bandwagon with their own “Clean Beauty” label. Their list also includes oxybenzone, BHA , BHT, aluminum and artificial sweeteners. Read more about this initiative here. It’s important to remember, though, that this label category is not a legal definition. The term is not regulated by the FDA. But it’s a step in the right direction.

Given the growing number of clean beauty options, it’s easier than ever for consumers to be able to choose products that meet their needs. If you’re like me and you have sensitive skin, as well, it’s important to avoid known toxins and other irritants. At WEBA Natural Products, we have created products that are free of the above-mentioned ingredients since from the beginning. In fact, we were “clean” before it became fashionable. You can check out our current lineup of clean products on our Shop page.