These ingredients should never be in your melanin-rich skincare routine, and here's why.

Why care for skincare ingredients?

Recent scientific studies have found that our skin absorbs an average of 64% of the contaminants when using polluted water. These rates of absorption increase to up to 100% in the underarms and the genital area. If you ever needed proof of the fact that your skin, irrespective of skin type, absorbs the ingredients of your skincare products, this is it! While it's important for each one of us to build a skincare routine that treats skin conditions like acne and hyperpigmentation, it's also important to pay close attention to the ingredients in our skincare products. Most importantly, it's essential to know what skincare ingredients to avoid. After all, no one needs the added difficulties of dealing with allergies, rashes, and hormonal disruptions. 

To make things easier for you, we did the research. Here's a list of the ingredients to avoid when building your skincare routine. The next time you pick up a product, don’t forget to read the label and keep an eye out for these potentially harmful ingredients.

 

1. DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), and TEA (triethanolamine).

These are known carcinogens and respiratory toxins, but are frequently used in face washes and creams. In laboratory experiments, exposure to high doses of these chemicals have been shown to cause liver cancers and precancerous changes in skin and thyroid. We've heard the 'exposure to high doses,' but do we want to risk it? No way.

 

2. Mineral Oil.

This petroleum by-product can often be found in face creams, lotions, and moisturisers. It sticks to your skin like plastic and clogs the pores, resulting in acne and blackheads. Your melanin-rich skin often produces excess melanin and sebum to combat the threat it senses from Mineral Oil, this can lead to inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and premature signs of ageing. If you see this on a skincare products ingredients' list, you should skip it! 

 

3. Drying Surfactants like Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

Some would say Mineral Oils are natural ingredients derived from the earth and purified to a cosmetics-grade and others would add, Uranium Powder is a natural ingredient derived from the earth too, but you’ll never see it on my face. Where should your melanin-rich skin stand on Mineral Oils? 

Mineral Oils are occlusive emollients, meaning that they help to keep your skin hydrated by locking in moisture, forming a barrier on your skin’s surface. But, this also means they can stick to your skin like plastic and clog pores, resulting in acne, blackheads, or hyperpigmentation. Your melanin-rich skin gets easily inflamed and often produces excess melanin and sebum to combat the threat it senses, and your skin could interpret Mineral Oils as a threat. Conclusion: If you have melanin-rich skin, and you see a face product with Mineral Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Cera Microcristallina, Microcrystalline Wax, Ozokerite, Ceresin Isoparaffin, Paraffin, or Synthetic Wax, please swipe left!

 

4. Microplastics like Polyethylene and Acrylates Copolymer.

We get it. Melanin-rich skin needs to be exfoliated to activate cell renewal, but so many of us end up overdoing it! Plastic microbeads in scrubs and exfoliants cause extreme harm to our skin and body, not just through over-exfoliating and causing hyperpigmentation but, when absorbed into our bodies, they can cause hormonal disruptions. Not surprisingly, they’re also suspected carcinogens. 

  

5. Silicones.

Come winter, we all want to lock in our moisture and often end up buying day creams that contain silicones. What do they do? They cling to the skin like a film of oil. This is great if you’re treating an open wound, but on skin that needs to breathe, it’s a nightmare. Silicones repel all hydration efforts and leave your skin dry. What’s worse, even when you wash these off your skin, they add to the sludge pollution in oceans and waterways and don’t biodegrade for centuries!

 

6. Endocrine disruptors.

As reported by the World Health Organisation, we're exposed to a large number of endocrine disruptors every day. Even though studies are revealing their harmful effects, very few brands have stopped using them completely. The most common proven or suspected ones used in cosmetics are Phenoxyethanol, Parabens, Silicones, Phtalates, Triclosan, Alkylphenols, Resorcinol, BHA, and chemical UV filters like Benzophenone.

No matter what your skin type is, you deserve a skincare routine that not only cares for you, but also for the environment. We understand the desire to treat skin conditions as quickly and efficiently as possible, but be sure that the products you use don't end up making things worse for you and those around you. For you and your melanin-rich skin, only the best is good enough!

 

Ready to start properly caring for your skin? Find your perfect skincare formulation now by heading here to customise your products!