The skin is the biggest organ of the human body. It has the crucial role of protecting the other organs, muscles, and bones from exterior aggressions. Most people use skincare daily, but many wonder if those products are safe. Are skincare products safe? Can their ingredient reach the bloodstream? Is it dangerous? Calypso Cavallo tells you everything you need to know!
Are skincare products safe to use?
There are many urban myths about skincare products. Their ingredients would get into our blood, they would cause cancer… Is it true, exaggerated, or completely false? Are skincare products safe?
Buy reputable brands and high-quality skincare products that partially protect you from nasty chemicals. Many countries have agencies in charge of regulating the skin care product market, such as the FDA in the US, or the little CE label in Europe. However, the best is to check the ingredient list to ensure the products do not contain controversial ingredients, as some are still legal but suspected to cause irritation, allergies, or cancers.
Do skincare ingredients get in our blood?
There is a common belief that skincare ingredients go through the skin and end up in the blood. Hopefully, it is inaccurate. If it were true, it would mean sea water would get in your blood simply by swimming in the ocean. Happily, it is not the case.
When using skin care products, most ingredients stay on the skin’s upper layer: the epidermis. Skincare ingredients would have to go through this layer to reach the hypodermis where the bloodstream is. Most skincare ingredients have big molecular structures and cannot get their way deeper than the very first layer, which is made of dead skins. However, some skincare ingredients have extra small molecular structures and reach the bloodstream.
Here is the list of the ingredients that may get in the blood:
- avobenzone
- octinoxate
- oxybenzone
- octisalate
- homosalate
- octocrylene
Those ingredients should be avoided as they are suspected of being toxic in the amount that gets in the blood. They may interact with our hormones and cause cancer.
To make the skincare product more efficient, the active ingredients must get deeper into the skin layers, so many products contain penetration enhancers. Those ingredients weaken the skin barrier to help active ingredients get deeper into the skin. It sounds good, but it is actually not that cool, as weakening the skin barrier lets in active selected ingredients and all the other substances that get on the skin. It is similar to opening a window on a hot day: it lets in that refreshing summer breeze you were dreaming about, as well as flies, wasps, and mosquitoes…
Penetration enhancers can cause irritation and other skin problems.
Penetration enhancers are silicones, glycols, enzymes, surfactants, and fatty alcohol. There are also natural penetration enhancers such as soy lecithin, liposomes, or ceramides. People with sensitive or reactive skin should avoid them.
Do skincare products cause cancer?
Are skincare products safe? Another common belief is that skincare products cause cancer.
Skincare products are safe overall. However, certain ingredients are suspected to cause cancer. The most common is oxybenzone, found in sunscreen.
Other chemicals, known as endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) interact with our hormones and increase the risk of hormonal cancer, such as breast or ovarian cancer.
Here is the list of EDCs to avoid:
- Triclosan
- Parabens
A tricky ingredient is formaldehyde. It does not appear on the ingredient list. It is produced by other chemicals’ alteration when the product is used. It is commonly found in hair products or nail polish. Hairstylists and people working in the beauty industry are particularly at risk of developing formaldehyde-induced cancers.
Check our full article to learn more about the link between skincare products and cancer.