CAN MAKEUP HARM YOUR SKIN?

 

CAN MAKEUP HARM YOUR SKIN?

Can makeup harm your skin? This is a question people have often asked themselves as they apply pigments to their face and body. Making healthy choices is such a focus nowadays; you’ve cleaned up your diet, started the process of changing your skincare and hair care products to natural brands, but what about your makeup?

Your daily makeup routine would be to cleanse then add a primer, foundation, setting powder, mascara, eye shadow, blush, and lipstick before you even step out the door to make your way to work. You’ve probably been thinking that changing your makeup for healthy, non-toxic variations will be an annoying task, but have you thought of the damage you could do to your skin if you don't?

WHAT ARE COSMETICS?

Cosmetics are vaguely defined as: a preparation applied to your body, particularly the face to improve its appearance. Cosmetics is a giant “catch-all” retail category for ALL makeup and skincare products. Various types of cosmetics include:

Creams and lotions for face and body

Ø  Cleansers

Ø  Makeup

Ø  Makeup remover

Ø  Shampoo and conditioner

Ø  Hair styling products

Ø  Perfume

Ø  Face masks

Ø  Nail polish

Ø  And anything else you put on your skin and hair!

HOW CAN MAKEUP HARM YOUR SKIN?

People often talk about having bad skin, but there’s no such thing as bad skin. If you’re having trouble with acne or dry patches on your skin, it’s because your skin is damaged, not bad. So, how has your skin become damaged? The pores on your skin will soak in whatever you put on them. When you use cosmetics that have chemicals and harmful toxins in them, they can penetrate through the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and clog your pores.

The pores become clogged because the cosmetics you’re putting on your skin damage it and leave your skin dry or inflamed. This leads to your skin becoming itchy, red, and sore. Your pores must be kept clear to prevent acne, inflammation, and itchy skin conditions.

PHTHALATES IN COSMETICS

Phthalates, an ester of ophthalmic  acid, are used in cosmetics as a binding agent. It’s been identified that phthalates are one of the endocrine disrupter compounds found to cause substantial health issues.

DOES MAKEUP CAUSE ACNE?

Makeup can cause acne in a few ways: not cleaning your skin before and after you wear makeup, wearing makeup to bed, not washing your hands before applying makeup, and not keeping your brushes and sponges clean.  Makeup in itself doesn’t cause acne, but toxic chemicals in the makeup can cause irritation and block pores which leads acne-producing bacteria to form.

Using your fingers to apply makeup is another way to transfer bacteria from your hands onto your face. Also, your fingers apply more pressure to the skin on your face than a blending sponge or a brush, and this can cause irritation.

CLEANSING YOUR SKIN

Keeping your skin clean is the most beneficial thing you can do for your skin when it comes to adding makeup. Whether you have a daily cleansing routine, or you cleanse after you remove your makeup, adopting a pre-makeup cleansing routine will help your skin to not only breathe but will kill off any bacteria that may be present.

ACNE AND BLOCKED PORES

Acne is caused by a bacterium build-up resulting from blocked pores. When your skin isn’t thoroughly cleansed, dead skin cells are left on the skin and make their way into the pores and block them. Once the pores are blocked, your skin cannot breathe, then the bacteria grows on your skin which leads to itchy skin, inflammation, and acne. If you don’t remove your makeup and cleanse your face, it too builds up and blocks your pores, which leads to acne and dry skin conditions.

BENEFITS OF NATURAL MAKEUP

Choosing to use natural makeup can help your skin by adding extra nourishment from its natural ingredients. Natural makeup can include antioxidants within their ingredients which help to form a barrier against environmental damage like UV rays, wind, smoke, and exhaust fumes. The real benefit of natural makeup products is that you’re typically not adding harsh chemicals to your skin, and the added benefits are that they may offer beneficial nutrients and antioxidant protection for skin.

 CHEMICALS AND THE LINK TO CANCER

Adding harmful chemicals to your body through your makeup can be one of the triggers to the cancer gene. Many chemicals have been found to be human carcinogens - substances capable of causing cancer. The risk of having cancer is elevated by how long you’ve been exposed to and how much of the chemical has entered your body. The chemical compounds react with the cells to change your DNA and turn normal cells into cancer cells and multiply at an alarming rate.

Coal Tar– various studies have shown coal tar is a known carcinogen and prolonged use can cause an increased risk of cancer. Where other studies have found otherwise, you may need to decide for yourself if it’s safe or not. Can be found in hair dyes, shampoos, dandruff/scalp treatments, and redness Resaca, treatments. Parables – mimic the human compound of estrogen. Added estrogen has been linked with affecting the reproductive organs and changing normal cells to cancerous ones, causing breast cancer. Can be found in foundations, moisturizers, anti-aging creams, and products with fragrance in them.

MAKEUP PRACTICES - HOW TO AVOID DANGER & STAY SAFE

Never apply eyeliner along then side of your eyelids. This blocks the oil glands that keep the cornea protected and can lead to eye infections. Never rub or wipe your eyes when wearing mascara or eyeliner, this will cause the product to crack and fall into your eyes, again potentially causing eye irritation or an infection. Never share your makeup with your friends. It may seem like a good idea when you’re all together getting ready for a night out, but your friend may have a cold sore or skin infection you aren’t aware of - and vice versa.

Always wash your hands before you apply your makeup. Bacteria can be present anywhere. If you forget to wash your hands you can transfer the bacteria to your face that can lead to a serious skin condition. Always moisturize your skin before applying any makeup. Adding foundation to dry skin only exacerbates a dry skin problem. Using a moisturizing mask or a moisturizing cleanser before applying makeup will help to keep skin hydrated. Always take off your makeup before going to bed.