In today’s era, people focus more on applying products to look beautiful and pretty. They opt for products with chemicals, which remove the imperfections of their face. This is a common misperception of people that the layer of makeup and products they put on will hide the imperfections, but only for a very short period of time. Sometimes, it looks artificial as well. Moreover, the beauty products have harmful chemicals, which in return harms skin in a long run. The chemicals present in most of the beauty products are parabens, phthalates, synthetic colors, triclosan, and toluene. These chemicals are not only harmful for the skin where the product is applied but increased quantities of the chemical can cause chronic and long term disease. Due to which many dangerous chemicals are banned from being used in beauty products in several countries.
Harmful Effects of the Chemicals:
There are many harmful chemicals present in the beauty products such as sodium laureth sulphate, which is very toxic and cannot be touched by bare hand without proper precaution still it is used in common products like tooth paste. For instance, propylene glycol, a chemical present in beauty products, penetrates in the skin and is the root cause for liver and kidney abnormalities. This chemical is usually found in shampoos, and deodorants. Moreover, talcum powder can be a cause for ovarian cancer. Many consumers are not aware about this fact, due to which they continue using products with harmful chemicals. So, some of the most harmful chemicals present in the beauty products about which the consumers should be aware are:
Phthalates
Phthalates is a chemical found in fragrances, hair products, nail polish, and others, which can cause early puberty in girls and reduce fertility in males, if it is used in high proportion. Products with this chemical are banned in countries like Australia.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives commonly used in personal care and cosmetic products. Although, the effects of this chemical is not well understood on humans but in lab testing it has shown effects like endocrine disruption. The European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety in 2015 stated that limited use of this chemical is safe but in concentration limits. It is to be noted that few versions of parabens such as isobutylparaben, pentylparaben, phenylparaben, isopropylparaben, and benzylparaben are banned in European countries.
Nanoparticles
Titanium dioxide, also known as zinc oxide, is present in a few mineral make-up and sunscreen products and can contain nanoparticles, which is connected to cellular damage, including DNA damage. If the chemicals are absorbed or inhaled in the body in significant amounts then it may cause harmful effects to the body.
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors
Formaldehyde is a preservative that can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, nose, and the respiratory tract, and can potentially cause cancer in individuals with increased levels of exposure. Less amounts are permitted for use in cosmetics and products, and it is mostly found in nail polish/hardeners and hair straighteners.
Coal tar
Coal tar is a known carcinogen that is used in psoriasis and dandruff remedies, as well as some colouring dyes. A few colorings in cosmetics, soaps, and shampoos have been banned in Europe and some Asian countries. In Australia, shampoos and soaps containing coal tar have warning labels and are not recommended.
The chemicals don’t affect the skin immediately as it is consumed in very small quantities every day, but if long term effects are taken into consideration it may cause the effects. The effects of the chemicals are generally seen after a long time and one even fails to detect the exact reason.
One should opt for other organic ways to improve skin care and natural beauty. There are several home remedies, which can be used to improve the quality of skin, enhance inner glow, and achieve flawless skin. Some of the ways to increase natural beauty and inner glow are:
Drinking Water:
Drinking enough water on a regular basis will result into smooth and radiant skin. Water keeps the skin moist and helps to maintain a healthy body temperature. It hydrates and replenishes the skin's tissues, resulting in an improvement in elasticity. It also helps in delay of aging signs such as wrinkles, fine lines, and dark circles. It is recommended that one should intake at least 6-8 glasses of purified drinking water every day.
Eating healthy:
A balanced diet can help to avoid wrinkles. Collagen development, essential for skin elasticity, and cell health can be improved by having balanced diets. The other benefits of eating healthy are moisturizing effect, fights acne, and many more. Some of the healthy food items that are good for skin are fatty fish, avocados, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, red or yellow bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, soy, dark chocolate, green tea, and red grapes. If one makes sure that one’s diet is followed properly and according to the needs of the body, then this can show significant difference in the quality of the skin.
Exercise:
Exercise helps to nourish and preserve the vitality of skin cells by increasing blood flow. As blood transports oxygen and nutrients to all functioning cells in the body, including the skin, exercise will help to bring out the natural glow of the skin. Blood flow, in addition to delivering oxygen, also assists in the removal of waste products from working cells, such as free radicals. The increased blood flow will flush out all the impurities present in the skin and cleanse the skin. Exercising also helps reduce stress, which in turn reduce the skin problems caused due to stress like acne and eczema. Regular exercise also creates tonner muscles, resulting in firm skin. The most important thing about exercising is that it has to done consistently and there should not be any breaks in between.
Proper Sleep Schedule:
If there is no proper sleep then it may cause effects such as hanging eyelids, swollen eyes, darker under eye circles, paler skin, more wrinkles, and fine lines, and more droopy corners of the mouth. So, for better skin it is important that one should have proper sleep without disturbance. The recommended time for sleep is six to nine hours every day. Other recommendations for better skin are to wash the face before going to sleep and applying good moisturizer to get the best results. The way a person sleeps is also a factor, the person should always sleep on their back and elevate the head. One should also not sleep directly exposed to the sun as it can damage the skin and disturb the skin rhythm.
Wearing Mask while outside:
Wearing mask while travelling outside is important as it can help to protect the skin from the harmful UV rays and the pollution. The mask works as a shield from all the dirt present in the environment. The proper way of wearing mask is to wear it without make up as it may cause irritation in the skin. The mask should be either one time use or disposable so the germs or bacteria are not passed again and again. While a person is indoors, they should remove the mask as it is not good for the skin to wear the mask for a long period of time. If the mask is not disposable, then the mask should be cleaned and sanitized at regular intervals as it can carry many dust particles from the outside environment.
So, these are the natural ways to improve the quality of skin, rather than applying products with chemicals. Seeing the trend in the beauty care industry, many companies have launched their products which are 100% organic and free from all harmful chemicals. All the organic products can be used by following above mentioned ways to give extra support and achieve moisturized, glowing, radiant, and flawless skin. Some of the beauty products which can be used and are safe for the body are:
· 100% PURE
· Juice Beauty
· True Botanicals
· OSEA
· Cocokind
· Herbivore Botanicals
· Weleda
· Ursa Major
· Matrescence
All products are natural and organic. The products of these companies are cruelty free, vegan, and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic company. The ingredients used in these products are hand-harvested, gluten-free, organic, or biodynamic farming which provides extra benefits.
Conclusion:
So, we can say that it is a two way process to achieve nice and healthy skin. Firstly, one needs to avoid products with chemicals and secondly, one needs to adopt healthy lifestyle to get that natural radiance in the skin. One will not require any additional makeup products in daily basis as one’s skin will be flawless and ready to face the world. This is important as clear and flawless skin also provides confidence to the people, and they look presentable and can face the world with their true potential. Adopting a good lifestyle, setting a skin care routine, and investing in good products is a perfect combination to get the desired result of good skin.
