What To Avoid?

Our cosmetic choices have generally been influenced by “brand“ appeal. Glamorous, famous models and luxurious packaging have also subconsciously played a rather large part in determining our choices when it comes to our beauty purchases. The tips of friends and recommendations from editors of fashion and beauty magazines have also often influenced those choices. If we have a beauty therapist then naturally her opinion is given an important place in our decisions. Let’s examine those influences a little more carefully. “Famous faces “ are paid large sums of money to represent a particular cosmetic company and promote their products. It is questionable whether they use any of those products in their daily lives “off camera” Beauty editors must promote the products of the companies that advertise in their magazines. As a result many of their positive reactions to a specific product are purely a financial decision and are not necessarily representative of their true opinions. Their behaviour is understandable but it leaves us the consumers with a real dilemma.

A further confusion occurs when we seek advice from our cosmeticians. They are sure that the products they represent in their beauty salons, SPAS and clinics are better than those to be found in stores and perfumeries because the company that supplies them has told them that their products are specifically produced for the professional market and that the percentages of active ingredients used in the salon products are higher than those in stores or perfumery outlet products. A point to note is that those companies are in fact saying those wonderful things about their own products. What did you imagine they would say?

In the case of luxury, “high end” of the market brands we are led to believe that the skincare and make-up products that they produce must be better because they are more expensive which makes us conclude, “Exclusive” and high performance because of the millions of dollars being spent on research and development to bring us the very best in the market. Are they wrong and are our assumptions incorrect?

The beauty advisors behind the counters often or should I say generally have 5 days of training on the subject of the skin and beauty products- and with this very limited knowledge they are “let loose” on the innocent public. If there is a promotion of a specific product they are often given a financial incentive to promote that particular product as a result they are not completely focused on what is really good for a specific skin condition.

So what do we do as end users of beauty salon treatments and skincare and makeup products in order to clarify these issues for ourselves? How do we remove any doubts about the quality and effectiveness of the products that we and our families use? We must be able to determine what criteria represent “effective” skincare?

Effective skincare can only be that if in fact the ingredients used to produce the products are healthy and safe. I’m sure you will all agree.

If the products are not healthy and safe to use the skin will not react well and as a result will appear irritated or dry. You may develop allergies and your skin will age much faster. Let’s take this logic a step further – as your skin is a living organ, our largest organ and it ONLY respond well and functions effectively if the ingredients in any given product are either totally skin friendly/compatible or skin identical. Your skin does not tolerate foreign unfriendly substances. In fact these substances put the skin under incredible stress and result in dermatitis and as mentioned before in rapid aging- Makes sense doesn’t it?

The pertinent and in fact only questions that you should ask yourselves when purchasing a new skincare or make up products
For you and your families are:

1. What exactly is in my jar? (Meaning ingredients)
2. Are these ingredients safe and healthy to use on my skin?
3. Are all the ingredients listed in my jar beneficial to my skin?
4. Are there any ingredients in my jar that are in fact detrimental to my skin?

Here is some simple but effective means/information to help you to answer the above questions and make informed decisions.

Ingredients that must definitely be avoided:

1. Chemical sunscreens
2. Chemical preservatives
3. Fragrance
4. Colorants
5. Animal derivatives
6. Mineral oils

In addition check every ingredient listed on your cosmetic jar and makeup compact using the ingredient dictionary and then make those decisions about the products you choose to use on your skin.

You will be shocked by what you discover.