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Last blog we talked about being gentle to our skin. It logically follows that learning how to be gentle to your face is one of the most important parts of any skin-care routine. There is no way you can ever hope for soft, smooth skin when your face is being irritated every time you take care of it. Irritation-free skin is the goal.
We do many things to our skin and buy an assortment of skin-care products that can cause serious irritation. Yet it is far easier than you may think to eliminate these skin-”care” culprits. With that in mind, here is a list of typical skin-care and makeup ingredients and specific cosmetics products and tools to avoid or use cautiously. The skin can react negatively to all of the following products, procedures, and ingredients.
Irritating Skin-Care Steps and Products
- Abrasive scrubs
- Astringents containing irritating ingredients
- Toners containing irritating ingredients
- Scrub mitts
- Facial masks containing irritating ingredients
- Loofahs
- Bar soaps and bar cleansers
Irritating Ingredients (These are of greater concern when they appear in the beginning of an ingredient list.)
- Acetone
- Alcohol or SD alcohol followed by a number (Exceptions: Ingredients like cetyl alcohol stearyl alcohol are standard, waxlike cosmetic thickening and are completely nonirritating and safe to use.)
- Ammonia
- Arnica
- Balm mint
- Balsam
- Bentonite
- Benzalkonium chloride
- Bergamot
- Camphor
- Cinnamon
- Citrus juices and oils
- Clove
- Clover blossom
- Coriander
- Constarch
- Eucalyptus
- Eugenol
- Fennel
- Fennel Oil
- Fir needle
- Geranium
- Grapefruit
- Horsetail
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Lemongrass
- Lime
- Linalool
- Marjoram
- Melissa (lemon balm)
- Menthol
- Mint
- Oak bark
- Orange
- Papaya
- Peppermint
- Phenol
- Sandalwood oil
- SD alcohol
- Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Thyme
- Wintergreen
- Witch hazel
- Ylang-ylang
These ingredients are extremely common. You would be surprised how often they show up in skin-care products for all skin types. Don’t believe us? …. Go check some of the products you have on hand and see for yourself. If these ingredients are present in skin-care products meant for everyday use, they introduce a constantly irritating insult to the skin and causing dryness, rashes, increased oil production, redness, and breakouts.
REMEMBER, skin doesn’t have to hurt, tingle, or be stimulated even a little to be clean. (If the skin tingles, it is being irritated, not cleaned. The major rule for all skin types is, if a product or procedure irritates the skin, don’t use it again.
Live with Passion!
Esthetically yours, Concetta, aka Connie FBI, and Rania