What You Should Look for in These Important Beauty Products

What’s in your beauty bag? More importantly, what’s actually in those beauty products that are in the bag? If you want outer beauty and inner confidence, make sure you have the right stuff and that none of it contains dangerous chemicals or toxins.

Moisturizer

You already know the importance of moisturizing. No matter what your skin type is, moisture is something your skin craves. It helps reduce the appearance of blemishes, fights wrinkles, and can even keep your skin looking young. But make sure you choose a moisturizer that’s best for your skin type and watch out for harmful ingredients. Avoid moisturizers with alcohol as it can dry out your skin and even cause breakouts as your skin tries to produce more oil. Avoid products with parabens. Parabens are synthetic compounds that are used as beauty product preservatives. The FDA acknowledges several studies that links parabens to breast and skin cancer. If your moisturizer has butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben, or propylparaben –those are ALL parabens.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen protects your skin and is a super important component to any makeup routine. But be careful! Anything you put on your skin can be absorbed into your whole body. The same parabens found in moisturizers are also often in sunblock. Another common ingredient that  you may want to avoid is Oxybenzone. It can cause allergic skin reactions and also act like estrogen, causing negative health effects, especially in women. If you want sun protection without letting down your defenses against hazardous chemicals, opt for natural minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Concealer

A good concealer can hide dark circles and blemishes, even out your skin tone, and serve as the beginning of your makeup base. It has color and fragrance; either can come naturally or through toxic chemicals. As a general rule of thumb you want to avoid anything to which you have an allergic reaction. Your body will often tell you what’s good and not good for you. But concealers can also contain those nasty parabens, plus sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Instead, opt for natural ingredients and beneficial minerals and essential oils. And for style, use the best color to achieve the results you’re looking for. To neutralize your bluish under eye circles, use a yellow tone concealer. Use a peachy base for brown or yellowish circles. To cover redness, choose a concealer that exactly matches your skin tone.

Mascara

Some people say that mascara is the only makeup tool you need. It is super easy to use, can accent your eyes, and bring brightness and vibrancy to your whole look. BUT –it’s used on your eyes! Be careful. Do you really want dangerous chemicals harming the delicate tissue of your eyes? Some mascaras use a preservative called Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) which has been found to be toxic to the epithelial cells of the eye. Mascaras may also contain prime yellow carnauba wax, which can clog pores and the oil glands in your eyes. You may also find those parabens in mascara. Look for fragrance-free products with organic ingredients.

If it sounds like there’s a lot to know about what’s in makeup, there is! Discover all you can about makeup and how to build a career in the beauty industry in our new MUD Makeup Program. Give us a call at 877-987-4247 and you could start on the path to a rewarding career sooner than you think.