Skin care ingredient checker

Ever wonder what’s in your skin care products?  Take a look at this skin care ingredient checker to know what’s OK and what you need to stay away from.

Ingredients that are OK

The following is a list of ingredients that are on the ‘good’ list.  They pose no toxins or are considered ‘low toxin’.

• 1, 2 hexanediol – this is a preservative and a thickener in skin products.  Also, a humectant (drawing moisture to skin).
• Acacia concinna bark extract or shikakai – loaded with antioxidants and vitamins.  Great for cleansers and anti-aging (i.e. wrinkles).
• Fruit, flower or bark extracts
• Hydrosols
• Seed oils (i.e. broccoli seed or acai seed oils)
• Activated charcoal
• Sea salt
• Almond meal (think Nutt So Ruff scrub bars!)
• Alpha-lipoic acid – this is an enzyme and an antioxidant
• Anthocyanins – these are great for inflammation and help with collagen, which is especially needed after we hit 40 during perimenopause.
• Antioxidants like vitamin C, green tea, CoQ10, Vitamin E.
• Fruit oils like apricot and avocado
• Arrowroot – an absorbent
• Asafoetida powder – no water needed with this ingredient so there’s no need for a preservative.  Yay!
• Astragalus root – helps skin cells.
• Bakuchiol – supposedly better than retinol because it isn’t as harsh.  I’d use it.
• Bamboo charcoal – helps to draw out impurities.
• Bamboo vinegar – this was a new one to me but as with vinegar, it has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal characteristics and can help get rid of dead skin cells.  Great ingredient for acne, too.  Score!
• Bee pollen – helps make collagen, acne and makes skin look amazing
• Bentonite clay – great for oily skin and cleaning out those pores.
• Benzoyl peroxide – you’ve seen this in many anti-acne products.
• Beta hydroxy acids (AKA salicylic acid) which is from white willow bark.  Oil soluble so it can get really get into pores to help acne.
• Beta-carotene – helps with free radicals and boosting collagen.
• Blue Cambrian montmorillonite – detoxify!
• Blue green algae – anti-aging.
• Broccoli seed oil – packed with antioxidants and essential fatty acids that help with environmental toxins.  Absorbs well and is something I have started using in my face serum to combat aging.
• Buttermilk / milk – helps with skin tone and removing dead skin cells.

The list goes on for the skin care ingredient checker that are OK…

• Caffeine – yes, caffeine!  When used on your skin, it helps against UV damage.  And it’s an anti-ager!  Great to minimize puffiness under your eyes.  Could help cellulite appear smoother, too!
• Carrots – yes, carrots are ground into a powder and are high in vitamins and beta-carotene and even potassium.  Your skin will love this because it helps against radical damage.  Plus, your skin will feel so smooth.  Use in face masks and exfoliators to help with wrinkles and premature aging.  You can also use the juice in lotions and soaps.
• Castor oil – helps with lather in cleansers but ensure it’s not GMO and that it is organic.  It moisturizes and helps cuts heal because it helps tissues grow and keeps infections away.
• Catnip – helps dandruff.
• Ceteareth-25 – used to help the texture in skin care products.  Not to be confused with Ceteareth-20, which is not safe.
• Cetearyl alcohol – helps to thicken products and shouldn’t cause irritation because it’s a fatty alcohol.
• Cetyl esters / cetyl palmitate – no worries with irritation.  It’s a wax from coconut oil
• Chinese ash – helps with aging and protects against environmental stress.
• Chinese licorice root extract – I didn’t hear of this one until recently but it’s on my life of good ingredients because it helps protect against UV radiation and is great for people with sensitive skin.

And on for the skin care ingredient checker…

• Chrysanthemum – these flowers can be used in skin care products and helps with puffiness!  (Make sure it’s organic, though!)
• Cocoa seed extract – this is an extract that is anti-inflammatory and comes from the cocoa bean.  Has tons of flavonoids and antioxidants.  Great anti-aging ingredient because it helps with wrinkles, fine lines, damage from the world around us, and it boosts new skin cells and collagen!  It’s a rock star ingredient!
• Coconut water – this ingredient is antimicrobial and helps skin stay moist.  It’s great for acne prone skin and frizzy hair!
• Coenzyme Q10 (or CoQ10) – this is an antioxidant and you may have heard of it as a supplement.  In fact, we can produce it naturally, but as we age, our ability to do so lessens.  When used in skin care products, it helps with anti-aging so a great ingredient.
• Coffee (grounds) – a great exfoliator for your body, especially if you are dealing with cellulite.  A wonderful antioxidant and it helps with blood circulation, aggravated skin (i.e. if you have sensitive skin), and great for skin that has been overly exposed to the sun.  Plus, the caffeine is a great to use topically if you have puffiness around your eyes.
• Copper peptide – this is an antioxidant, so obviously an ingredient that makes the ‘good’ skin care ingredient checker list.  It’s said to be great for skin regeneration and helps with collagen production.  It even makes lumpy skin smoother.  Great to keep your skin elastic!
• Corn silk – you know those ‘strings’ of silk inside the corn husk?  That’s what this is.  You and I may throw this away but this is an ingredient in some skin care products that target hyperpigmentation.  It’s anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant.
• Dead sea clay and dead sea salt – surely, you’ve seen this in skin care ingredients and it is totally OK to use.
• Decyl glucoside – despite not really knowing how to pronounce this, this one is OK, especially for people with sensitive type skin.
• DHEA is great for those of us concerned with aging skin.  It helps with collagen.
• Dextran – great as an anti-inflammatory ingredient and anti-aging.  Looks OK to me!

Ingredients to be mindful of

There are some ingredients that can be used but there are some cautions.  The list may surprise you.

• Essential oils – so a bit on this one.  Essential oils smell amazing, but the truth is that some essential oils can irritate skin and you have to know how to use them properly.  Did you know that some oils can interfere with prescription medication?  Others can’t be used if you are pregnant.  Whatever oil you are considering putting on your skin, make sure you do some research on it.  Also, always use organic – it’s more expensive but then you know you aren’t getting any other ‘stuff’ with it.
• Alpha Hydroxy acids – such as glycolic, lactic, mandelic, tartaric, citric, and malic acids.  These acids are wonderful because they help with fine lines and improve our overall skin issues like elasticity and possibly even acne scarring.  The caution here is that there will be a sensitivity to light, especially sunlight / UV rays.
• Aluminum chloride – used in anti-perspirants.  There is a concern for breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease and while we can’t say for sure, I have chosen to stay away from this one.
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) – considered safe in small concentrations because it can’t get through the skin wall very easily.  Also best if used and then rinsed with water right away.
• Apple cider vinegar – or ACV as I call it.  Helps with dead skin cells and helps with balanced pH but you should always mix with water before using on your skin.
• Vitamin C ester – helps with skin damage but makes you sensitive to light so don’t go out in the sun after application.
• Astringent – I’m not convinced this is beneficial to skin.
• Behentrimonium chloride – good for an anti-frizz and it’s also used as a preservative in beauty products.  At levels above 0.1% concentration, it is toxic.  But it’s generally safe below those levels.
• Brown sugar – great for exfoliating but can increase breakouts because yeast loves sugar.  So, use with caution.

More to be mindful of…

• Canola oil – this one may surprise you.  I put this one on the list to be mindful of but I don’t use it.  There are studies showing canola oil has a negative effect on health when consumed.  In that article, Healthline.com suggests that it could cause harm – increasing inflammation and causing memory and heart problems.  As I said, I don’t consume it so I choose not to use it topically.  You decide for yourself.
• Carrageenan – this comes from red seaweed and helps to condition in moisturizers and even hair products but there are concerns about nonfood-grade carrageenan.
• Caster oil – if not organic or if GMO, I would stay away from.
• CBD – I know this is all the rage lately but I put it on this list because more research is needed.
• Cetyl dimethicone – this one is generally regarded as safe; however, because it creates a barrier, it doesn’t allow pores to breathe – so toxins can build up, causing acne.
• Chaulmoogra oil / butter – antiviral and antibacterial.  Should only be used in small quantities because of irritation to sensitive skin.
• Chromium hydroxide green and Chromium oxide greens / chromium oxide – these are colorants.  They are safe to use says the FDA for skin care products as well as hair and nails but not for lips.  So, make sure it isn’t in your lip stick or balm.
• Cinnamon bark extract – while this one is OK to use in products but could cause sensitivity so you shouldn’t use a lot of it.
• Citric acid – this is a very common ingredient – it’s an alpha hydroxy acid, it’s an antioxidant and helps with exfoliation.  The only thing to be mindful of here is that it can cause some irritation to the skin.  (Lactic and glycolic acids might be a better option if skin sensitivity is a problem for you.)
• Cocoa Butter – this ingredient is great because of all the essential fatty acids and antioxidants.  The only reason it is on the ‘to be mindful list’ is because it will clog pores and contribute to acne; therefore, I wouldn’t use it on any area of your body that you tend to break out.  It’s great for every other place – i.e. hands, legs, feet.

Even more to be Mindful of:

I know this list keeps going but I want to provide you to have an easy reference with this important skin care ingredient checker information.

• Cocamide DEA and MEA – this is usually used to make products thicker or to make them foam so they are used in things like body wash and hair products.  They are generally safe if it’s a product that is rinsed off.  For things that don’t get rinsed off, it can’t have more than 10% concentration.  The reason it’s on the mindful list is because it’s OK in some situations.  However, it could cause cancer, especially the fumes because that is what is most toxic.
• Cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed rice protein – This comes from an enzyme or an acid and is used in many skin care and hair cleansers.  This ingredient is currently considered safe; however, they don’t know much about how it will affect humans many years down the road so, to me, I’d be careful.  One current big concern is that it may be pesticide ridden.
• Cosmoseuticals – this is just a marketing term – it’s nothing that the FDA even recognizes as an ingredient and this is because the cosmetic industry is using it to group a bunch of ingredients ‘they’ think are good.
• Curculigo orchioides or black musli – this is great as an antiaging ingredient; however, it’s been overharvested and is almost gone.
• Decyl oleate – if you suffer from acne, you may want to stay away from this one because it can clog pores.  Also, if you’re fighting time (i.e. getting older), stay away.
• Denatured alcohol – this could be toxic – to me, if there’s any question, I would stay away from it.

Ingredients to stay away from on this skin care ingredient checker

Some of these are well known, while others aren’t.  It’s very difficult to sift through all the products on the market and determine the best ones but hopefully this skin care ingredient checker list will help you determine which products to avoid.  This skin care ingredient checker list will be your go-to!

• Aluminum chloride – see above (ingredients to be mindful of).  You choose what is best for you.
• Apricot seed – this is used in a very well-known and easily accessible exfoliant; however, this does not dissolve and could have very sharp areas that can tear your skin.  I’d steer clear of this.  It’s definitely something that should be on the skin care ingredient checker list to stay away from.
• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – causes tumors and causes issues with vital organs like your lungs and liver.  Don’t use it!
• Butylparaben – this is an estrogen disruptor!!!
• Ceteareth-20 – while this comes from natural fatty acids from vegetable oils and very common in skin care products, there is a warning on this one so I would avoid.  Not to be confused with Ceteareth-25.
• Chloroxylenol – This antiseptic and disinfectant is generally found in soaps, but it’s also found in cosmetics.  It can cause irritation.  It’s generally regarded as safe to use but I stay away from this one.
• Cocamidopropyl betaine – this is a synthetic cleaner that is usually found in hair and body cleaning products and needs to be on the list of the skin care ingredient checker.  It commonly causes irritation or allergic reactions.  Don’t use any product that contains this!  Note:  I found this ingredient in Dove Body Polish.
• Colloidal silver – this one is another popular antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral treatment for acne but because there is virtually no evidence for these claims, you should avoid it.  Note:  I’ve heard of people turning blue – yes, actually turning blue – if they take this internally.  I was at the store one time and saw a blue woman – it wasn’t make-up.  Her skin was actually blue!  It is my understanding that this is NOT reversable!  So, I would stay away from this one.
• Cornstarch – this one may surprise you that it is on this list.  The reason is that it contains a lot of sugar which can contribute to yeast and bacteria growth.  This can cause acne and redness, among other issues.  Stay away from this ingredient on the skin care ingredient checker!
• Triethanolamine – This is something that comes from ammonia and ethylene oxide.  Ethylene oxide is a carcinogen.  Triethanolamine, also referred to as TEA, can cause a reaction in people that have sensitive skin.  It’s generally also used with diethanolamine (DEA).  DEA can cause cancer.
• DEA oleth-10 phosphate – this ingredient is questionable and the EWG classifies it as 5 out of 10 – I should note that some people in the beauty industry think it is OK to use.
• DMDM Hydanton – this is aslo a preservative but the problem with this one is that it brings out the formaldehyde into the skin care gel.
• Diazolidinyl Urea – another preservative that contains formaldehyde.
• Dibutylphthalate – this is a phthalate!!!
• Diethanolamine – this ingredient on the skin care ingredient checker list is a confirmed carcinogenic – at least for the animal population so it could be the same for humans.  In addition, it could cause skin problems so if you have sensitive skin, watch out.

No matter if you are looking for products to help acne or something that is in the anti-aging category, I hope this skin care ingredient checker was helpful.  This list is not exhaustive but hopefully it will get you started.  If you have any questions, please contact us!