Do you remember that amazing smell of your soap/moisturiser? Most skincare products use essential oils / artificial fragrances and their long-term usage can lead to skin sensitivity and allergic reactions. Our tip, stay away from fragrance in skincare!!

If you haven’t been paying attention in chemistry class, we’ll fill you in. Alcohols are known to cause dehydration. Hangover after an evening of heavy drinking, anyone? That’s how it works on your skin too. It strips your skin of moisture and causes increased dryness and barrier damage over time. 

When absorbed into your skin, artificial colours can lead to irritation, blocked pores, inflammation and sensitise the skin. Artificial dyes have been primarily associated with acne troubles since they disturb the natural oil balance in your skin's microbiome which lead to increased blemishes.

The downsides of phthalates have gained a lot of attention. They belong to a notorious class of chemicals called endocrine disruptors. Endocrine is a catchall term for our delicately balanced hormonal system which basically governs everything such as mood, anxiety, reproductive systems, cell deaths and even birth defects. You probably now want to run far away from phthalates. Good choice.

These are commonly used in personal care products. Sadly, they have been linked to truly terrible diseases like breast cancer. Since parabens disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine system by mimicking estrogen in the body, they can dangerously impact the hormonal balance, fertility and cellular growth dependent on estrogen.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) have been long used in shampoos, cleansers, soaps and basically any foaming/cleaning body product because they produce lathering foam. The problem is that they tend to stay behind as residue even after washing and cause your skin to become dehydrated. Over time, they also reduce the levels of ceramide in your skin resulting in a damaged skin barrier and sensitised skin.

There’s growing concern about how much oxybenzone is absorbed through the skin and enters the bloodstream. It’s problematic because it can cause birth defects and hormonal imbalances. 

Okay, this is a big one. You don't want it anywhere near you. Why, because it is known to cause leukaemia. Yup, you read that right, it causes blood cancer. So, we don't think you need more reasons as to why it should not be part of anything you use on your body.