The skin is a living tissue that can renew itself and is our largest organ; That's why I'm sure you think that it is important to protect your skin health. Air pollution, stress, make-up make our skin very tired and unfortunately, the skin loses its vitality in advancing ages and slows down its renewal. Before we say “Well, the normal aging process”, we need to know how we should fulfill our duty to our skin and take care of it.
Your skin, which has been looking after you for so many years, has many different tasks such as stimulating the immune system, feeling the senses, regulating your body temperature, apart from protecting your internal organs. It works like a factory for years. But just as the right raw materials are needed for the operation of a factory, some raw materials are required for the operation of our skin. What are these? In order to strengthen and keep the cells together, protein and fatty acids; in order to preserve its structure, to vitamins and minerals; It needs antioxidants to protect against free radicals and for the activities of beneficial microorganisms. Well, we said the right raw material, what are these right and wrong? Because our skin is a porous structure, it is connected to the outside world and takes in whatever you give it. In other words, when choosing our cosmetics and skin care products, we need to pay attention to what they contain. Because some chemicals they contain can enter the skin surface and create a carcinogenic effect, disrupt the secretion mechanism, block the channels in the skin and cause skin problems such as irritation and acne. Using natural skin care and cosmetic products instead of using products containing chemicals such as paraben, sulfate, phthalate, silicone will eliminate these negative effects. Let's take a closer look at these chemicals and find out how they affect our skin.
Paraben
Parabens are used as preservatives to prolong shelf life in many cosmetic and skin care products due to their antimicrobial activities. According to studies conducted on parabens with forms such as ethylparaben, methylparaben, butylparaben, it can cause an allergic reaction when applied to the damaged area.[1] In addition, the structure of paraben, which can easily penetrate the skin, exhibits a structure similar to estrogen hormone, and paraben applied to the skin can easily pass into the blood.[2] For this reason, using it above the rates allowed by the Ministry of Health may cause hormonal disorders, resulting in infertility in men and breast cancer in women.
Silicon
Silicone and silicone-based compounds are a preferred ingredient in many personal care products as they provide moisturizing, slipperiness and a soft feeling to the skin. Silicones such as dimethicone and methicone applied to the hair or skin cannot be melted by the body[3], therefore, pore blockage on the skin, accumulation in the hair, and skin problems such as wrinkles and acne in the future; You may face problems such as hair breakage and shedding. Although the effect may seem good to you at first, it will cause you to be unhappy in the future. In addition, silicone-based compounds known as cyclotetrasiloxane and cyclopentasiloxane are toxic and are known to have endocrine disruptors. It may cause problems such as breast, skin cancer and infertility by causing hormonal disorders.[4]
Phthalate
Phthalates, which are used in products such as nail polish, perfume, and hair spray, are also among endocrine disrupting chemicals that affect the synthesis, transport and metabolism of hormones[5] and as a result of exposure, problems such as cancer and reproductive disorders may occur. Phthalates, which are used for durability, flexibility and transparency in plastics, are also used in cosmetic products for similar reasons. For example, dibutyl phthalate is used as a plasticizer to prevent nail products from hardening and breaking easily.[4] Why should we use this dangerous substance on our skin when even plastic manufacturers have started to use alternative sources?
Sulfate
Sulphates, which can be easily absorbed by the skin, are generally used in shampoos, detergents and skin care products, as a cleanser, moisturizer and foamer. Apart from this, it can also be used in toothpastes and medical devices. As a result of studies carried out by the Economic Cooperation and Production Organization (OECD) and the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) supported by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the USA, data have been obtained that sulfates cause high acute toxicity and cause irritation to the skin and eyes. [6] The most commonly used sulfate types are sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate.
Alcohol
Alcohols with a wide range of effects such as ethyl alcohol and ispropyl alcohol are generally used as solvents and preservatives in skin care and cosmetic products. It has a feature that disrupts the membrane structure by affecting fats and proteins.[7] Due to these properties, it causes the deterioration of skin cells by damaging the sebum that is released by our skin and keeps it healthy. No matter how volatile alcohol is, its effects on the skin's surface continue even after it has evaporated. You may encounter problems such as premature aging, skin irritation and redness.