Everyday Harmful Products for Skin
As consumers who are looking to improve their skin health, you must not turn to cosmetologists, visit the salon or spend innumerable hours on applying costly face masks for healthier skin. Instead, you have to zero on into and eliminate several products that you use every day that are harmful to your skin. Skin specialists have now realised that chemicals found in a wide array of everyday household products are more toxic than they were previously thought off.
#1 Laundry Detergent
People with sensitive skin, particularly babies, can react to laundry detergents. These products can cause rashes and irritation. The fragrances and dyes added to laundry detergents and fabric softeners that make them smell nice can also irritate the skin. You should purchase products that are scent-free or fragrance-free and dye-free. Additionally, stick with the same detergent as much as possible. Remember to wash new clothes before wearing them as no one knows with what all it has come in contact with at the factory or store.
#2 Air Fresheners
Another everyday harmful products for skin are the air fresheners. The labels on them most times fail to provide a complete list of all the ingredients and the chemical formulas used in the products. It has been found that when air fresheners are used excessively or in unventilated areas, they release toxic levels of pollutants. Therefore, instead of opting for air fresheners to mask the odour, address the cause behind the odours, is it due to smoking, pets, unclean areas or surfaces. Then find out some good non-toxic options such as using baking soda as it helps eliminate odours without giving off its own scent. After using baking soda, you can open the windows to let in the fresh air.
#3 Face products
Do you use apricot, walnut or any other scrub too often to remove dead skin? Remember, that cleansing and exfoliating too much harm the skin. The process causes micro-tears and hinders the healing process. Even too much use of wipes is not recommended. Though wipes remove makeup and sweat efficiently, they tend to leave chemicals behind on the skin. Preservatives used in the packaging of the wipes can cause allergic reactions. Cleansing too often, even with face washes available in the market, can strip the skin of natural oils thus making it difficult for the skin to heal and protect itself. Therefore, go for DIY cleansers that are much softer to the skin.
#4 Sunglasses
Most of you use sunglasses. Have you realised that sunglasses sit in the same place every day leading to breakouts in those areas as oil, dirt, and bacteria accumulate and clog pores? The most common areas for breakouts include between the eyebrows and along the bridge of the nose. Thicker frames touch more skin therefore you may see blemishes on those areas, especially the cheeks. Regularly clean your frames with soap, warm water, and then wipe with a clean dry cloth. Clean the earpieces and nose pads too to avoid breakouts.
#5 Dirty sheets and pillowcases
Linens may not look dirty, but bacteria, dust mites, skin cells, sweat, oil, and animal dander, in case you are a pet owner, are hard to spot with the naked eye. All these pollutants lead to breakouts, inflammation, and irritation. Therefore, wash your sheets once a week and, whenever possible, shower at night before going to bed to minimize the irritants you bring with you.
#6 Cleaning products
Most cleaning products that you use every day are made with powerful chemicals that cause the skin to react. Those ‘green’ cleaning agents that have gentler formulas, in many cases will not clean and disinfect well. Protect yourself with gloves and long sleeves, and wash hands once done. Even better, go for natural products like baking soda, soap powder or lemon and hot water. These remedies work well without leaving any toxic chemicals behind.
#7 Hair products
Hairsprays, shampoos, and conditioners can also cause irritation, often caused by added fragrances or propylene glycol. For shampoos, you can use natural products such as reetha, amla, bhringraj and shikakai. Hair dyes too can cause irritation, inflammation, redness, swelling, or a rash. As an alternative, ask for vegetable dyes or a trend like ombre, which places colour at the ends of the hair instead of near the scalp.
#8 Certain makeup
Non-mineral makeup also contains numerous harsh chemicals, dyes, fragrances, and preservatives. They are often liquid and are more likely to soak into the skin resulting in clogged pores and aggravated acnes. Also, non-mineral makeup contains oil that can disrupt the skin’s natural balance. You must use mineral makeup as it stays on top of the skin, and doesn’t clog pores.
#9 Non-stick Cookware
The invention of non-stick cookware was a revolution. Almost every household these days uses them for its benefits such as cooking with less oil and less cleaning time. However, this is a myth and it is one of the everyday harmful products for skin and overall health. At high temperatures, the polytetrafluoroethylene coating gives off a toxic gas that has been linked to reproductive problems and other health issues. Therefore, it’s always best to opt for stainless steel or iron skillets.
# 10 Plastic Containers
Some types of plastic containers contain polycarbonate that gives off BPA after repeated use. Additionally, the chemicals used to replace BPA in many of these plastic containers have hormone-disrupting impact on the body. So, go for glass containers and avoid microwaving plastic as they release harmful chemicals.