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Ingredients We Avoid

OUR INGREDIENTS PROMISE

MADE WITH LOVE using the purest, ethically sourced ingredients and formulated naturally to make your skin glow.

MADE WITHOUT sulphates, parabens, mineral oils and MI to name only a few.

 

INGREDIENTS WE AVOID & WHY

FIND OUT WHY WE AVOID CERTAIN COMMONLY USED YET QUESTIONABLE INGREDIENTS AND HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL:

Mineral oils or petroleum

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: mineral oil, paraffinum liquidum, petrolatum, petroleum, paraffin oil

Mineral oil, also known as liquid paraffin, is derived from petroleum and cannot be synthesised by the skin. This ingredient is very cheap, blocking pores and diminishing the skin’s ability to breathe and function. We never use petroleum-based ingredients, choosing plant-based oils instead which are more similar to the skin’s natural sebum. Plant-based oils also benefit from being rich in vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which absorb beautifully and assist the skin’s natural functions, helping improve its condition.

Petrolatum and petroleum jelly are often used in nappy creams, lip products, ‘everything’ balms and even some of the most popular cleansing balms. These would not be used in a truly natural brand, so do check the label!

Sulphates

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Sulphates (surfactants) are essentially an inexpensive foaming agent which act as detergents for cleansing and are used in many face or body washes and shampoos. Foaming agents can be very tough on the natural oil barrier of the skin, often stripping it significantly and causing irritation and sensitivity. This in turn makes the skin itself more permeable to irritants and allows water to leave the skin, leading to dehydration. When the skin is in this state it is suffering from Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL) which you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

MI or MIC

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: Methylisothiazolinone or Methylchloroisothiazolinone

These are two synthetic preservatives found very widely in skincare, bodycare and shampoos. In 2013 there was much media attention as doctors presented at the British Association of Dermatologists conference, reporting that they believed these ingredients were responsible for the majority of cases of skin allergy outbreaks and contact dermatitis. This is where the skin becomes red and itchy and can sting, often blistering. At a similar time the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) wrote to the European Commission calling for an investigation.

There has been some success with The European Commission having subsequently banned MI but sadly it only goes so far as leave-on cosmetics, meaning many outbreaks continue.

The European Commission has approved a ban on methylisothiazolinone (MI) in leave-on cosmetics. In a regulation published in the Official Journal of the European Union, companies have until February 2017 to formulate or discontinue any products containing MI in the EU market. As such, many products will have to be reformulated or discontinued ahead of this long-awaited official ban.

Parabens

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: benzylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, heptylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and ‘anything’ -paraben.

We never use parabens which are synthetic preservatives found widely in skincare. The use of parabens in beauty and pharmaceutical products is becoming increasingly controversial. Parabens have displayed the ability to slightly mimic oestrogen (a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer) and have been found in very small amounts in some breast cancer tumours. However, there is still a lack of evidence on both sides to conclude this debate meaning we have decided to use alternative preservatives.

Instead we use very small amounts of selected safe preservatives that are non-persistent in the environment. Our preservative is also natural association approved.

Aluminium

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON A LABEL: Aluminium Chlorohydrate

WHY DID WE CREATE AN ALUMINIUM-FREE DEODORANT? Aurelia London’s Botanical Cream Deodorant offers a highly effective gentle and natural alternative for all those concerned with the effects of aluminium and who may want to avoid this questionable ingredient. Aluminium-based antiperspirants work by using aluminium salts to block and alter sweat ducts. This interferes with our body’s natural response.

Synthetic fragrances or colours

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON THE LABEL: product labels can hide synthetic fragrancing chemicals and often use the term ‘Parfum’. These can cause allergic responses for many people.

When brands talk about ‘nature identical’ fragrance, they are referring to fragrance made in a lab to be similar to a natural ingredient but they are not made from or derived from the natural ingredient.

Our fragrances are created from blending 100% pure plant and flower essential oils and aromatic flower waters. The most immediate form of sensory reception is through smell. Visual stimuli are processed by the cerebral cortex, whereas aroma passes straight to the olfactory bulb upon which it is immediately ‘felt’. Our blends have been created to uniquely reflect this and help invigorate, uplift or relax offering a moment of mindfulness every day.

Propylene Glycol (PG) and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON THE LABEL: Propylene Glycol, PEG (followed by a number which represents its molecular weight), Propandiol.

There are two glycols that are approved by organic and natural associations, these are propandiol and pentylene glycol (often made from sugar cane stalk pulp or corn)

Propylene glycol is one of the more common petrochemicals used in skincare products for its moisturising properties. However, is also a skin irritant and can trigger eczema and hives.

Silicones

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone and dimethicone copolyol.

Silicones are never used in our products. Silicones are often used in the beauty industry to achieve a superficial silky feeling when applied to the skin but they do this by creating a plastic-like film. This alters the skin’s ability to process toxins and can mean irritants are trapped on the skin’s surface and pores are more easily blocked. They are also non-biodegradable.

Phthalates

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP), or ‘anything’ -phthalate

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in personal cosmetics, such as nail polish, hairsprays, soaps, cleansers and shampoos. Phthalates are a frequent component of synthetic fragrances (‘parfum’) as they hold scent very well. However, regulations do not require the listing of the individual fragrance ingredients. As a consumer you are not easily able to determine from the ingredient declaration if phthalates are present in a fragrance. Two decades of research suggest that phthalates disrupt hormonal systems and can impact on fertility levels.

Ethanolamines (DEA, NDEA, TEA, MEA)

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON THE LABEL: diethanolamine (DEA), nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), TEA-Lauryl sulfate, MEA, DEA-cetyl phosphate, LinoleamideMAE

A group of ingredients that are used as foaming agents, emulsifiers and stabilisers. The most common is DEA. DEA is a chemical that is used as a wetting agent in some brands’ creams. It is used widely because it keeps a favourable consistency in lotions and creams, but DEA can react with other ingredients when placed in formulations and has formed a potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA).

Triethanolamine (TEA) is a clear and viscous liquid that has an ammonia-like smell. It helps water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients to blend together and is also used to balance pH in cosmetics and personal care products. It is a known skin and eye irritant.

GMOs

HOW TO SPOT THEM ON A LABEL: dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP), or ‘anything’ -phthalate

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in personal cosmetics, such as nail polish, hairsprays, soaps, cleansers and shampoos. Phthalates are a frequent component of synthetic fragrances (‘parfum’) as they hold scent very well. However, regulations do not require the listing of the individual fragrance ingredients. As a consumer you are not easily able to determine from the ingredient declaration if phthalates are present in a fragrance. Two decades of research suggest that phthalates disrupt hormonal systems and can impact on fertility levels.