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Paraben Free Label

How to Read Beauty Product Labels

August 13, 2019

Everything You Need to Know When Buying Beauty Products

Maintaining your skin’s health is incredibly important and that’s why 1.6 million Americans spent at least $500 on skincare products in just 3 months last year, according to Statista. As more and more people become conscious of their skin’s health, the attention to ingredients in those products has also become a priority for many shoppers. 

There are endless shelves (both virtually and physically) of beauty products all calling for your attention, so how do you know what you should be looking for? While you should check with your doctor or skincare expert before introducing any new products into your beauty regimen, it is always good to understand what you are putting on your skin as an informed shopper as well.

The Order of Ingredients

There are a few things to keep in mind when reading a beauty product label. The ingredients at the top of the list are higher in concentration and get lower in concentration as the list goes on. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to the rest of the ingredients! Some ingredients are highly effective even at lower levels. 

For example, many collagen-boosting peptides, like Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, found in the ALASTIN Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology®, while not at the top of the ingredient list, has significant skin-restoring properties that work wonders at a lower concentration level. 

Look for Paraben-Free Beauty Products

There has been a lot of commotion regarding parabens in beauty products, but little explanation on what they are, and why they are “bad” for us. 

To cut to the chase, parabens are preservatives, and we should all know by now, preservatives can be harmful to our bodies. Not only are preservatives used in food they have also been used in beauty products to extend shelf life by preventing the growth of bacteria, yeast, and fungi. While reading the back of a beauty product label, look out for words using “paraben” in the name, such as propylparaben, butylparaben, and methylparaben. If you prefer using a paraben-free product but are wary about shelf life, look for ingredients which are plant-derived, such as ethylhexylglycerin, which is the preserving ingredient in the Restorative Eye Treatment with TriHex Technology®

Can You Spot The Real Cruelty-free Logo

You should know, there are only bunny logos you can trust, while some brands will create a look-a-like bunny logo that may fool some shoppers into thinking they’re purchasing a cruelty-free beauty product, but be wary. If you’re ever unsure if a beauty product is cruelty-free, learn how to spot a fake cruelty-free logo so you can be confident that you are purchasing truly cruelty-free beauty products.

Look for Broad Spectrum Sunscreens

How many times have you heard, or read, about the importance of wearing sunscreen? Well, there’s a reason it is one of the most important steps in your beauty regimen. Not only does sunscreen protect your skin from UV light and help prevent premature aging from sun exposure, but it can also drastically reduce the chance of skin cancer and other skin concerns. 
Broad Spectrum sunscreen protects the skin from both UVB and UVA rays. No matter how high the “SPF” (sun protection factor) is in a sunscreen, if it is not broad spectrum, it will not protect against all UVA rays. UVA rays cause wrinkles and have the potential for causing skin cancer, although less than UVB. The A in UVA, stands for “aging”, while the B in UVB, stands for “burning”. Wearing sunscreen can help protect your skin from burning but without a broad spectrum sunscreen, you cannot protect your skin from all harmful UV light. 

Don’t Be Fooled By Latin Terms & Long Chemical Names

Odds are you’ll likely come across some terms when reading a beauty product label that you can’t easily pronounce because it’s either a very sciency-sounding chemical name (“Phosphatidylserine” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue) or a Latin word, which let’s face it, most of us didn’t study in school. The good news though is that even if it’s hard to pronounce, doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing.Bottom line is that our skin is an important investment, and knowing the ingredients and products that you are putting on it can be beneficial to preserving its healthy complex. If you don’t know an ingredient, look it up! 

Schedule Your Consultation

In this life, you only get one body to work with. Estética Institute helps you make the most of it. During your one-on-one consultation, an Estetica specialist will sit down with you, answer your questions, and help you determine the proper aesthetic care for your unique skin and body. Schedule your consultation today to begin your journey to a more beautiful life!