A long shelf life for creams is needed to keep them fresh for a extended period. Creams are kept in warehouses before they are distributed throughout the world to retail outlets like beauty shops or department stores. It might take up to two years before you have your favourite commercial cream in your hands. That is why artificial ways are needed to make sure your cream product appears to be fresh. However the opposite might just be the case.
Bad ingredients to look out for are fragrances and alcohol based ingredients. But, the worst enemies to look out for are Petroleum Jelly and Parabens.
This is what Petroleum Jelly look like and can do to you
• Petroleum jelly was discovered in 1859 on oil rigs in Pennsylvania, United States
• The paraffin-like material was called “black rod wax" by drillers
• Petroleum jelly is a flammable
• Petroleum jelly clog the pores
• Petroleum jelly do not provide moisture
• Petroleum jelly can cause a prematurely aged appearance
• Petroleum jelly change the skin's pH balance
• Petroleum jelly has no medicinal effect
• Petroleum jelly only dissolves in dichloromethane, chloroform, benzene, diethyl ether, carbon disulfide and oil of turpentine
• Petroleum jelly products are inexpensive
• Petroleum jelly has a very long shelf life
If you apply Parabens to your face long enough you will suffer the consequences.
Studies have found that the biggest risk from parabens seems to be from the use of products that require a prolonged exposure to skin, such as skin creams and facial lotions. The longer that the parabens are on the skin, the more opportunity there is for parabens to be absorbed. When used in skin care products, parabens are absorbed directly into the blood stream rather than through the gastrointestinal tract.
One type of paraben - methylparaben - has also been linked to the premature aging of skin. A study undertaken in Japan indicated that certain cosmetic products may cause skin to age excessively when exposed to ultra-violet rays. Ironically, this compound can be commonly found in products designed to fight the effects of aging.
A study conducted in 2004 at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom found a substantial amount of paraben compounds in breast cancer tumours. It is believed that parabens absorbed through the skin migrated to the breast cells and eventually caused the growth of tumours.
• Human skin toxicant - strong evidence - Harvell, J,
• One or more animal studies show endocrine disruption at moderate doses - Darbre PD, Byford JR, Shaw LE, Horton RA, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, 20021994
• One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results - RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008
• 25% of all cosmetic users have had an adverse reaction to one of the skincare products containing harmful parabens that they have used.
• It is a known fact that sensitivity to allergens like parabens develops over time.
• Parabens likewise strip your skin of its moisture from the sebum
• Parabens are known as skin and eye irritants
Have a look at your face cream products and see if you can one or more of these parabens listed below. You will most likely find two or more.
A few common names Parabens are listed under:
There is really no place for these ingredients in the cosmetic industry, but they can be found in practically every product on the market, including supposedly natural face creams.