We all know that it’s important to keep your skin healthy and hydrated, and most people use moisturisers to do this. However, how much thought have you put into the moisturiser you use and its ingredients?

The majority of mass-produced moisturisers contain a whole range of ingredients (that you may have never even heard of) that may be harmful to your long term health. Most also contain water (Aqua) to bulk out the product, which means that strong preservatives have to be added to prevent the product from spoiling.

Which ingredients in mass produced moisturiser can be harmful?

There are many artificial and unnecessary ingredients that are added to mass produced moisturiser, and some of these can be harmful to you and your health. Here are five of the most common:

Parabens – This is widely added as a preservative and known to be a hormone disrupter that may also increase your risk of Cancer.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole - This ingredient is a preserver and stabiliser and is actually very commonly found in food and cosmetic products. However, it is believed that it may increase your risk of Cancer.

DMDM Hydantoin - This ingredient is a well-known irritant to eyes and skin, yet it is put in around 20% of mass produced cosmetics and personal care items. If you have found your moisturiser to do more harm than good to your skin, perhaps check the label for this ingredient.

Artificial Fragrances - Artificial fragrances like the ones used in lotions also emit harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which pollute indoor air quality and contribute to respiratory allergies and asthma. They are also likely to include Phthalates which are known to be toxic to organs.

Retinyl Palmitate - Most commonly used in anti-ageing creams or sunscreens, Retinyl Palmitate is a form of Vitamin A. It’s believed that this ingredient can cause tumours after exposure to sunlight (quite worrying when it’s including in sunscreen).

Animal bi-products are also widely used in mass-produced moisturisers - Rendered animal fat in widely used in skin creams, along with other parts of cows, sheep, pigs and even fish. These are usually left over bi-products of the meat industry and there are many natural and plant-based alternatives. If you want to avoid animal bi-products look out for Glycerin (animal based), Tallow, Retinol, Lanolin and Stearic Acid in your ingredients.

Why should you use natural ingredients on your skin?

Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and up to 60% of what you put on it can be absorbed. Synthetic chemicals have been found to accumulate in breast tissue, the brain, and even breast milk. By using natural, organic skin products, you also decrease your chance of suffering with skin irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Many ingredients that are included in modern natural skincare products have been developed from ancient remedies that have been known for their incredible benefits for the skin. Centuries ago, they didn’t have artificial chemicals, they relied on natural products from flowers and plant extracts which are designed to nourish and soothe.

Not only are natural products much better for you and your skin, but they are also much better for the environment too. The products themselves can release harmful chemicals into the environments, as well as the manufacturing process.

What makes our moisturisers different?

At The Green Woman, we provide natural, certified organic alternatives that are both safer for our health and the planet. We work hard to ensure all of our products, including our moisturisers, are natural, organic, synthetic-free and vegan. Not only are our products 100% natural, but we also only use plastic-free and recyclable packaging to ensure we are doing all we can to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible.

Our skincare range has no synthetic chemicals, fillers or preservatives. This means that a little goes a long way as it’s not bulked out with artificial chemicals. We offer day and night face creams, body butter and cleansing coconut oil in our range.

Ready to learn more?

Our blog 'Chemicals to avoid' covers chemicals found in bodycare from deodorant to toothpaste.