When it comes to skin and hair care, there is a lot to learn. Which are the best brands, which ingredients are most impactful, and which should we steer clear of? Luckily over the past few years, consumers have been taking on the responsibility of educating themselves whether that be through the internet or social media. Regardless though, there are a couple of ingredients that should definitely be on your no-go list. Today we will have a look at the top 5 that should definitely be avoided in skincare and hair care. 

1. Synthetic Fragrances 

Of course, we all love beautifully scented products. We want our hair to smell good and the products that go on our bodies to smell good too. But should that have to come at the cost of skin irritation, rashes, and in some cases, even severe organ damage? Synthetic fragrances are known to be carriers of carcinogens, petroleum, aldehydes, and more that get absorbed into the skin upon application. Of course, a brand won’t list these harmful components on their labels, but instead, refer to them simply as “fragrance”  or “parfum”. If you still search for fragrance in products, essential oils are a healthy substitute. 

2. Aluminium

When we think of aluminium, we immediately think of how we use it to cook baked potatoes. So isn’t it a little odd to see aluminium as one of the listed ingredients in your self-care products? Brands use alumiunium as a thickening agent so liquid or powder products are not too thin in consistency. As a pro-oxidant, aluminium can significantly increase the oxidation damage to the skin, leaving it dry, dull, and prone to irritation.  

3. Sulfates

While sulfates can be good at washing away excess oil and dirt, it can leave the skin feeling dry and irritated. Over the years, people have educated themselves about the harmful effects of sulfates. Thats why brands have become sneaky enough to change sulfates into other names, so watch out for ingredients listed as SLES and SLS.

Even though it might be a bit of a learning curve to change products, you shouldn’t have to compromise on your health for effective results. That’s why these ingredients are on our NOW Care no-go list. There are healthier, safer, and kinder products that provide the same, if not better results without the damage.