Do you understand your cream?
Sometimes one wonders what it means to wash your face every morning, cream your hair, brush your hair, shampoo your hair. Especially if more and more companies advertise, which is NOT included in their products: for example, no parabens, no silicones, no PEGs. However, it does not explain: What are PEGs anyway? Why should not parabens be good? And what is in there instead? Here comes the resolution.
Cosmetics Ingredients: Without mineral oils / paraffins
In addition to moisture, each cream needs fat - and manufacturers have the choice between vegetable oils and mineral oils. Despite the association with petroleum, cosmetic mineral oils have little to do with it: they are highly purified, odorless oils, which have been used in cosmetics for many years precisely because they almost never cause allergies or irritate the skin. In addition, they are - which is very convenient for the cosmetics manufacturer - always of consistent quality, while the quality of vegetable oils can vary depending on the source and supplier.
However, vegetable oils really do have a decisive advantage over mineral oils: They are very similar to the natural fats of the skin, so they penetrate the upper layers of the skin and care for it very well. Especially dry skin benefits from it. Mineral oils, on the other hand, simply stay on top of the skin. That's why many creams mix both types of oil.
Oils can be found in the small print (in the so-called INCI list on the back of the box listing all ingredients of the cosmetic product) as: mineral oils: Paraffin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina Vegetable oils: z. B. Argania spinosa kernel oil (Argan oil), Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter from the fruit of the Karité tree), Helianthus annuus seed oil (sunflower oil), Olea europaea oil (olive oil), Persea gratissima (avocado oil), Simmondsia chinensis seed oil (jojoba oil)
Without parabens / without (synthetic) preservatives
Parabens are a certain class of preservatives. Cosmetics with a certain amount of water must be conserved, otherwise in the open crucible germs quickly form that you really do not want to have on your skin - the possible consequences are at best boils, at worst serious infections of the whole body. To make sure that does not happen, water-based cosmetics "without preservatives" are quite durable - just not with classical preservatives, but with alcohol or fragrance oils, for example, which also keep bacteria or fungi in check.
Parabens have prevailed in the cosmetics world mainly because they are very effective and very well tolerated even in the smallest amounts. In principle, any preservative can irritate the skin - and the more often one is used, the more the number of allergy sufferers increases - but in parabens the risk is comparatively low, considering its widespread use. Even in food, parabens are approved as preservatives. The fact that parabens could still be discredited, is mainly due to a single study in 2004, which has found traces of these substances in breast cancer tumors. However, since then it has not even begun to show that there could actually be a connection - which is why even "eco-test" does not judge parabens in cosmetics negatively.
"If a cream promises to be without parabens, you should rather look at what it is then preserved," says the dermatologist and allergy specialist Professor Axel Schnuch of the University of Göttingen. "Incidentally, I see offers such as 'free from' in this case as critical, which is more marketing that brings a harmless substance in itself only in disrepute." Natural cosmetics are often preserved with agents such as benzoic acid, salicylic acid or sorbic acid. Although these acids are produced in the laboratory, they are found in nature and are therefore "nature identical" - sorbic acid, for example, comes from the rowanberry. Also preserved alcohol, as well as some essential oils.
Professor Schnuch doubts that the "natural" solution is always the better solution: "Alcohol dries out the skin, and while benzoic acid, sorbic acid or salicylic acid hardly ever lead to allergies, they can still trigger skin irritations, depending on their concentration Medical point of view speaks absolutely nothing against the use of parabens. "
Parabens can be found in the fine print as: z. Methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben
Cosmetics Ingredients: No silicones
Silicones in the cream feel great - and that's their only purpose. They spread well (the experts say it "spread") and leave a silky feeling on the skin.In shampoos and rinses, silicone covers every single hair, makes it shine and makes it easier to comb. And so-called "wrinkle filler products", which are sold in small tubes and applied specifically to the wrinkles, owe their immediate effect above all to the main constituent silicone, which - it is already suspected - just "fills in" the wrinkles and thus visually smoothes the face.
Unfortunately, silicones are less great for the environment: the quantities that flow down the drain every day under the shower with shampoo and conditioner are difficult to break down and must be filtered out with great effort. "Of the more than 100,000 pollutants that have to be filtered out by sewage treatment plants, only a few dozen are really difficult to remove, including silicone oil," says Harald Hanßen, engineer at Hamburger Stadtentwässerung. "Without the silicone oils in cosmetics, sewage treatment plants with a whole treatment stage would be less effective in sewage gas treatment."
Natural cosmetics manufacturers therefore do not use silicone oils. Incidentally, you can achieve a silky effect with corn starch in creams - "The same is unfortunately not the case with the skin, but it is certainly an alternative," says Dr. Jens Treu from the research department of the Hamburg cosmetics group Beiersdorf. Silicones can be found in the fine print as: z. As dimethicones, cyclomethicones (generally compounds that end in "... methicone"), cyclopentasiloxanes
Cosmetic Ingredients: Without PEG Emulsifier / Without PEG Compounds
PEG is the short form for a particular alcohol, namely polyethylene glycol. PEG compounds are found in many forms in cosmetics, some of them are used as foaming agents (washing-active substances), others as an emulsifier, a substance that causes oil and water to mix - something that almost every cream needs. Although there are a variety of other emulsifiers, but some do not go well with certain other ingredients such. B. UV filters, or they feel funny on the skin.
PEGs do not do such a thing: "They are flexible, work equally well under a wide variety of conditions, and give you a good feeling on the skin," explains Dr. med. Jens Treu the popularity of PEGs. In addition, PEGs are neither toxic nor known as allergy triggers. However, PEG compounds can make the skin a little more permeable. Prof. Schnuch says: "They would then promote the penetration of other substances, including those that irritate or sensitize the skin, which would be a certain undesirable effect on skin protection creams applied before they are used with allergenic agents." However, according to the physician, these too are so far rather "theoretical considerations".
PEG compounds can be found in the fine print as: all word and number combinations in which "PEG" occurs when used as a surfactant also as z. Laureth (-Number), Ceteareth (-Number)
Cosmetics Ingredients: Without (synthetic) fragrances
If something in cosmetics on the skin makes problems, then it's actually fragrances - fragrance mixes are next to nickel one of the most common allergens. While the term "perfume" used to suffice, since 2005, 26 different fragrances have had to be listed separately on the packaging if they occur in some concentration (even if they come from natural essential oils).
However, some fragrances rarely cause problems, while others react with disproportionately high numbers of people - for example, oakmoss, which for this reason can only be used in cosmetics in very small quantities. "The most common allergens are - in addition to oakmoss - tree moss, cinnamon aldehyde and isoeugenol," says Prof. Schnuch.
Even a natural essential oil such as Ylang Ylang contains allergenic individual components such as isoeugenol - and therefore can be problematic in people who are prone to contact dermatitis anyway. The same is true in a somewhat diluted form for sandalwood oil, lemongrass, jasmine or clove oil. An inscription like "without synthetic fragrances" therefore does not benefit much from allergy sufferers. Only if a product is expressly "without fragrances" or "fragrance-free" may really be none of it.
Fragrances can be found in the fine print as: z. Evernia furfuracea extract (tree moss), Evernia prunastri extract or Oak Moss (oakmoss), isoeugenol, cinnamal (cinnamaldehyde). Common fragrances that rarely cause allergies, z. Linalool, geraniol, benzyl alcohol, citronellol, limonene
Anti-comedogenic / non-comedogenic
A "comedo" is nothing more than a blackhead, which especially people with slightly greasier skin to fight. There are some cosmetic substances (including several vegetable oils) that can increase the formation of blackheads in anyway greasy skin, which is prone to impurities. "Anti-comedogenic" or "non-comedogenic" on the packaging means that none of these substances are in the product. If you tend to blackheads, this can be an important clue. But of course, every skin reacts differently, and by no means every "comedogenic" substance causes anyone to sprout the pimples.
Blackhead-promoting substances - which should not be included in "anti-comedogenic" products - can be found in the fine print as (selection): Theobroma cacao butter (cocoa butter), Cocos nucifera oil (coconut oil), lanolin (wool wax), Zea mays germ Oil ( Corn oil), Carthamus tinctorius oil (safflower oil), Sesamum indicum oil (sesame oil)
Overview: cosmetic ingredients
And what is in the cream now? Some terms cosmetic companies like to advertise:
allantoin: Natural substance that can be found in horse chestnut and comfrey. Maintains chapped, stressed skin, soothes, also works against excessive perspiration.
antioxidants: In cosmetics, vitamin C, vitamin E, Q 10, beta-carotene as well as flavonoids and polyphenols from plant extracts are often used. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that contribute significantly to skin aging - from the inside (eating fruits and vegetables makes beautiful skin!), But also from the outside.
bisabolol: Occurs in chamomile, has an anti-inflammatory effect, accelerates wound healing.
Ceramide: Certain fats that also occur naturally in the horny layer of the skin and protect it from drying out.
DMS structure: No ingredient, but a specific form of cream foundation. The "Derma membrane structure" is a compound of water and fats, which is similar to the skin structure brick-like structure (conventional creams look like a droplet under the microscope) and is prepared without the aid of conventional emulsifiers.
glycerin: Alcohol, which is present in all animal and vegetable fats. One of the most important ingredients of almost all moisturizers, as it can bind water in the skin, making it look fresh and padded. However, an "overdose" of glycerine - applied as pure to the skin - would no longer be moisturizing, but like any alcohol would have a rather dehydrating effect. Has received as an ingredient in cosmetics in recent years competition from hyaluronic acid.
hyaluronic acid: Natural substance that occurs in connective tissue and can bind many times its weight in water. Is therefore used in more and more creams in addition to glycerol to bind moisture in the skin. The moisturizing effect of hyaluronic acid lasts a little longer than that of glycerol.
Other cosmetic ingredients
Lanolin: Wool wax, a secretion from the sebaceous glands of sheep, which is obtained in the washing of sheep's wool. Cares for dry, stressed skin very well. For oily skin less recommended, as comedogenic.
niacinamide: Also called vitamin B3. It strengthens the skin barrier, promotes cell renewal and also alleviates the formation of pigmented spots.
panthenol: Also called dexpanthenol, is converted in the body to pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing properties and also increases the moisture-binding capacity of the skin.
peptides: Fragments of egg whites. Messengers in the body are peptides that transmit signals from cell to cell. They are also used in (especially anti-aging) creams: The often used in cosmetics palmitoyl-pentapeptide to stimulate collagen production, as some studies prove. Others only work on the skin surface and are supposed to support the natural moisture binders in the skin.
Q 10: The body's own substance (also called ubiquinone), which plays an important role in cell metabolism. Is also an important antioxidant.
retinol: Vitamin A and the best researched anti-aging ingredient. Retinol undoubtedly blocks the formation of an enzyme that breaks down collagen. The result is that the skin is actually smoother. The disadvantage is that retinol can irritate the skin and make it more sensitive to light.
Urea: Urea (not to be confused with uric acid!). The substance can bind water very well and promotes the exfoliation of the uppermost skin cells. Creams with urea are therefore often intended for very dry, rough skin.
Vitamin C & E: Vitamin E is a good antioxidant and is therefore used in many creams. Vitamin C, however, can do more. Not only is it an antioxidant, it also boosts the effects of vitamin E, it also has a direct effect on the skin: it supports the regeneration of collagen and can lighten pigment spots in higher concentrations. Sensitive skin can be irritated to a higher concentration of vitamin C, however.
