Nail polish, fragranced lotions, hair sprays, and many more; we can bet you’ve tried one of these before. Their common denominator? Phthalates.
These plasticizers are dubbed as the ‘everyday chemical’ (we figured just as much) and are notable for the potential risks they leave behind once used. So why do phthalates continue to play a big part in our lives, and are they truly necessary? Read on as we delve further into it!
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Now don’t get thrown off by its complicated spelling; we promise you phthalates are not that hard to understand. Pronounced “thal-ates,” this group of chemical compounds are typically used to soften plastic for the production of a multitude of products. With the exception of personal care, said products include children’s toys, raincoats, wall coverings, vinyl flooring, detergents, lubricants, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, blood bags, and tubing.
Common phthalates like dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP) can typically be found in personal care products to reduce cracking in nail polishes, produce hair sprays, and act as solvents in fragrances respectively.
As of late, only DEP is more commonly found in cosmetics. In which they help moisturizers and lotions penetrate your skin better and help scents in perfume linger.
In short, phthalates improve texture, increase spreadability, and enhance absorption of personal care products. Sounds great on a surface level, doesn’t it?
So where can you find these particular products that contain it? Right here:
The easiest way to spot phthalates in your products is to check the labeling. Lucky for us, brands need to provide an ingredient declaration in order to market phthalates for retail. Perfect so that consumers (us included!) will know exactly what we’re buying into.
But do be careful because there are loopholes in labeling as well! Ugh, we know—the trickery! As some regulations do not mandate for individual fragrance ingredients to be listed, some brands do get away with using phthalates in their products under the umbrella term: ‘fragrances.’
Although the benefits seem like they outweigh the bad, there are more repercussions to having the chemical in your skincare products. Particularly for your health and the environment.
To give you a better picture of just how phthalates have intercepted our lives—a population study shows that 97% of 2,540 individuals tested have been exposed to one or more phthalates in their lifetime. Yes, you read that right. 97%!
Though if you think about it, it’s not that hard to believe. Phthalates enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption when exposed to heat or extracted by organic solvents, which is pretty often by the sound of it.
At the moment, there is not enough extensive evidence about the effects of the chemical on our human bodies. But one thing’s for sure—phthalates have garnered the reputation as an endocrine-disrupting chemical that alters hormonal balance and disrupts reproductive and developmental growth.
In particular, women may experience disrupted hormones, infertility and be at risk of miscarriages if exposed to too many phthalates throughout their life. Though we also have to take into account the National Institute for Environmental Safety and Health's argument that reproductive risks are small in degree in most cases. On the other hand, men may notice genital deformities and a lower sperm count due to sperm DNA damage. Make of that what you will.
What’s worse, phthalates cause adverse effects to infants and children, such as allergies, premature puberty, eczema, asthma, lowered IQ, and ADHD. Infants exposed to phthalates in baby shampoos, lotions, and powder also show higher levels of phthalate metabolites in their urine as well.
Generally, phthalates may also affect your thyroid, liver, kidneys, and immune system. DEHP and DBP are also possible carcinogens (in breast cancer formation); with DBP especially as a penetration enhancer that can deliver chemicals deeper into your skin, increasing the possibility of allergic reactions and inflammation.
Phthalates have practically taken over the environment! Studies show that you can detect its notable presence in the air, drinking water, rivers, sewage, and soil. Think of it as an easy polluter through the leaching, migration, and oxidation of products during use and storage.
Chemicals like DBP can also cause significant damage to freshwater algae and affect the entire marine ecosystem. Similarly, phthalates in soil can affect the plants that grow from it and their nutrients right down to their seeds.
DBP has links to the steady decline of reptiles globally and is responsible for the disruption of their developmental internal reproductive organs. Thus, causing the underdevelopment of the vas deferens (a fancy term for the male reproductive organ), the formation of vacuoles of Sertoli cell cytoplasm, lymphocyte (white blood cell) infiltration, and gonadal dysgenesis (a developmental disorder of the reproductive system since birth).
As there is insufficient evidence on the harmfulness of phthalates on humans, it’s not surprising that there are not many regulations are in place for the chemical. In the US, few government agencies have oversight of the chemical when it comes to cosmetics.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mainly monitors the use of phthalates in food packaging. At the same time, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates it under its clean air and water powers.
Although this is so, both agents will continue monitoring phthalates’ levels in cosmetic products by using analytical methods and conducting surveys. Interestingly enough, a 2004 study found that phthalates in cosmetics have decreased considerably from 2004 to 2010.
Since the early 2000s, the EU has been actively involved in regulating the use of phthalates in consumer products. In 2003, the EU even banned five types of phthalates in cosmetics.
And finally, Canada’s regulatory parties have banned the use of DEHP in cosmetics and restricted its use in other products.
So what can you do to avoid phthalates in your skincare products? The answer is simple; find phthalate-free cosmetics to use instead. One way to actively spot such products is to check the labels for phthalates and their alter-egos (other names they may go by).
Without further ado, here are some substitutes you should consider using instead of phthalates:
As always, we recommend avoiding harmful (or potentially harmful) ingredients in your skincare products. Something as precious as your skin should not be messed around with, and paying a little extra for phthalate-free products will help you in the long run.
At IREN Shizen, all of our products are scientifically clean and are rid of hazardous chemicals; so you can rest easy knowing that you’re causing no harm to your skin. Taking baby steps in reducing your use of harmful substances will go a long way, we promise!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
So here’s the thing—aging is inevitable, but how we age is entirely up to you. Take a look at celebrity royals like Meryl Streep, Angela Bassett and Dame Julie Andrews, for example; the epitome of women who have matured gracefully and remained young at heart in the process.
With our rapid decline in collagen over the years, it is not enough to simply rely on genetics to keep you looking youthful when it comes to growing older. Sometimes we just need a little help from our skincare products, lifestyle and mental health.
So without further ado, here are some tips to still getting ID'd at the bar when you’re 50!
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When it comes to aging, typical side effects like wrinkles, laugh lines and saggy skin are sure to make themselves known. Besides those, you may also notice pigmentation from sun damage on your skin, longer ears, a droopy nose, a retreating hairline, and an expanded forehead over the years. And if you haven’t guessed it by now, this is all caused by the lack of our dear friend, collagen, in your body.
Yes (cue big sigh), it’s true. With the depletion of naturally produced collagen preserving the youth in your body as you age, your appearance is bound to go through some notable changes. So if you didn’t know of the importance of collagen already, get ready to get your mind blown.
Naturally produced in the human body, this protein can be found practically everywhere—from more prominent organs such as your bones and skin to more specific areas of your body like your eyes’ cornea and the lining of your gut.
And unfortunately for all of us, the levels of collagen in our bodies will start to deplete past the age of 25 and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives. Women, especially, lose about 30% of their collagen in the first five years post-menopause and about 2% every year for the next 20 years.
In general, external factors such as smoking, the overconsumption of sugar and exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV rays) from the sun can further decline naturally-produced collagen. But that’s not to say that you can’t maintain and increase the level of collagen present in your body.
Firstly, skincare containing collagen does not work. We know that many brands are claiming that they can, but don’t be fooled! This particular protein’s molecules are way too large to penetrate your skin and thus, ends up functioning as more of a layer over your skin like moisturizer. What you’re guaranteed to end up with is moisturized skin, and that’s as good as it's going to get.
Secondly, you are not able to consume collagen directly at the source. What you can do is eat sufficient protein from animals such as cows, pigs and seafood so that your body can produce collagen naturally with the amino acids you’d get from it. Alas, this means bad news for our vegetarian and vegan friends out there.
Alternatively, you can consume antioxidants such as vitamins E, C and beta-carotene and minerals like magnesium and zinc. They are also essential to one’s diet to prolong aging. On top of that, eating fruits and vegetables like blueberries and dark greens and switching to avocado oil for cooking may also boost collagen production (albeit slower).
Besides the big C, investing in proper skincare can also help keep your skin looking and feeling young. Simply curating a daily skincare routine that follows the 4-step J-beauty regime is enough for you to go the extra mile in preserving the juvenility of your skin.
One thing you have to remember is that sunscreen is your number one youth elixir. Without SPF, your skincare routine will be rendered entirely useless (we’re not joking!). As good as the sun is in nourishing your skin with vitamin D, its harmful UV rays are the ones you have to look out for.
Most dermatologists have also found that 90 percent of sunspots, wrinkles, and sagging skin result from sun damage. The sun accelerates the degeneration of collagen in your body, causing your skin to age faster and be more susceptible to the risk of skin cancer.
A few things to note? You should be reapplying sunscreen throughout the day as it’s not enough to simply apply it in the morning and leave it be. Additionally, regularly moisturizing your skin below your layers of sunscreen is necessary for keeping your skin baby soft and hydrated.
Acting as a derivative of vitamin A, retinol provides anti-aging properties such as the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, fading of age spots, softening of rough patches of skin, evening out of pigmentation, acceleration of the turnover of skin cells, stimulation of collagen production and development of new blood vessels for healthy and glowing skin.
However, it is important to note that retinoids do have the potential to dry out your skin and cause irritation, especially if you’re already one who suffers from dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin. It also takes quite a while before the ingredient’s results start to kick in and show on your skin. So give it time; good things come to those who wait for it anyway.
If skincare’s not really your thing (yes, we know how hard it is to keep up with the latest fads in the industry), there are other ways for you to prevent premature aging. Simply make some slight changes to your lifestyle!
Perhaps one of the most common platitudes out there—regular exercise will do your body and skin some good. Besides the toned muscles and good shape you’ll be in after working out, the benefits of exercise are vast.
Exercise stimulates your blood flow and cleanses your skin of bad skin cells, lowering your risk of heart diseases and cancer and improving your mood and quality of sleep altogether.
On top of that, training with weights and resistance help you build strong back muscles and shoulders and straighten up your posture just as your bone loss starts to occur with age.
When working out, you’ll also feel the rush of happy hormones, otherwise known as endorphins, that make you feel lighter and more energetic in life. And we all know how influential happiness is on the rest of your appearance (psst! peep our previous article).
It’s no secret that your diet plays a big part in your appearance and health. Of course, a diet rich in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low sugar is the most ideal in this circumstance, but we know that’s quite a feat for most of us.
Eating fruits and vegetables, especially, help to draw out the aging process as they contain beneficial antioxidants that boost collagen production. Foods like nuts, seeds and cold-water fatty fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids that help defend your skin against harmful external factors and make you look younger.
Just refer to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ full list of recommended foods here for a better understanding of what you should consume:
That’s not to say you can’t eat what you want, but just in moderation. Avoiding solid fats, processed foods, and refined sugars is already the first step to eating healthier.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but smoking and drinking alcohol can cause premature aging and other health risks. To be more specific, your body might go through some notable changes such as the yellowing of your teeth, the development of your arcus corneae, the creasing of your earlobes, and the presence of xanthelasmata (trust us, it’s not cute).
Cigarettes are also known to damage your skin’s fibre, diminish collagen production and reduce your skin’s elasticity. To be safe, try your best to cut down on the amount of nicotine and alcohol you choose to put in your body. At the end of the day, no one wants to look older than they actually are.
Okay, you’ve probably heard this many times before but drink your water! Not only does hydrating yourself slow down the process of aging, but it also minimizes wrinkles, reduces puffiness, improves your complexion and tightens your skin, leaving it looking plumper and more youthful.
Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day will help you cleanse your body of toxins and replenish moisture within it. Nothing happens overnight, but we guarantee that your skin will thank you in the future with sufficient water intake every day.
Several studies prove that sleep deprivation ages you quicker, and honestly, it’s not something to mess around with. Sleep (or the lack of) has the ability to control how you look and how you function in the day.
If you were only to get a couple of hours of sleep a day, your skin would not be able to renew itself and will start to look dull due to a slow cell turnover. To put it simply, not only will you have prominent dark eye circles or puffy eyes, but you’ll also have a dull complexion to show for it. It also promotes high cortisol and glucose levels that can, in turn, lead to health problems like hypertension and type II diabetes.
With sufficient sleep, your body will be able to have enough time to heal your skin from the adverse effects of sun damage during the day and restore the collagen and elasticity of your skin. We recommend sleeping at least 8 hours every night for your body to rest and reset itself for the day to come.
Last but not least, your vibe. And we know this sounds random, but it’s actually one of the most important things that get considered when people determine your age. How you carry yourself in the way you talk and behave plays a big part in people’s first impressions of you.
Having a youthful and progressive mentality is key to having people question your age (in a good way!), even if you don’t look like it. Be open to trying new things and keep yourself up to date on the latest trends and get ready for the shower of compliments, girl!
]]>We’re going to be real honest with you. As a skincare brand that bases our formulations on proven science and not hype or hearsay, it can be hard to assure skincare connoisseurs that all of our ingredients are safe to use (no matter how controversial they may be within the community).
In this article, we will disclose our dilemma and journey with phenoxyethanol (C8H10O2). It is a preservative we have since decided to use in our products to replace formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers and parabens after much deliberation, rigorous testing, and tireless research.
With all our cards laid out on the table, as well as statistics from reputable sources included, we hope to provide you with all the information you need to decide for yourself whether or not you’re supportive of our conclusions (and we hope you will be!).
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It all started in France, where French authorities have fought tooth and nail against European regulators about the safe use of phenoxyethanol till this very day. But before we go further in-depth about this later on in the article, here’s the gist.
Controversy about the preservative sparked when French authorities found exposure to too much phenoxyethanol in baby products, particularly baby wipes, to be harmful. But here’s the thing—it’s universally known that too much of anything has the potential to turn bad. And of course, with their sensitive skin in mind, infants are definitely more prone to allergens and irritants in chemicals than adults.
We’re not going to discount the fact that these results have been proven. However, context is everything. This is why we’re standing our ground that small amounts of phenoxyethanol in adult skincare is safe. And we have the research to prove it!
Let’s play chemist! Phenoxyethanol is a gentle preservative (or a glycol ether if we’re going to be technical about it). It is often used as a substitute for toxic ingredients to extend the shelf life of products and prevent the growth of bacteria.
Unlike other preservatives, phenoxyethanol is versatile. It can work effectively with an extensive range of formulations and pH ranges to rid your skincare products of Gram-negative bacteria and protect them against pathogens. It is also stable, doesn’t react with other ingredients, air or light, and is compatible with them.
If we had to describe the ingredient, its most apparent trait would be its aromatic, rose-like scent and sticky texture. Found in most cosmetics and personal care products, chances are you’ve probably slathered this ingredient on your skin before!
Studies show that phenoxyethanol was found in 23.9% of products in the United States. Specifically in 43.09% of drugstore skincare, 23.29% of personal care products sold in supermarkets, and 14.1% of cosmetics from herbal shops.
You can also find it in the following personal care products:
It is also good to know how to identify phenoxyethanol on your ingredient list by its alter-egos as well:
Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Releasers
By far one of the most notorious preservatives out there, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers have been given a health rating of 10 by EWG—with one representing the best and ten the worst. Sure, they prevent bacterial growth in skincare, but it really isn’t worth its repercussions if you think about it.
In its purest form, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers are used in embalming fluid (we know, gross!), fertilizer, paper, and plywood production. You can only imagine how harsh the chemical will be on your precious skin.
One of the most common reactions to formaldehyde is skin irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, skin, and allergic contact dermatitis, blisters, scalp burns, and hair loss in more severe cases. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can also cause life-altering reactions in the future. From sensory irritation to severe reactions like breathing difficulties, asthma, and in some cases, even the risk of cancer.
A true no-go ingredient!
Parabens
On the other hand, parabens are highly debated about ingredients that cannot be fully explained in such a short paragraph. But we’ll try our best to sum it up for you!
Much like phenoxyethanol, parabens are common artificial preservatives that prevent and reduce bacterial growth and mold to prolong the shelf life of products. The only difference between them is that parabens seem to pose worse health effects.
The overexposure of parabens can create endocrine disruption and reproductive harm. It can also pose the risk of cancer and skin irritation to your health. And remember, context is everything. Parabens can only do this if they are absorbed into your skin at high concentrations, which our article has since proven that the chances of this happening are unlikely.
Exposure to parabens, however, can still cause your skin to become sensitized and irritated. Although, this can be different for everyone as your exposure to parabens over the years and skin type varies.
Because of this, phenoxyethanol is the still next best thing that is safe and effective in preserving personal care products.
Now that you get the big picture, it’s time to dig deeper into phenoxyethanol’s controversy in the skincare community. Like the discourse surrounding parabens, research conducted on phenoxyethanol has no relation to skincare. Which is odd considering such context should be factored in before individuals draw wild conclusions and boycott.
And this could be the cause of the French authorities. Their standard of cleanliness in personal care products and France’s preference for using apps like YUKA leave no room for discussion regarding determining ‘bad’ ingredients. Think of it as a black and white database that determines what’s good and what’s bad.
The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) determined phenoxyethanol to be harmful due to its skin reactions and nervous system interaction in infants. But really, all things considered—this has nothing to do with the context of safe skincare. To reiterate, the difference between infant and adult skin is vastly different, with adult skin being able to withstand irritation better over time.
If there is one takeaway you can gather from this, it’s that concentration matters. Studies condemning phenoxyethanol as a safe ingredient do not factor in the concentration of the preservative formulated in everyday skincare. If you were to test the toxicity of an ingredient at its fullest strength and not at the amount it is going to be used at, results would definitely be skewed towards the negative. Ever heard of the phrase “too much of a good thing?” Yeah, it’s essentially that.
Regulations wise, most authorities like the EU and Japan have limited the concentration of phenoxyethanol in skincare to a maximum of 1%. And this already a lot more than the current concentration in existing products today.
Based on the findings of the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), phenoxyethanol is considered safe for consumers of all ages when used topically in lower concentrations.
Honestly, the only thing you’d really have to worry about when using phenoxyethanol is potential allergies, albeit rare. To play it safe, especially if you have sensitive skin or eczema, you could try avoiding it. However, it’s worth noting that all preservatives (yes, even natural ones, to our surprise) carry the risk of sensitization.
We went through quite the journey when it came to determining the right preservative to use for our products. In all transparency, we had already been using phenoxyethanol in our Superfruit Booster Customizable Serums before we found out about the discourse surrounding the ingredient in France.
Deciding to look into it, our R&D team found that it all stemmed from a popular ingredient scanning app called YUKA. If you are residing in Europe, you may probably already be familiar with it. But for those of you who aren’t, here’s a quick rundown.
YUKA works as a database that automatically rates ingredients (mostly food) on an average score based on international standards. Still, it does not take into account the dosage of said ingredients. Because it has to consider every ingredient’s nutriscore (a rating system meant for food consumption), cosmetic ingredients lose 60% of their weight of score on YUKA. The app’s developers have also decided to dismiss the relevance of the ingredient’s rate of exposure, formulation, quantity, and frequency of application when calculating its score, already putting cosmetic ingredients at a loss.
But we digress; the point we are trying to make here is that apps like YUKA have the power to warp the mindset of consumers and create misunderstandings about safe ingredients in the beauty industry, as is being done in the case of phenoxyethanol.
We also found that the controversy about phenoxyethanol was blown out of proportion. Besides France’s reaction, there is no scientific evidence that the preservative is inherently bad for your skin health.
As a matter of fact, its dosage would have to be at extreme levels before it can do any potentially harmful damage. Most studies we found were also tested in vitro (or, in layman terms, were tested on plants) at high concentrations, which does not give an accurate picture of what is being concluded. Additionally, more literature proves that phenoxyethanol is safe compared to those that suggest it may be harmful.
As a scientifically-clean skincare brand, we try our best to find the best ingredients in the market that work well with our active ingredients. We went through a year of looking for alternatives to phenoxyethanol and tried and tested many replacements (more than 10!) but ultimately found most to be incompatible with our serums and did not give a broad spectrum of coverage as compared to phenoxyethanol itself.
Most alternatives like organic acids, sodium benzoate, and essential oils were also too drying or ineffective in protecting our products against the full spectrum of bacteria out there. When paired with our active ingredients, we found them to have stability issues, were unstable after testing, and precipitated. Prolonged usage of these substitutes also caused reactions to particular skin, such as breakouts.
The whole process was tiresome and long. We had to request samples, wait to test said samples, and then ask for more when the previous samples were incompatible. Samples also took ages (months even!) to arrive because of slow responses by suppliers and delays in shipment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
We even considered going preservative-free. But we found that useless as preservative-free products tend to be for single-use only and have short shelf lives. Having no preservatives in your products also means no protection against bacteria, not something we wish for our beloved consumers.
At the end of the day, we are happy to say we have gone ahead with the use of phenoxyethanol in our products. And we hope you understand why we deemed it fit. Phenoxyethanol ended up being the safest, most stable, and compatible preservative to use in skincare, based on the thorough research, findings, and testing we’ve conducted over the past year.
]]>If you’re a skincare veteran like us, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that custom serums make up one of the most underrated components of your skincare routine. Besides your usual toner and moisturizer (which you should already be using!), these serums add an extra layer of concentrated benefits that are tailored specifically for your skin.
In this guide, we will consult our resident dermatologist, Dr. Mika Watanabe to thoroughly discuss the importance of bespoke serums for healthy skin, find out how they work, and uncover what serums and active ingredients are best suited to your skin to answer the question—do custom serums really work?
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Custom serums are specialized products with high concentrations of beneficial active ingredients for your skin. These serums can treat anything and everything. Wrinkles? There’s a serum for that! Dry skin? Get a hydrating one! Intrigued yet? You should be!
These lightweight moisturizers of thin viscosity (water-like almost!) are typically applied in between the toning and moisturizing steps in skincare. Often pricier than other products due to their potent effects, custom serums contain larger amounts of active molecules in salubrious ingredients such hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, and everyone’s favorite vitamin C to treat your skin straight from your problem areas quickly.
As much as generic serums can help to improve your complexion and overall skin health, we still believe in investing in custom ones to see more visible results. Picture this—you’re suffering from prominent dark spots at specific areas on your skin. Would you rather use a generic serum to solve this problem or invest in a brightening serum designed to reduce visible signs of pigmentation? The answer is (hopefully!) quite obvious.
Having said that, it is worth noting that everyone’s skin is uniquely different. Some of you may not even require the same amount of attention to your skin as others do. If you have normal or naturally clear skin, chances are you could get away with not using custom serums. Though, we do not recommend it!
So why are they necessary? Well, it’s because your skin is ever changing. The truth is that one skin type can have multiple skin concerns. Your skin concerns now may not be the same five years down the road, and because of this, custom serums are ideal products to counter this problem.
As we’ve discussed in our previous article about tachyphylaxis (you may want to read it to get a better idea of what tachyphylaxis is), if you feel like your skincare has ‘stopped working’, chances are your skin has evolved. The general serums you bought way back may not work for you over time due to your new skin, temperamental hormones, lifestyle habits, and external factors.
The beauty of using custom serums is that you’ll always have the option of swapping to a more targeted serum to treat your present skin concerns.
Fun fact—not all serums work the same way. Some require a more extended period of time to visibly show in your complexion, some function as preventive potions against future skin damage, and some show up straight away. Regardless, serums are reliable in their efficacy. It really just depends on whether your skin can take the strength of them or not.
There are ways to make your serums work more effectively, though, and that is to change your lifestyle and diet preferences. Your skincare products may also not work as well if you do not exfoliate or use SPF regularly to prevent damage to your skin. Like all skincare products, they need a clean canvas before they can work their magic.
Dr. Watanabe adds, “try to avoid oily, junk food like fried chicken, fried potatoes, and potato chips, and eat tons of fibre as it benefits your intestines and helps your skin.”
Besides eating well, maintaining your physical health via regular sleep and exercise is also crucial to skin health. Practices like changing your sheets regularly and wiping your phone clean before taking calls contribute to this too.
Serums function a little differently compared to your average toner, essence, ampoule, or moisturizer. And should you decide to invest in one, it will make up the most personalized part of your skincare regime.
Most people do question whether moisturizers are better than serums or vice versa, and honestly, they both have their merits. Moisturizers are made of a thicker consistency to create a physical barrier on top of your skin to lock in hydration.
On the other hand, serums act as a stronger version of your moisturizer and have the ability to retain moisture in your skin. Though, that is not to say that you can rely solely on just serums for optimal moisture on your face. You should still add moisturizers and facial oils to make the most of your skincare routine.
People also get confused as to whether serums are equal to toners, essence lotions, and ampoules. Well, the short answer is no. Though they may look the same, serums are way more concentrated in their active ingredients than the others.
Toners’ main function is to balance the pH balance of your skin as over-cleansing has the potential to throw it off its balance. They are essentially a neutralizer to prevent your skin from over-drying or producing excess oil post-wash. Additionally, they act as a secondary cleanser should you still have residual makeup left on your skin before moisturizing. Toners typically follow the cleansing stage of your skincare routine and are used daily.
Skincare connoisseurs everywhere know that toners often get confused with essences. And for a good reason too as essences are also used post-cleansing and pre-serum. Essences contain antioxidants and minerals to boost moisture and hydration for your skin to get that dewy or matte look we so often associate with Asian skincare. As compared to serums, essences and toners have a less viscous texture.
Ampoules, on the other hand, can be considered as serums 2.0. They are generally more potent than serums and function as booster shots to deliver active ingredients into your skin for a shorter period of time. One example of how you might go about using ampoules is by using them everyday for a week before a big event you have to look your best at. Think of it as a shot for instant beauty.
Many dermatologists suggest using your serums as a base for your thicker products like moisturizer, sunscreen, facial oils, and makeup. If you have sensitive skin, it is advisable to apply serums on top of a buffer layer instead of your skin, such as a toner or essence lotion.
Serums are not a must in your skincare routine. Think of them as highly recommended products to add to your regime due to their beneficial properties. We’d suggest you start using them once you’re in your twenties so that you can get a routine down by the time you really need them.
It’s always better to prevent skin damage than to repair them as it takes a lot more effort in the after-care stage. This is why serums are the perfect products to invest in. They help prevent skin concerns like discoloration, dehydration, and premature aging, amongst others.
That being said, if you do suffer from severe skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne, you cannot simply rely on just serums to treat them. Consulting a dermatologist for a medicated alternative is the wisest thing you can do for your skin.
If you haven’t already done so, make sure you double cleanse your skin pre-skincare. This is so that your leftover makeup residue and the dirt left on your skin from a long day is completely washed off before you start applying your skincare products.
First, use an oil-based cleanser to remove the more visible traces of makeup and accumulated oils on your face, and follow it up with a water-based or gel cleanser to hydrate and get rid of any impurities left on your skin.
Next up, replenish and lock in the moisture on your face with a hydrating toner. As mentioned above, toners balance the pH levels on your skin post-cleansing. They also work as a buffer layer to the thicker skincare products you will be layering over it.
Now, the most important part of your custom routine—serums! It is the only part of your routine that can effectively and efficiently target the specific skin concerns you may have. What custom serums you do choose should depend on your skin type and its concerns.
Last but not least, make sure you moisturize your skin! Did you know that the Japanese love their moisturizer? As it is their primary source of hydration, they tend to massage it onto their skin to stimulate their blood flow and allow the product to absorb more efficiently and effectively into their skin.
After this, proceed to apply your sunscreen and makeup (during the day), or facial oils (at night).
If you are interested in a more detailed guide as to how to achieve Japan’s ideal mochi skin using custom serums in your skincare routine, we have prepared another article that will teach you just that.
How often you use serums depends on two things—how powerful the active ingredients are and your skin type. Dr. Watanabe urges you to use them once or twice a day after cleansing and toning your skin as a rule of thumb.
If you are using a brightening or antioxidant serum, it’s best to use them in the morning as they help to protect your skin against environmental factors and free radicals caused by the sun and its UV rays.
Anti-aging serums, however, are best to use at night as they allow active ingredients to work in tandem with your body’s circadian rhythm (whilst you’re asleep) to repair your skin and its cell turnover rate.
Hydrating serums are our personal favorite as they can be applied twice a day to keep your skin constantly hydrated and moisturized. Think of them as more of a bonus serum to your everyday skincare routine.
As mentioned above, skincare works best when applied onto a clean canvas. Active ingredients will often stick to dirt and dead skin and amount to product waste. To ensure you get the bang of your buck, wash your face with lukewarm water, use a gentle cleanser for your skin type, and exfoliate your skin twice a week (no more, no less!).
Like most skincare products, it is advisable to apply serums on top of damp skin. This is because your skin is more permeable for optimal absorption when it is moist than dry. Needless to say, you should pair your serums with hydrating toners or essences for an added boost of hydration to fully optimize your skincare routine.
And this applies to your entire skincare regimen as well. As your serums are heavily concentrated with actives, it would be a waste to use too much at once. There’s a reason as to why they are so often packed in such small quantities! Simply spread a small drop of serum onto your skin, and you’re good to go!
We get it; it’s hard to resist pretty-looking skincare products. But are you willing to risk exposing your skin to harsh chemicals for the sake of this? We doubt so! When choosing a serum to invest in, make sure you look for one that is free from toxic skincare ingredients, is fragrance-free, and coloring-free, as they do more harm than good to your skin. If you want to go fully clean, make sure they’re vegan and cruelty-free as well!
This goes for all of the products you use in your routine as well. For your serums to work exceptionally well, give them time to fully absorb into your skin before layering your eye cream, moisturizer, facial oil, and whatever else on top of it. Serums do take a shorter amount of time than other products to absorb into your skin, so no worries there!
We know most of you (us included) do this, but avoid storing your skincare supplies in your hot and steamy bathroom. Yes, it is the most convenient place to keep them as you can retrieve them straight after your shower, but your bathroom is, unfortunately, a haven for bacteria (thank the steam from your hot showers!).
Where to store your serums depends on what ingredients are present within them. Vitamin C and retinoids, for example, are heat and light-sensitive, meaning that they will oxidise faster if stored in less than ideal conditions. Why do you think they’re packaged in dark-colored bottles?
We recommend placing these babies in a cute little skincare fridge to extend their shelf life. Serums containing organic or natural active ingredients should also be stored in the fridge as they tend to not have as many preservatives that make them last longer.
Serums that can be stored at room temperature include oil-based serums. If you were to store oil-based serums in the fridge, chances are they’ll end up becoming cloudy and be rendered useless once the oil and water ingredients separate. Essentially, it is best to avoid leaving your serums in direct sunlight or in your bathroom. A cool, dry place is where it’s at!
We’ve come to the most crucial section of the guide—how to personalize your custom serums. As each type of custom serum is known for the active ingredients unique to their functions, it is important to know what each ingredient does for the benefit of your skin.
If you’ve been using serums for a while now, chances are you probably already have a favorite. But if you’re new to the world of serums, allow us to help you find yours.
Think of HAs as hydrators. This trusty ingredient specializes in replenishing moisture to dry and dehydrated skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles in aging skin, replenishing cell turnover, and speeding up wound healing in all skin types.
HAs are one of skincare’s holy grails as they can absorb up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. Safe for all skin types, this hydrator can be applied twice a day via serum and can be combined with vitamin C, vitamin B5, and glycolic acid for optimal results. However, if you have rosacea or eczema, it is advised to patch test HAs before using them to avoid chances of skin irritation.
Presenting your go-to ingredient for a radiant complexion. This antioxidant reduces hyperpigmentation, evens out your skin tone, protects your skin from free radicals, reduces wrinkles, prevents sun damage, protects and boosts collagen production, and aids wound healing.
Dr. Watanabe recommends using vitamin C daily or every other day, depending on how much your skin needs it. You can also combine it with vitamin E and ferulic acid for better results on your skin. If you’re someone who suffers from sensitive skin or oily skin, try your best to avoid using vitamin C as it can be problematic for your skin.
By far one of the most popular ingredients (a cult favorite!) in the skincare industry, retinol is used to primarily treat acne, fine lines and wrinkles, photoaging, textured skin, melasma, hyperpigmentation, and large pores.
Often regarded as an exfoliant, retinol can be used once a day or once every few days, depending on your skin type. If you suffer from acne-prone or aging skin, this ingredient will be your savior to give your plump skin. Try to avoid using it if you have sensitive skin, though, as it does have the ability to irritate your skin.
If you’re not one for harsh acids, this is not the ingredient for you. AHAs are an acid or chemical exfoliant that exfoliates and brightens your skin, as well as promotes collagen production, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, promotes blood flow to your skin, treats and prevents acne, and corrects skin discoloration.
Most skin types can take AHAs, and many see visible results by using them. You can pair it with hydrating ingredients for better results as well. Dr. Watanabe recommends working up to using AHAs, starting with using it once or twice a week before increasing the frequency of use.
Nicknamed the secret to glowing skin, niacinamide is a brightening ingredient that prevents signs of aging, targets redness and hyperpigmentation, and reduces acne and large pores. Often used twice daily, this vitamin can be combined with other stable and powerful antioxidants for more visible results.
Dr. Watanabe notes that too much niacinamide has the potential to be irritating to the skin if used in high concentrations, so do keep that in mind before you proceed to use it. Like AHAs, you can work your way up to using it.
If you’re one for preventive skincare, vitamin E will be your best friend. This antioxidant protects your skin’s lipid barrier, keeps your skin moist, prolongs cell life, heals your skin from burns and wounds, soothes skin, and protects it against sun damage.
Recommended for people with dry skin, this ingredient works well with vitamin C and ferulic acid to lock in moisture to your skin. However, Dr. Watanabe does not advise using this if you suffer from sensitive skin.
At this point of the article, you must be wondering what serums best suit your skin concerns. Dr. Watanabe strongly advises, “when it comes to choosing a serum, it’s best to look at the ingredients and properties before purchasing.”
Custom serums usually fall into seven categories—anti-aging, skin brightening, hydrating, free-radical fighting, acne-prone, sensitive, and reparative serums.
You guessed it! This youth elixir improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to firm and retighten your skin while actively stimulating collagen production. It doesn’t matter what age you are; anyone can use anti-aging serums. It is, of course, best to start early so that you can prevent signs of aging at a younger age.
Dr. Watanabe also emphasizes the importance of using moisturizer and sunscreen daily to prevent rapid photoaging. You have no idea how much sun damage plays into this! Additionally, you can use retinol in moderation and avoid using drying alcohols to look like you’re aging backwards. Forever young, baby!
Illuminate your skin with a brightening serum (and no, do not mistake this as a skin whitening product!). With it, you can reduce visible signs of pigmentation (bye-bye dark spots) and suppress overactive melanin production for a luminescent and even complexion.
Look for antioxidants like green tea, yuzu, and alpha-arbutin should you wish to try one. It is also worth noting that your diet plays a part in your overall skin radiance as well.
It’s always good to have a hydrating serum at hand for daily use, no matter what your skin type may be. This refreshing bottle of goodness will replenish the moisture in your skin to give you the plump and dewy complexion you often see on Asian women.
If you suffer from dry or dehydrated skin, Dr. Watanabe advises using clean-based cleansers and serums that contain hyaluronic acid and ceramide for optimal hydration. Try your best to avoid using drying alcohols as well as they can be detrimental to your already dry skin.
Protect your skin from free radicals, stress, UV damage, and environmental attacks with an excellent antioxidant serum. If you feel the tiring effects of well… life, this serum is the one for you. Not only does it protect your skin against aggressors, it also depuffs your eye bags and reduces the appearance of your dark eye circles.
Investing in an antioxidant serum gets you one step closer to more resilient skin. Perfect for all skin types!
Before we go into this, be aware that anti-blemish serums do not treat acne, but rather tend to the prevention and after-care of acne breakouts. If you suffer from bad acne, you should consult a dermatologist for a medicated treatment instead.
Anti-blemish serums tend to contain vitamin C and A to target overactive sebum, calm and heal irritated skin, protect your skin against future breakouts. Dr. Watanabe proposes using an oil-based cleanser if you have oily and acne-prone skin, and a mild milk or clean-based cleanser if you have dry and acne-prone skin before layering the serum on top.
Call them skin therapy in a bottle. If you suffer from sensitive skin, soothing serums are the way to go. This gentle oasis is specially made to heal and hydrate sensitive skin and calm dry and inflamed skin.
It is perfect for all skin types, but works especially well if you suffer from redness or are exposed to the sun on a daily basis.
Lastly, we have our repair and renewal serums (our favorite!). This is a great serum to own regardless of your skin type as it protects your skin from free radicals and future damage.
It also activates your skin’s resurfacing and repairing process to exfoliate, restore, and strengthen dull skin to its vibrant and luminous state. Why wait to get glowy skin when this serum does it for you?
At IREN Shizen, we specialize in formulating scientifically-clean, vegan, and cruelty-free custom serums. With the expertise of Dr. Watanabe, our very own all-female R&D team, and years of scientific research, we have concocted top quality serums you can trust.
We are the first Japanese skincare brand to blacklist over 2000 ingredients that are toxic, comedogenic, or allergenic, such as SLS/SLES, parabens, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, phthalates, triclosan, drying alcohols, and artificial fragrances.
We have also invented our very own Biyusen™ Encapsulation Technology that compacts each active ingredient into nanometric (particles that are even smaller than our pores!) molecules to carry out better penetration of serums into your skin.
On top of that, our serums are deliberately formulated to allow you to mix up to three at a go for a more personalized skincare routine. What are you waiting for? Find your skincare trio today!
If you are unaware of your skin type and the kind of serum you may need, feel free to take our skin quiz designed by Dr. Watanabe and our R&D team for a virtual consultation.
]]>Ask skincare aficionados how they feel about the use of silicone (R2SiO)n) in skincare products, and we can guarantee you’ll get mixed reactions.
With the lack of scientific evidence to back up claims and new myths added over time, it’s no wonder people are skeptical about using this synthetic in their products.
In this article, we will deconstruct the stereotypes behind silicones to let you formulate your own opinions about the skincare ingredient.
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So how exactly did this notorious polymer get its reputation? Let’s go back to the start. In short, silicones are a synthetic “breathable film” derived from silica (its natural form). Just think of it as a magical coating of commonly found components in your skincare and cosmetic products if it makes it easier.
These polymers provide different functions depending on the type of silicones they are and their molecular weight and structure. The range of their purpose is endless!
Some can provide an emollient effect, while others form a water-resistant film or improve the product’s spreadability. Some also work as carrier fluids to transport ingredients onto the skin and leave behind a light, non-greasy feel.
Ultimately, silicones have been widely used in cosmetics since their involvement in the beauty industry. They generally provide a smooth feel and matte appearance, an even distribution of color, are water and rub resistant, spreadable, and sit comfortably light on your skin. They are also non-irritating and non-comedogenic, good for wound and scar healing, and cheap to produce.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
You can find silicone in a variety of cosmetic beauty products, some being:
Silicone also goes by many names, making it hard to identify when scanning the ingredients list of your favorite . If it helps, some of its alter-egos you can look out for include:
Despite its benefits, many people still opt against using silicone in skincare and . And we can understand why; once you garner a bad reputation, it’s hard to recover from it.
The skincare community argues that the does not have any actual benefits and are very much filler ingredients that are harder to wash off and clog your pores. They also claim that silicones cause acne, mess with product layering, and are not eco-friendly.
But let’s take a look at science and see if we can dispute any of these claims, shall we?
We think this statement is true to a certain extent. Silicones do provide some benefits, but mostly at a surface level.
As we’ve mentioned above, silicones are spreadable, water and rub resistant, and provide a light, non-greasy feel on your skin. But other than that, these polymers don’t really provide any long-term advantages to you—what a shame.
This is unfortunately true. Silicones are categorized as inactive ingredients that are mostly used in and as fluff (ugh!). They honestly don’t do much for you and are not necessary to have in your skincare routine.
This is also true. As silicones are built to repel water, -based tend to be harder to rinse off.
Dimethicone, in particular, is especially heavy on the skin and leaves a residue that will take extra effort in rinsing off. It also seems that most of the time, oil cleansers or double cleansing are necessary for completely removing silicones off your skin. It seems like a nightmare if you’re always in a rush!
Not entirely. Silicones do not particularly cause , but if you were to neglect your proper cleansing rituals, there is a chance that this may happen.
And this does not just apply for silicones, but for other ingredients as well—which is why cleansing is such an essential step in your skincare routine. Yes, this is us telling you to invest in a good cleanser as well.
This is not entirely true, as studies have shown that silicones haven’t been proven to worsen acne.
However, they still act as a barrier that traps oil, dirt, and dead skin cells that could potentially trigger breakouts if not taken care of. It honestly depends on your .
If you don’t suffer from acne-prone skin or are not usually prone to getting breakouts, though, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
After looking at the facts, we found this claim to be true—which is unfortunate as most of us tend to incorporate layering into our skincare routines.
If you were to use -based , they will sit on the surface of your skin and create a protective film to prevent anything else from penetrating it afterward. Thus, rendering your entire skincare regime useless (defeats the point of it in the first place!).
However, one way to counter this is to use a silicone-based product in the last step of your routine. That way, everything you’ve already layered so far will be trapped underneath it and protected.
This is 100% true as silicones are bioaccumulative substances.
What this means is that once you wash the polymers off your face or hair, its residue will contribute to the gradual accumulation of sludge in our waterways and pollute our water for years to come. And isn’t it about time we moved towards more sustainable skincare practices?
From what we’ve gathered, it would seem that silicones aren’t all too good for us. There are definitely some truths to the skincare community’s perception of the polymer.
However, there is still a lack of scientific evidence to prove that silicone is detrimental to our skin health. As for now, most of its cons involve surface-level effects. They are not as bad as triclosan, for example, in terms of them having adverse health effects like cancer. Because of this, it is not a must to eliminate silicones from your skincare routine, unless you have .
At the end of the day, silicones are hypoallergenic and safe ingredients that mostly affect people with sensitive and acne-prone skin. Everyone’s skin is different, and what works for you may not work for someone else, so it’s really up to you whether or not you want to continue using it.
It’s always best to avoid using controversial ingredients. Because your skin is so precious, it is definitely worth investing in products that you know are 100% safe.
There are also alternatives to the many skincare ingredients in the market. As for silicone, you can find substitutes in marine-based products and essential oils.
As the most notable effect of silicone is the smooth feel you get on your skin once applied, we can guarantee that there are other products in the industry that can provide the same feeling. A few drops of serums or oil (rosehip especially) to your foundation, for example, can also improve the spreadability and hydration it provides.
Additionally, silicones don’t provide significant benefits to your skin, and we don’t think it’s worth taking the risk. They are also not eco-friendly, which is simply not the vibe now that everything is headed towards sustainable consumerism. Ultimately, we feel that silicone-free brands (like us) are still your best bet in eliminating this polymer from your life.
Want to find out about IREN Shizen's 7 no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
You’ve seen mineral oil in your run-of-the-mill personal care products over the years, but are you aware of their reputation within the skincare community? If you’re not, allow us to enlighten you.
Mineral oils’ primary cause of concern is that they are a derivative of petroleum—an ingredient that is notorious for clogging pores (every skincare enthusiast’s worst nightmare). But does this contribute to the side effects of mineral oil, and are any of the claims around it simply fabricated? Let’s find out!
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In a nutshell, mineral oils are a distillation of highly refined and purified petroleum. As a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, they function as emollients in skincare—with their low volatility and colorless and odorless properties.
They are an occlusive ingredient, meaning that they provide a protective layer (sort of like a seal) on top of your stratum corneum to lock in moisture, prevent trans-epidermis water loss (TEWL), and prevent pollutants from penetrating it.
Besides being moisturizing, they are also known for their healing properties and are used in famous personal care products like Vaseline and baby oil. They are also chemically stable and are unlikely to spoil due to their low sensitivity to external factors like climate, making them beneficial for people with dry skin living in cold countries, as they are cheap, lightweight, and moisturizing.
Sounds pretty great so far, huh!
Have you ever wondered why mineral oils are still used so often in skincare despite the controversy behind them? We’ll give you a hint: it has to do with time. If you guessed that they provide longer shelf life for products, congrats because you’re absolutely right!
Skincare products and cosmetics that contain mineral oil include:
Concentrations of mineral oils range from 1% to 99%, depending on what they are used for in cosmetics. Of course, the higher the concentration, the riskier they are for your skin.
One thing to note, though—if you plan on browsing through the ingredients on a product and can’t seem to find the term ‘mineral oils’ on it, you might want to look out for their alter-egos:
Like silicones, mineral oils have caused quite a stir amongst the skincare community—making skincare users everywhere question the safety of the ingredient itself.
Mineral oils have essentially become the talk around the town, with claims that they clog pores, trigger acne flare-ups, dry out the skin, hinder absorption, damage your skin barrier, and are ultimately unsafe for the skin.
But are these claims legitimate, and can we attempt to debunk any of them? Let’s look to science to find out.
This is true to a certain extent. On paper, mineral oil is non-comedogenic, which means that they are not pore-clogging. Although this is so, the way mineral oils are used can factor into the eventual clogging of pores.
For example, mineral oils may be contaminated with toxins, and the quality of mineral oil used in the products often cannot be determined. They also can lead to clogged pores by restricting the renewal of your skin cells and trapping your dead cells under their protective layer.
This claim is also valid to a certain extent, and it’s partly caused by mineral oils’ ability to clog pores. When your pores are clogged, the higher the likelihood of blackheads, whiteheads, and acne.
And this is especially so for people who suffer from oily or acne-prone skin as mineral oil traps excess oils inside pores and contribute to inflammation.
False. Mineral oils are actually a fantastic ingredient for moisturizing and hydrating your skin. First of all, mineral oils are inert and stable compounds that are unlikely to cause skin reactions, making them ideal for sensitive skin.
They are also occlusive, making it hard for water to leave your skin, and can maintain the moisture you already have. Fun fact, mineral oils work best when applied on damp or wet skin (essentially—after showers).
This is true. Mineral oils have a larger molecular size that does not allow them to penetrate your skin. Instead, they rest on its surface as a protective barrier to prevent moisture loss. This can be seen as both a pro and con, depending on who is using it.
If you’re someone who has dry skin and is living in cold, harsh climates, mineral oils keep your skin moisturized and protected from the elements. However, if you’re someone who is already suffering from oily or acne-prone skin, mineral oils only add to the unwanted shine you have and trap excess oil inside your pores, leading to inflammation.
This is unfortunately true. Because of their occlusivity, mineral oils suffocate and disrupt your natural skin barrier. This can throw off your skin’s pH balance as well, worsening your skin health, trigger acne, and form dry patches.
This is false. Mineral oils have been proven safe for use as a cosmetic ingredient as long as they stick to the current concentrations of use, with no known health risks towards humans.
It is also worth noting that the mineral oils used in cosmetics are much more refined and purified than the crude oils used in the automotive, railroad, and aviation industries. On top of that, no restrictions have been set in place by governmental agencies to limit mineral oils in skincare as well.
To summarize what we’ve learned so far, mineral oil is generally safe for human health, and there are no known significant repercussions if used. All things considered, mineral oils still have their setbacks, and we feel like it’d still be best to avoid using them on your skin if possible. Better be safe than sorry, you know?
Mineral oils ultimately do not provide any benefits to the skin other than the prevention of water loss. They also mainly benefit one skin type (dry skin) and are not too great for the others. The truth is, there are many other products (like ours!) out there that can do the same thing without jeopardizing your skin—some examples being shea butter and coconut oil, among others.
It is imperative to know the right way to use mineral oil; we can’t stress this enough! When choosing the ideal moisturizer for your skin, you have to test the way it sets into your skin. You should test how your skin feels about five minutes after applying it. If you can still feel any excess product on your skin, this could mean that your moisturizer is too rich for you.
Additionally, you should apply mineral oil a few minutes after you take your daily shower. Your damp skin will help mineral oils lock in moisture and prevent your skin from drying out. Also, make sure you apply the mineral oil at the last step of your routine to seal everything in!
To reiterate, we only recommend mineral oil if you suffer from dry or sensitive skin as they help keep your skin moisturized and protected from harsh elements. You should absolutely avoid it if you have acne-prone or oily skin, however, as they tend only to make your skin concerns worse. All in all, only you know what’s best for your skin!
Want to find out about IREN Shizen's 7 no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
If we had a dollar for every time we heard the phrase “parabens are bad for you,” we’d be millionaires by now. And honestly? We wish it were that simple; parabens remain one of the most heavily debated topics amongst skincare enthusiasts and experts alike.
So why exactly do we find it hard to make up our minds about this preservative, and why have we, as a skincare brand, chosen to opt against it in our formulations? Read on to find out.
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Since the 1920s, parabens have functioned as common artificial preservatives in personal care products to prevent and reduce bacteria’s growth and mold and prolong your favorite beauty products’ shelf life.
If you’re wondering why beauty brands favor parabens in their products, wonder no more. It’s all due to its resistance against hydrolysis and thermal stability, which essentially means that brands can use them in multiple cosmetic tests without the preservatives spoiling fast.
Getting into the details, the most common parabens found in your cosmetics consist of four esters—methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. These preservatives are efficacious, odorless, colorless, inexpensive and biodegradable, and are often used to combine with other ingredients at minimal concentrations for better efficacy.
Seems too good to be true? Perhaps. But we’ll go more into detail about that later on in the article.
Parabens can be found in various personal care products, making it easy for consumers like you to be exposed to it over time. Specifically, they can be found in 99% of leave-on products and 77% of rinse-off products.
Statistics show that adolescent girls who wear makeup every day have 20 times the propylparaben levels (the most popular form of paraben in cosmetics) in their urine compared to those who do not.
Cosmetics that contain parabens include:
Types of parabens found in cosmetics:
So what’s the big deal, you ask?
Despite its benefits, the preservative has garnered itself a bad reputation. But does it deserve it? Let’s discuss.
Firstly, the basis of the discourse originated from research suggesting that parabens alter or disrupt our biological systems and break down our skin once exposed to it, leading to potential health problems. True enough, this is bad, but have we taken into account the context as to how parabens are used in cosmetics? Perhaps not.
After studying the relevant literature needed to take a stand on parabens, we can argue that parabens have harmful effects if used in large amounts with high exposure. But before we get into that, let’s flesh out the details, shall we?
The presence of the preservative has already and will probably continue to compromise our bodies due to the familiar presence of parabens in our cosmetics. They do this by following a path through our bodies—via absorption, metabolization, and excretion in our urine and bile.
Parabens pose the risk of three primary health effects—endocrine disruption and reproductive harm, risk of cancer, and skin irritation. They can act like the estrogen in your body and interfere with the production of your hormones, affecting your reproductive system’s development, functions, and fertility outcomes.
Harvard studies have shown that decreased fertility and menstrual cycle length is associated with urinary propylparaben and butylparaben. The presence of butylparaben is also related to the odds of having premature births and reduced birth weight.
Due to their part in estrogen disruption, there are fears of parabens being linked to breast cancer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disclosed that parabens have indeed been found in breast tissue (18 of 20 tumor samples contained small amounts of parabens) but have yet to be a proven cause of breast cancer or any other disease due to the lack of depth of the study conducted. However, it is worth mentioning that low doses of butylparaben work together with other cellular receptors to develop cancer genes and increase the growth of breast cancer cells.
Additionally, exposure to parabens can cause your skin to become sensitized and irritated. Regarding their potential to sensitize your skin, the statistics are as follows—between 0.5 and 1% in Europe, and 0.6 and 1.4% in the US. Although this can be different for everyone as your exposure to parabens over the years and your skin type, in general, will determine just the potential of sensitization by parabens.
With that in mind, let’s examine the context of what we’ve gathered about parabens so far. One common misconception we get is that our skin completely absorbs anything we apply to it.
We hate to be the ones to break your bubble, but that’s not entirely true.
Most ingredients applied remain within your skin’s uppermost layers and shield your body from external radicals such as the sun, environment, and even other products you use on your skin. Therefore, the chances of a large concentration of parabens penetrating and ‘attacking’ your body are unlikely.
Next up, researchers who study parabens test high concentrations of parabens (up to 100%), which is why test results are more skewed towards the unfavorable. Obviously, too much of a good thing can end up being harmful. To put things into perspective, cosmetics typically use less than 1% of parabens in their formulations to preserve products, which is not enough to put you at risk of anything drastic.
Parabens are also classified as one of the least-sensitizing and safest preservatives available in the market and shockingly less sensitizing than the preservatives used in paraben-free cosmetics.
As for the claims of parabens causing estrogenic disruption, there hasn’t been enough literature to back them up. Even though this is so, bans on longer-chain parabens, such as isopropylparaben, isobutyl-, phenyl-, benzyl- and pentylparaben have been imposed. On top of that, the effects of estrogen from women’s ovaries and hormones from birth control or hormone therapy are more potent than that of parabens.
Retailers have the responsibility to disclose the use of parabens on their ingredients list for the sake of transparency amongst their consumers like you. Many retailers have already reduced or eliminated parabens from their products to match the industry’s expectations.
The government, specifically the EU, ASEAN, and Japan, has restricted propyl- and butylparaben in personal care products. In the US, however, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) state that parabens do not need approval from the FDA before retailing. However, parabens need to be stated clearly on the packaging and advertising of the product.
If you want to play it safe and avoid parabens altogether, check the labels of your skincare products and opt for paraben-free products. Many skincare brands (like us) have gone paraben-free, and you’re bound to find one you like.
Be on the lookout for paraben-free preservatives such as:
Alternatively, if you still want to continue using parabens in your skincare routine, there’s nothing wrong with that. Let’s not forget that parabens are safe when used in moderation. One tip from us? Balance out your skincare routine with products that use parabens and paraben-free ones, and you’re good to go!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
There seems to be a never-ending debate as to whether or not you should continue investing in fragranced skincare. On the one hand, fragrances are responsible for making you smell good daily (always a plus point!), but on the other hand, is it really worth the prolonged sensitization of your skin? We think not!
Read on as we spill the tea on this harmful ingredient and disclose why we refuse to use it in our products.
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You’ve probably been exposed to fragranced products growing up (cue flashback of us freshening up after gym classes) and are probably still investing in some now. But did you know that fragrances have links to psychology and human emotions?
According to experts, odors can affect psychological function, from the way we perceive things to the way we feel and behave. Two fascinating examples of this? Sweet aromas or fragrances increase pain tolerance, and ordinary detergent perfume invokes spontaneous urges to clean. Wild, isn’t it?
Because of this, fragrances have made a global impact on the way people rely on them. The industry remains considerably large, with sales rising from $12.9 billion to $22 billion from 1999 to 2010. They’re also an important factor in customer buying decisions; customers rank scented products as one of the top five decision making factors for personal care. Thus, affecting the formulation processes for beauty brands.
The word ‘fragrance’ functions as an umbrella term to conceal five to 500 undisclosed compounds within it. This means that there may be more than meets the eye when it comes to the kind of ingredients you’re putting on your face! A report by the National Academy of Sciences also found that a whopping 95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic petrochemicals derived from petroleum. Yeah, you heard us!
Fragrances typically come in three categories—natural, naturally derived, and synthetic. And before you go on to say, “but aren’t natural fragrances good for you?” Hear us out. There is a common misconception that natural ingredients and fragrances are non-allergenic, but that’s simply not the case. In fact, some of the most potent come from nature!
Let’s break it down. Extracted from essential oils and aromatic materials obtained directly from nature, natural fragrances contain a mixture of compounds isolated by distillation and extraction without chemical modifications. Naturally derived fragrances are a tad different, produced with the additional chemical reactions of natural fragrances. Au contraire, synthetic fragrances (the most popular form of perfumery today) tend to derive from petroleum and include chemicals such as benzene derivatives and aldehydes.
As expected, fragrances play a significant role in that of personal care products. Here’s a ballpark figure to help you visualize it better—out of 276 moisturizers analyzed, fragrances were found in 67.7% of them, making it the most common allergen. Natural fragrances (like essential oils) were also found in 44.6% of them.
Fragrances can often be found in:
If you can’t find it listed on your ingredients list, you might want to try one of its alter-egos instead:
As good as they smell, these perfumed concoctions can create chaos in their wake, especially for those of you with skin on the sensitive side (rosacea, eczema, you know—the works). Along with preservatives, fragrances are one of the leading causes of contact allergies and allergic contact dermatitis on skin, leading to over 5.7 million physician visits every year to treat it.
If you think about it, the figures don’t sound out of the ordinary. We’ve been exposed to fragrances throughout our lives and use these scented products often as well. Any harmful chemical could enter our bodies via deposition on the surface of our skin, inhalation, or long-term dermal exposure. Statistically, more than 20% of work-related allergic contact dermatitis incidents were attributed to fragrances.
Additionally, there are plenty of unlisted chemicals mixed within common fragranced products, with a quarter of them linked to cancer and respiratory, developmental, and reproductive problems. Out of all the possible health effects of fragrances, two stand out—skin irritation and skin allergens.
Skin irritation caused by fragrances sees skin flare-ups, redness, itchiness, and occasional hives. People suffering from dry skin are more susceptible to more extreme irritations than those with other skin types.
Skin allergens refer to the sensitization of skin. One in 50 people may be sensitized to fragrances, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including rashes, redness, asthma, or anaphylactic shock. The scariest part? Once you’re sensitized, you will probably remain so for the rest of your life.
Besides skin irritation and allergies, fragrances can have other adverse health effects such as:
Fragrances are mostly regulated through ingredient labeling. In Europe, the European Cosmetics Directive was implemented to safeguard public health and introduce mandatory labeling for consumers and dermatologists to trace potential allergens in scented products. More recently, the Cosmetics Directive has implemented labeling for 26 fragrance ingredients in cosmetics if their concentrations exceed either 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off products.
In the United States, however, brands get away with using fragrances scot-free. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows companies to sell these on shelves without disclosing what exactly is in the mix. This, coupled with the fact that fragrances already contain many other compounds, guarantees that we’ll never know what exactly goes into our skin. For all we know, we could be applying synthetics, preservatives, or allergens that can unintentionally worsen our skin conditions.
With something so ingrained in our lives, how is it possible to totally rid ourselves of fragrances? It won’t be easy, but once you go fragrance-free, you won’t go back. Plus, your skin will thank you.
We’d like to bring up first and foremost the perception of ‘unscented’ products. Fun fact, unscented products do not mean they’re fragrance-free. They often contain masking fragrances used to produce a neutral scent to conceal the smell of odorous raw materials. Feel thrown off? Don’t worry; we were too when we found out.
The best alternative to fragrances is most definitely fragrance-free products. Such products often contain natural ingredients that give off a pleasant scent and cause no irritations whatsoever. These ingredients include melon, vanilla, cucumber, shea butter, almond, and many more.
Like regular skincare products, fragrance-free products work exactly the same and provide the same efficacy without the repercussions. All you have to do is do your research and actively look out for brands that offer such alternatives.
We, at IREN Shizen, are proud to be one of the brands partaking in fragrance-free skincare. We only wish to treat your skin right and thus, have rid our products of any harmful fragrances that could potentially harm it.
If you have eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, or just sensitive skin in general (we say this in your best interest), avoid, avoid, avoid! Your condition may get worse, which means itching, bumps, and increased skin sensitivity.
For those of you with darker skin types, it’s time for you to stop using fragrances too! You might have to deal with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or scarring that may take ages to fade.
Or even if you have normal skin, fragrance-free is the way to go for healthy skin in the future.
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
You may already be familiar with the discourse surrounding animal testing in the cosmetic industry. But in light of World Animal Day, we figure it's time we shed light on one particular animal that’s dear to our hearts; rabbits.
It’s an open secret that rabbits have a notoriously bad relationship with cosmetic testing; to evaluate skin irritation. But before we dig deeper, we’ll give you the 4-1-1 of the ugly truth behind the beauty industry.
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Unfortunately, animal testing has become such a norm within the industry. Some may not even bat an eye whenever the topic comes up.
Although there is now an expectation of sustainability and social justice for beauty corporations, a large handful of consumers still do not actively consider the ethics behind the veiled actions of some brands.
Significant literature proves that consumers’ buying behavior hasn’t changed significantly amongst young adults (between 25 to 34 years of age). And a study conducted by Prasanna Rudrabhatla’s IUP Journal of Marketing Management proves this.
A majority of their respondents within the age group (46 to 66%) admitted that they are more inclined to support exclusive brands that have attractive packaging, contain the right ingredients, and provide promised benefits.
Interestingly enough, New York Times’ Rachel Strugatz reveals that consumers under the age of 25 are the ones responsible for ethical products’ demand. She found that Gen Z-ers “care a lot about seeing what’s happening behind the scenes” and value transparency from the brands they are contemplating supporting.
Be it as it may, the violation of animals is still occurring for the sake of our vanity. One would think our progressive world would see the end of such barbaric cruelty. Clearly, that is not the case.
Now you may ask, why do we consider such acts barbaric?
For one thing, ProCon.org dates the experimentation of animals for the sake of human curiosity back to circa 500 BC. With current advancements in technology, why should we, as a society, still feel the need to rely on such cruel ways for the development of products?
A point most overlooked is how animal testing has been around since the dark ages. F. Barbara Orlans’ book ‘In the Name of Science: Issues in Responsible Animal Experimentation’ infers that 60% of laboratory animals are used to evaluate product safety.
Humane Society International estimated that a whopping 100,000 to 200,000 animals suffer and die every year by cosmetic testing. She also states: “different species (of animals) can respond differently when exposed to the same chemicals” used in experiments.
With such inconsistencies, who’s to say testing on animals would be as useful in determining probable reactions?
What comes to mind when you think of rabbits? To us, they may be friendly little creatures who double as pets. But to some, they are, regrettably, ‘guinea pigs’ condemned to be exploited for the sake of capitalism and vanity.
To summarize Human Society International’s article on precisely how mistreated they are; scientists often house rabbits in small, wire cages with artificial lighting and noise. Being the overly-sensitive creatures that they are, rabbits tend to self-mutilate to treat the anxiety caused by their environment.
When it comes down to lab testing, common ones, like the Draize test, include restraining rabbits for harsh chemicals to be dripped into their eye or applied onto their shaved skin.
It is not uncommon for rabbits to feel extreme discomfort from the substances used. They can experience eye irritation, swelling, ulceration, blindness, and even cracking and bleeding of the skin.
It truly begs the question; is cruelty really worth vanity?
Thankfully, there are substitutes for such inhumane testing. The most crucial thing for companies to consider is the validation of said secondary methods of experimentation.
As Vinardell and Mitjans elaborate in their journal ‘Alternative Methods for Eye and Skin Irritation Tests: An Overview;’ it is necessary for these approaches to prove that they can “provide at least an equivalent level of protection to that obtained with current methods.”
Essentially, beauty companies first have to assess their current procedures’ abilities and relevance in order to recreate it in an unethical manner.
More and more cosmetic companies are looking into investing in ethical production, which includes going cruelty-free. Though that is not the case for all, it is good that the world seems to be progressing past the need for animal testing. This does not come cheap, however, as alternative testing equals higher production costs.
Some alternative methods include conducting vitro testing — cellular tests done inside a test tube, and utilizing artificial human skin. As synthetic human skin is still relatively new and continuously evolving, there is not much evidence to conclude its effectiveness.
Existing literature describes this skin as “artificial skin models (that) come from normal human skin cells.” They are “cultured in specialized media to form a three-dimensional reconstruction of the real thing.”
We're sure with how fast technology's growing, such alternative methods will be further put in place in the coming years.
Source: Utopia
At IREN Shizen, we practice what we preach. Internationally certified as cruelty-free under the Leaping Bunny Program, we believe that animal testing is an archaic violation of animal rights that should be banned.
We pride ourselves on using our in-house means of testing our products. As a clean beauty brand, we look to our own research and development team’s expertise to create skincare products of quality for our customers.
We promise you happy skin. And that includes having a happy, cruelty-free production process as well.
As for today, let’s give it up for the animals that share Mother Earth with us. Just remember, a small step towards going cruelty-free goes a long way.
Let’s be kind to our furry friends and work together to make this world a better place for everyone.
]]>Artificial synthetic colours are what give your day-to-day products a pop of colour. They are more common than you think, and can be found in your favourite drink or that new moisturizer you just bought.
Artificial colourants are synthetic additives combined to make a single colour. One colour can have up to 50 synthetic colours mixed together. These additives are derived from coal tar, petroleum, and heavy metal salts like arsenic. When applied topically, this toxic ingredient can lead to skin irritation, clogged pores, and breakouts.
Some artificial colourants are more harmful than others. Studies have shown that the most commonly used dyes are unsafe for the skin. They are classified as allergens, irritants, and carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents. Some also contain impurities like acetate, which is toxic to the nervous system.
Besides the health risks of artificial synthetic colours, they can also pose dangers to the skin.
Artificial colourants are allergenic and sensitizing, which can leave the skin red. Depending on your skin sensitivity, it can even cause severe reactions, such as rashes or inflamed skin.
As a result, it is always recommended to do a patch test with an unfamiliar product. Place a small amount of product where you are most prone to irritation, such as your nose or chin, once for three days. If it seems to itch, turn red, or react severely, the product might contain synthetic artificial colours.
Artificial colourants can block your pores and throw off your skin’s natural oil balance. For instance, the colourant with the label D&C, specifically D&C Red #9 and D&C Red #40, is derived from coal tar and tested to be acne-causing pigments. If you are looking to curb your breakouts, we suggest you stay away from this ingredient.
Applying artificial colourants can increase the risk of your body absorbing harmful contaminants like lead and arsenic. Despite the limits set on how much synthetic additives a product should contain, you will never know how susceptible your body is to these chemicals, no matter the amount.
Pay close attention to your skincare labels. Manufacturers are required to list the dyes used on their packaging. While some will not list out the individual chemicals used, you can usually look out for words like “colourant” or these terms:
Alternatively, you can weave the IREN Shizen Superfruit Booster Customized Serums into your skincare routine.
At IREN Shizen, we blacklist over 2,000 ingredients that are either proven to be toxic, allergenic or comedogenic. We classify the top seven most toxic ingredients into the Seven Big No-Nos, and this includes artificial synthetic colours.
You will never find synthetic additives in any of our products. In fact, we only use Japanese tried-and-tested ingredients and combine them with scientifically-proven actives. We strictly use scientific grounds to determine whether an ingredient gets banned or included in our products.
Achieve a happy and worry-free routine with the IREN Shizen serums!
]]>Come on; we know you’re no stranger to ethical consumerism. Y’know—that whole practice of activism where you shop sustainably and boycott fashion brands (ahem, Dolls Kill) that exploit workers, test on animals, or harm the environment? Yeah, that.
With how socially-conscious society has become, it’s no surprise that the trend is gravitating towards the beauty industry. Enough with the greenwashing, we say! It’s time for brands to practice what they preach.
Buckle up and get ready to ride the wave that is conscious beauty.
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Have you ever wondered why there’s such a demand for sustainable products nowadays? No, seriously. Have you? It’s honestly all thanks to our rapid transition into a socially-responsible society.
As society progresses, so does our collective conscience to become better human beings to the earth and others. Why, you ask? Because of ‘wokeness.’ And trust us, that’s a good thing.
To be woke is to be politically aware of social and racial justice issues for the better of the world we live in. Gen Z and younger millennials tend to make up the demographic of woke individuals, who, in turn, influence the responsible global market with their activist voices and actions (hello ‘Woke’ Twitter). Don’t believe us? Facebook found that 68% of young adults expect brands to be ethical.
Said individuals (and hey, that may be you) value what brands stand for and want to look and feel good without possessing a guilty conscience about who or what they’re supporting. Which is why transparency is critical for brands to gain modern consumers’ trust and loyalty.
And DKSH totally gets it; people care about “how products are made, what ingredients are used to make them, where the ingredients come from, how the products are packed and whether they carry any possible long-term effects on health and wellbeing.”
To top it off, we as consumers are now able to pressure brands to influence positive change in what they produce, thanks to direct communication channels like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Just so you can picture just how big of a market social media provides brands with—statistics from 2019 show that there are 3.5 billion users worldwide, with them spending an average of about 3 hours on such platforms per day. This gives brands the freedom and advantage of marketing and communicating directly with their audiences.
But enough of the dry stuff. Just what exactly makes a beauty brand conscious? We’re going to be honest, from brand to consumer. It’s easier for the beauty industry to get away with a lot more things than that of fashion.
Ever heard of greenwashing? In short, some beauty brands that may hide behind tactful words and call themselves ‘green’ when they really aren’t—ugh, shocking, right?
And quite frankly, it’s way easier to expose unethical production in fashion than it is to scrutinize the whole process of developing makeup and skincare. Thus, the need for conscious beauty products.
As conscious beauty is still an ongoing trend, there is no set definition for the term. It’s a mix of good beauty and healthy beauty. Good beauty consists of authentically-made and socially responsible products, while healthy beauty refers to consumers’ personal health goals using information found online.
We’re pretty sure the beauty industry will see a spike in the number of conscious beauty products in the near future. And that’s because modern consumers (such as yourself) are more willing to pay 6% more for sustainable products and support brands that align well with their personal values.
Statistically speaking, 66% of global consumers are willing to pay more to support ethical brands, with 64% of them more likely to recommend these companies to friends and 63% expected to try products from said corporations.
Okay, we’ve come to the part you’ve all been waiting for. What constitutes a conscious product?
Summarizing sustainablejungle’s and ELLE’s criteria to form our comprehensive guide, we’ve determined that it all comes down to the brand’s ingredients and how ethical its business practice is.
Of course, conscious products have to be cruelty-free. One of the fundamentals of going conscious is to be actively aware of the damage you create for other lifeforms (basically, animals). And newsflash, animal testing is a big no-no in the world of ethics.
Thankfully, you can rely on labeling and certification to determine what products are animal-friendly. Such certifications include Leaping Bunny, Beauty Without Bunnies, and Choose Cruelty Free (CCF), to determine the extent of a brand’s cruelty-free status. Proof is everything and actively looking out for these certifications on your favorite ‘green’ products is an excellent way to start your journey to sustainability.
Vegan, vegan, vegan, it’s all anyone ever talks about nowadays. But did you know that the label ‘vegan’ doesn’t necessarily mean cruelty-free? We know, it’s so strange.
Some vegan brands get away with using animal products such as collagen, gelatin, lanolin (wool wax), silk, pearl, milk protein, glycerin (animal fats), ceraalba (beeswax), and guanine (fish scales) in their products. And to make matters worse, some even conduct animal testing on their products. We know! How ironic, huh. So just be careful when choosing the vegan brands you intend on supporting.
Aside from this, vegan ingredients still make up the criteria for conscious products and are popular amongst cosmetics users worldwide. Fact.MR predicts that the market for vegan beauty products is expected to bloom in the coming years due to the “ever-growing consumer aversion to animal products on account of environmental- and ethical-led reasons.”
We all know au naturel is the way to go. And this means abstaining from products that use harmful chemicals like man-made fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and herbicides.
Such organic-farmed products are regulated by organizations such as the NaTrue, The Soil Association, and FDA, where they will evaluate brands for the entirety of their production and certify them ‘organic’ if they contain a certain percentage of organic matter in them.
The demand for organic vegan products is also likely to grow through 2028, according to Fact.MR, due to consumers’ higher interest in “beauty products with natural claims.”
Yes, palm oil is bad for the environment. As vegetable oil demand remains high, the constant sourcing for said oil does more harm than good for ecosystems in tropical regions, like Indonesia and Malaysia.
There are honestly so many repercussions to satisfying the huge demand for palm oil. Such include deforestation and burning of forests to make way for palm oil plantations and the violent killing and removal of orangutans’ habitats. We repeat, the killing of orangutans! Independent even found that a whopping 90% of orangutan habitats are being destroyed because of this.
Ergo, the less we demand palm oil in our products, the better.
58% of coral reefs are at risk of harm by human impact. And how does this happen, you ask? By simply using our daily cosmetics and skincare products.
Our everyday sunscreen, cosmetics, and soaps often contain chemicals such as benzophenone-2, oxybenzone, octinoxate, and parabens that are toxic to coral reefs and marine life. Once contaminated, corals can expel significant algae that give them life. In turn, killing them and affecting the current ecosystem that we know and love.
If you’re actively trying to avoid such products, look out for reef-safe labels, such as the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory’s Protect Land+ Sea certification on bottles.
Before brands can even consider themselves sustainable, they have to ensure that their practices are ethical from the start. And that includes active, socially-responsible sourcing for ingredients and employees.
Why is this important? It shows that the company cares about providing safe and fair working environments for its employees and securing raw materials and ingredients that are paid for fairly and sustainably.
Which brings us to supply chain management. What does it mean to have an ethical supply chain, and how hard is it for companies to achieve this? The answer is very.
There are only 19 (yeah, you heard us) international beauty products that have attained this certification. For them to obtain this, they need to pass the following checklist: ‘freedom of employment and association, eradication of child labor, safe and hygienic working conditions, appropriate pay and working hours, humane and non-discriminatory treatment, anti-bribery and corruption, and environmental awareness.’
Truthfully, it’s not feasible for companies to invest in an ethical supply chain. A lot of time, effort, money, and resources have to be actively considered before being awarded this title.
Do you know if your favorite brands contribute to global carbon emissions? No? Neither do we.
Although it is hard to figure this out, The Carbon Trust is currently working on a carbon label criteria to help conscious consumers find brands that leave smaller carbon footprints in the world. Said criteria might include carbon emissions released from “resources, manufacturing, transportation, distribution, retail, use and end of life.”
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
When it comes to sustainability, we tend to forget about how eco-friendly their packaging is. Enough with unnecessary packaging turned waste, it’s about time we supported products that partake in recycled packaging.
This can come in the form of compostable packaging or requesting for consumers’ to use their own. Recyclable packaging can also refer to packaging that’s made out of recycled materials.
Toluna ran a study on this and found that 34% of their respondents believe that eco-friendly packaging will continue to grow over the years. They also predicted that manufacturers would boycott foam packaging (42%), single-use drink containers (39%), and plastic rings (35%) over time.
Here’s a tricky factor to consider when it comes to sustainable products (yes, we know there are many). Are all of the brands’ products eco-conscious, or is it just the one?
In this case, labels are essential to determine whether a brand is universally committed to conscious beauty. One example of this is Cradle to Cradle, one of the certifications awarded to brands for individual sustainable products.
Do you trust your brand? Do you trust what they promise?
As mentioned before (we hope you’ve been paying attention), beauty brands are good at fooling consumers with nice words. Good advertising and marketing can twist words and mislead you into believing what you’re supporting are 100% ethical when they’re really not.
The best way to avoid this is to fact-check and read reviews by beauty experts. It also helps to self-educate on skincare terminology and ingredients to make sure you avoid buying into false advertising.
We’re all for diversity, and so are you (we hope).
For the longest of times, the beauty industry has been devoid of inclusivity. Two of the most prominent examples of this are the lack of dark shades in makeup foundations and standardized hair care products catered to European hair textures only.
Another way to examine diversity is to observe the ratio of race in the workforce. Companies should not discriminate based on skin color or race, and inclusivity comes from within. Thus, how can brands preach about diversity when they themselves are not?
Lastly, we have the brands that make it a point to give back. It’s always great to partake in charitable consumerism, just knowing that your contribution goes a long way post-capitalism. This can be seen when brands dedicate a percentage of sales towards a mission they care for the most.
Actions speak louder than words, so let’s put what we’ve learned to the test. If you want to take the first step to become a conscious consumer, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
The first thing you can do is comb through your current makeup and skincare belongings to rid yourself of any products that don’t make the sustainability cut. Yes, this will hurt (speaking from experience). If you’re not ready to do a complete Marie Kondo, take baby steps instead. Try to get rid of at least one unethical product per month.
Remember to look out for products that contain the toxic ingredients we’ve mentioned before, or the ones that don’t include the labels and certifications you’d want on your sustainable products.
Once you’ve done this and created space for newer replacements, do your research and find products that fit the conscious beauty criteria. You can do this by visiting beauty blogs or doing a simple google search for brands that practice sustainability. And when you’ve found the products you want, simply purchase them, and you’re one step closer to being a social-responsible consumer.
There are also apps—EWG.org’s Skin Deep app, Skin Ninja, and Think Dirty, to help you determine and monitor how ethical brands are. All you have to do is scan the product’s barcode on the app and get the necessary information you need to determine whether you want to invest in it.
They also allow you to learn about individual ingredients present in the products you’re searching for and are listed by toxicity levels for convenience. They will also enable you to add products not listed within the database so that you can help others who may be searching for the same product in the future.
As easy as it seems for you to go full-on sustainable, there are still certain restrictions about conscious beauty that we’re not going to lie to you about. We’re aware that some moral factors affect buyers’ and sellers’ ability to purchase and provide said products.
And we’ve narrowed it down to four main factors: price, convenience, functionality, and look. Here lies the moral dilemma, ladies and gentlemen.
With conscious beauty comes higher production costs and, thus, higher prices to support sustainability. Who’s to say we can all afford to support conscious brands consistently?
Here’s a brief rundown of what will go on behind the scenes of ethical production; investing in longer employee hours to ensure thorough screening of ingredients, payment of expensive sustainable packaging, sourcing for premium ingredients and resources, investing in research and development, and lastly, manufacturing locally.
As the consumer, you will have to accommodate for the additional costs it takes for brands to adopt sustainable practices. That is, after all, the price to pay for ethical consumerism.
Conscious beauty products will also take longer to produce due to the sourcing of more hard-to-find ingredients and recyclable or sustainable packaging. How would that be convenient if you were looking to replace a skincare product at the last minute, for example? Wouldn’t it be more convenient if you were to go down to your nearest Sephora to test out ready-to-buy products and purchase them on the day itself?
One of the most critical factors to consider is functionality. How is one to know that conscious products work as well as products that are chemically formulated to give you the desired result you want? What if you’ve already found a product that suits your skin, but realized it isn’t ethical? Would you give that up to test out a range of products out there and restart the whole process of finding a new product that works for you?
Conscious brands are also restricted to the types of ingredients and materials to use when formulating products to provide the same efficacy as before. The sad reality is that you might end up spending more on something that offers lesser results.
Much like functionality (let’s face it), physical results are important to users. With the restriction of ingredients and materials, a conscious brand is allowed to use; it’s hard to create pretty products compared to a brand that has access to things like artificial coloring.
This is especially the case with makeup. How can a brand produce more shades in their foundation range, for example, if they do not have access to sustainable artificial coloring? Is there even such a thing as sustainable artificial coloring?
We won’t be surprised if it’ll take a while before everyone’s on board with conscious beauty. Harvard Business Review agrees, with 65% of their respondents saying that even though they wish to buy purpose-driven brands that advocate sustainability, only about 26% end up doing so.
It’s real food for thought. Would you sacrifice what you have now to go full-on conscious? Or would you take it step by step? Would you change your current beauty routine? Is it even worth it? We’ll leave you to it to decide.
]]>Think supple, plump, and bouncy skin; the three most notable qualities of the mochi skin trend. First popularized in Japan, the fad has since taken over Asia and is gaining traction in other parts of the world.
If you’re envisioning Korea’s famous glass skin trend, you’re about 70% right! However, mochi skin is a little different with the end goal being soft, matte skin (picture Kiko Mizuhara!) instead of the dewy one we’ve all grown to know and love in glass skin.
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Mochi skin, otherwise known as ‘mochi hada’ or rice cake skin, takes inspiration from its very name. Much like mochi itself, Japan’s most celebrated mochigome rice cake, mochi skin is matte, smooth, and soft to the touch. Quite like a baby’s bottom, now that we think about it!
The good news is that it’s relatively easy to achieve this look with your . As opposed to Korea’s long and intricate 10-step glass skin routine, the mochi skin regime only takes 4.
Yes, you heard us right—we can already hear the low-maintenance girls cheering from here! But that’s the thing about J-beauty: minimalism and simplicity at its finest to give you only the best results.
Though similar, mochi skin is everything glass skin is not. Kind of like sisters with opposing traits to give you a better picture. While both give you the same result of supple and hydrated skin, mochi skin is the matte to glass skin’s dewy glow, defying the odds by providing firm and plump skin without traces of glossy luminosity.
The first thing you need to know about J-beauty is that cleansing is the foundation of Japanese skincare. And if you’re someone who lives and breathes skincare, you’ll already know how important the practice is to your skin health.
Double cleansing not only ensures that your face is rid of all the grime and pore-clogging impurities that have gathered on your skin throughout the day, but it also allows for you to make the most of the rest of your skincare routine. How does it work, you ask? By cleansing your skin twice! First, with an oil-based cleanser (or makeup remover, if you will), and again with a water-based or gel cleanser to finish it off.
The oil-based cleanser will remove your makeup and any accumulated oils left on your face as thoroughly as it can, whilst the water-based or gel cleanser will follow up by targeting your specific skin concerns—be it hydrating, exfoliating or treating acne during the process. Oh, did we mention that double cleansing can also prevent premature aging, hyperpigmentation and breakouts? Incredible, we know!
Mochi skin is all about hydration. So naturally, the next step would be to replenish the moisture in your skin (especially after cleansing!) during your . And that involves pampering your face with a trusty toner to lock in moisture.
Now, you may know of your everyday toner, but have you heard about Japan’s very own miracle ‘toner’? They go by the name of essence lotion. Explicitly formulated to create a base layer of hydration to your skin (especially before ), this liquid does not strip oils like toners may tend to do.
Want to know what we think? It’s definitely worth investing in one to benefit you in the long run!
Up next, serums. Perhaps the most essential product when it comes to targeting your unique skin concerns. There’s a serum for everything—dull skin, dry skin, acne-prone skin, aging skin; you name it, they’ve got it!
This is where your skin IQ comes in. Only you will know what kind of serums your skin requires to make the most out of this step. As for mochi skin, however, one significant ingredient that plays a big role in achieving its desired effect is vitamin C. The vitamin will help to diminish the appearance of dark spots, treat hyperpigmentation, even out your skin tone, and boost skin radiance to ultimately give you a luminescent complexion.
We definitely recommend using our Star Light Brightening Serum, packed with Vitamin C and other powerful active ingredients to get you one step closer to mochi hada. But if that’s not really your thing, try our other serums whilst you’re at it. There’s something for everyone!
Last but not least, you have your unfailing moisturizer. Because the matte look seems to be the staple ingredient of mochi skin as a whole, a lightweight, gel moisturizer will work best to bring forth the desired effect.
One thing you should know? The Japanese love their moisturizer. It’s their primary form of hydration on their skin, and they have a specific way of applying it. Think facial massage! Most Japanese (women especially) typically cup their faces with their palms after applying moisturizer to stimulate their brain. It also helps the product absorb more efficiently and effectively into their skin.
And if you’re one for a more elaborate skincare regimen, no worries! You can add a good facial oil on top of your nighttime routine to lock in the moisture into your skin. Try not to use it in the day though, as that would contradict the matte look you’re going for with mochi hada.
We also can’t stress enough how important it is to use SPF on a regular basis. SPF is crucial to defend your skin from oxidative damage made by powerful UV rays and help your skin age slower. We recommend using a fast-absorbing sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 to really get that matte look down.
If the 4-step routine is still not enough, a trip to the dermatologist’s office might be just what you need. Beyond in-office consultations and treatments, dermatologists may recommend you more products to add to your existing routine to help you capture that mochi hada essence we’re all dying to have!
]]>We’ve all been there. The absolute joy of finding skincare products and routines that work wonders for your skin, only to be disappointed months later when it stops working as well as it did at the start. Skincare gurus have a name for this phenomenon, and it is...one hard word to say, let alone spell. We present to you tachyphylaxis.
Rumor has it that your skin becomes acclimated to your skincare routine over time, but is this a fact or just mindless hearsay? After much research (and the overall satisfaction of general curiosity), the answer is yes—but not in the way you think.
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Before you get all paranoid and start throwing your products away as if Marie Kondo herself has you by the throat, take our “yes” with a pinch of salt. If you feel as if the routine you’ve always sworn by isn’t doing the trick for your skin anymore, chances are (and brace yourself for this) your skin has changed.
Your skin is generally unlikely to grow immune to your skincare products and routines because formulations don’t change; your body does. What worked for you back when you first fell in love with your go-to products may not work as well for you now (sad, we know).
The general consensus of not seeing your skin continuously improve is that your skincare routine mustn’t work for you. But in actual fact, all it really means is that your skin has responded well to your regime and is now keeping your skin consistently healthy.
There are a few exceptions to this, and we call them the big three—tachyphylaxis, the environment, and your ever-changing skin.
Some dermatologists like Marnie Nussbaum M.D. say that concentrated ingredients in skincare like retinol and salicylic acid and topical steroids for skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema have the possibility of diminishing over time through tachyphylaxis. But this is not necessarily a bad thing! Think of it as your skin building up a tolerance to the products you’re using and providing everyday upkeep for your skin. If your skin remains calm after use and shows no visible signs of redness or peeling, it probably means that your products are still working.
Next up, we have your environment to consider. Say you’re someone who grew up in a tropical country and recently moved to a colder one such as Scotland. The weather and lifestyle factors in cold, cold Scotland will make your skin react differently. Going from hot to cold will only cause your skin to dry out and potentially crack or increase free radical damage. When it comes to this, your skin is thirsty for stronger and richer skincare to make up for the change in environment. Your old skincare routine may not cut it for you anymore.
Lastly, your skin could be reacting too well (yes, there’s such a thing!) to the products you’re using to treat specific skin concerns. Here’s a scenario: Let’s say you have oily skin and regularly use oil-control products to counteract the overproduction of natural oils on your skin. This could potentially lead to your skin being stripped of said oils and for your oil production to go into overdrive to compensate for your lack of it now. Your new skin concern could become dry skin instead of the oily skin you suffered with before.
Skincare products also tend to work best when you first use them because your skin is not yet used to them and is actively absorbing whatever they’re allowing it to take from their properties. What this also means is that visible results may diminish and be harder to notice over time.
The rule of thumb is to listen to what your skin is telling you. Most people simply rely on skincare experts or enthusiasts and their routines (tailored to their skin, mind you) to determine what’s going on with their skin. We recommend focusing on how your own skin is reacting to your products and how well they are working on treating the concerns you bought them for.
For example, if your skin is still glowing (albeit not as much as before) and feels healthy, there’s no need to change up your routine. Instead, you can purchase products that are richer in texture and properties if you want better results. You might also want to do this during the changing seasons (about twice a year) as different weather conditions demand different levels of care. Protect your skin the same way you would protect your body with weather-appropriate clothing on colder or hotter days.
Remember, your skincare products don’t just stop working. If they don’t give you the same results they used to, it’s probably because your skin has changed.
If you don’t see the need to change up your existing skincare products but still want better results from them, there are several ways you can improve your routine.
One, you can plan and prevent bad product combinations. It is not wise to use more than one concentrated ingredient in your routine at the same time. Instead, you can rotate them in the day and night or use them every alternate day. This is so that your skin can breathe and focus on absorbing one strong, active ingredient at a time. It’s also good to lower the strength of these products if you don’t need them.
Two, you should exfoliate twice a week to rid your skin of dead skin cells and allow for better absorption of active ingredients into your skin. Remember to double cleanse (if you use makeup especially) so that you know for sure your products are targeting your skin and your skin only.
Three, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! It’s perhaps the most essential product your skin requires (besides moisturizer) to slow down cell turnover, combat free radicals, and prevent the rapid aging of your skin by sun damage.
Four, where you store your products, also plays a big part in how long they can remain stable. Every opening and closing of your lids contributes to the destabilization of your skincare and can cause them to work less effectively. Try not to store your products (especially those with vitamin C in them!) in humid bathrooms, and perhaps invest in a skincare fridge or storage area that’s cool and dry and away from the sun.
Finally, layering your products in the right order is very important for your routine to work. Just remember: cleanse, tone, serum(s), eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen, and you’re done!
]]>“You brightened up all my days with a love so sweet in so many ways,” sang the late Marvin Gaye. But are your days really the only things brightened up with love? We’re happy to report that it’s not. With love comes oxytocin, otherwise known as the love hormone, famous for providing that natural glow you so often see in people who blossom in happy relationships.
When it comes to skin, your skincare may need a little extra oomph in creating that gorgeous pink, flushed complexion we all desire sometimes. And what better way than the natural and intense rush of adrenaline you get from love? The best part of it all; it’s free!
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Don’t get us wrong, quality products and a fantastic skincare routine are crucial in getting your skin into tip-top shape (we should know, we’re a skincare brand, after all!). But sometimes, a natural glow is where it’s at! Honestly, nothing beats the feeling and look of naturally luminesce skin caused by an influx of happiness, mostly when these incredible emotions experienced stem from romance.
It’s no secret that new relationships bring forth the excitement of getting to know your partner intimately and grow together through a shared journey of affection. The joy of that first physical touch, be it a hug, cuddle, hand-hold, or kiss, and emotional connection is enough to give you that burst of serotonin to ease your stress, elevate your mood and produce that radiant complexion we’ve all come to know and desire.
So say hello to your best friend—oxytocin! Often released within your system in the early stages of romantic relationships and sexual activity, this hormone functions as a neurotransmitter that cause you to feel a surge of positive emotions. It is produced by the hypothalamus (essentially a small region of your brain) and secreted by the pituitary gland that gets transmitted through your body along with dopamine and serotonin when you experience an attraction to someone. Call it a love high if you will.
Dr Schneiderman considers this hormone responsible for “bonding, social behavior, and attachment in mammals” and increases behavior, trust and empathy amongst individuals. Not only does it influence your emotions, but it also improves your skin. It’s been scientifically proven to reduce psychological stress and lower your body’s cortisol production (a stress hormone) to calm skin inflammation and reduce acne flare-ups and free radicals, improving your skin health in the process.
Remember, all skin conditions worsen with stress, and our skin ultimately listens to our brain. If you’re not happy, your skin will eventually follow and be the living, visual proof of this.
With love, ultimately comes sex (or vice versa for some) and the euphoria that comes along with it. The primal art of making love comes with many health benefits (besides the fun!), the most notable being the increase in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) hormone levels in your body to improve your skin’s appearance.
DHEA does this by increasing your skin’s thickness, boosting your skin’s hydration levels and decreasing the amount of pigmentation on your face. Sex also causes a surge in adrenaline—which we’ll talk about later on in the article—and helps you clean out your pores via the sweat produced during the act. This ‘exercise’ can also relieve stress and increase the blood flow towards your skin, thus, increasing the oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Talk about pleasure with benefits!
You know that rush of adrenaline you get whenever anything remotely exciting happens to you? Picture that one spontaneous kiss you had that left you breathless. Yeah, that. Do you remember that look on your face right after? If you don’t, imagine flushed and pink cheeks, dilated pupils and plumped lips. That is the physical effect of adrenaline caused by thousands of tiny capillaries being dilated on your skin.
Of course, this is not restricted to solely people in love or those who are sexually active. Anything can cause adrenaline; an intense rollercoaster ride, rigorous exercise, or simply excitement over something minute. Specific skincare ingredients like retinol can also give you the pinkish glow you want.
Did you know that your skin health can also improve from positive affirmations and influences from your partner? Yeah, shocking what love can do, huh! According to research, people in love are significant influences on each other and their lifestyle choices.
One clear example? A couple who wants to get in shape together. We’re pretty sure you’ve seen more than one couple go to the gym together and start a dual fitness regime. Or perhaps, a couple on the same diet so as to not make the other feel left out. Such influences can improve skin health greatly as healthy skin comes from a balanced diet and lifestyle as well.
Ultimately, healthy love is a great thing to have and comes with many advantages. Besides the radiant complexion you’ll get with oxytocin and DHEA, your skin will also thank you for the increased blood flow, nutrients and oxygen that make you feel younger along with it.
But that’s not to say that everyone has to be in a relationship in order to be happy and healthy in appearance. Love is not the only thing that combats stress or gives you a glow to your complexion.
If you’re single, thrive off it and experience your own form of oxytocin with stress-busting exercises like meditation or fitness regimes, and practice a good skincare routine to discover your own state of happiness and get a self-love glow!
]]>Skincare’s latest fad is here, and it’s ‘cleanical’. Representing the amalgamation of clean beauty and scientifically-proven skincare, this trend is not one to be missed. In this day and age, it’s simply not enough to just be clean.
With influencers preaching clean products and promoting a green lifestyle, brands have to follow suit and adapt to this as well. Thus, the need for cleanical beauty was born. And if you managed to put two and two together (good for you!), you'll notice that ‘cleanical’ is the perfect portmanteau of the terms ‘clean’ and ‘clinical’.
But we digress, let’s dig deeper into the rising trend and what you can expect from it, shall we?
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Cleanical skincare represents the reinvention of clean beauty, combining clean ingredients and clinical research to create specialized, lab-grown formulas and cleanical solutions for skincare users like you. With skincare enthusiasts growing steadily over the years, we’re sure many already know what ingredients and solutions work best for their skin. Some of them may even have a more immense interest in skincare and already have an existing or growing knowledge of what good skincare consists of.
The rise of social media factors heavily into this, with more and more of us increasing our skin IQ with information off the internet and interacting with strangers on forums such as Reddit (peep/SkincareAddiction) about our evergrowing list of skin concerns. No longer are we turning to professionals like dermatologists for help unless it’s for exceptional cases such as acne, eczema and psoriasis, for example.
When exposed to such platforms and forums, brands have a reputation to protect. All it takes is for one skincare influencer (or skinfluencer, as they call it) with a large following to diss your products and it’s all downhill from there. Skinfluencers on TikTok especially hold the most power when it comes to this. Ever heard of the saying “birds of a feather flock together?” Yeah, it’s essentially that. Once someone disagrees with your brand, it won't be long before many do as well.
Ergo, beauty brands need to be one step ahead with their advanced knowledge of skincare and develop cleanical products that meet or exceed expectations. By supporting cleanical skincare practices, consumers such as yourself can expect a more controlled and stringent product development process compared to beauty brands that don’t, making products safer and more effective for use.
You may know of the importance of buying clean beauty products, with the trend becoming more of a normalcy at the moment. But for those of you who don’t, it is merely to make sure that you do not put any toxic ingredients onto your skin and cause detrimental effects to your skin health. But is it enough to just be clean? Now, that’s where science comes in.
Let’s take it back to the start. Picture yourself back in elementary school for your first science class and your teacher telling you that science makes up the world. It is what you observe, what you touch and what you can create. And just like that, skincare has become a part of science, relying on it to give you the results you are promised.
At the moment, more and more brands are hopping onto the cleanical bandwagon (us included, even for a couple of years now). Evident in the NPD Group's study that states—the lines between clinical and clean beauty have blurred and nearly half of the U.S. market for skincare products consists of clinical brands. Such brands also actively educate consumers about clean ingredients and create products that adhere to the strictest standards and abide by what they preach.
It’s simple really, all you have to do is take note of the active ingredients used in the products you support. When it comes down to it, cleanical skincare is still a form of clean skincare. Oftentimes, there is a misconception that clean beauty is conscious beauty—but unfortunately, that’s a big no. Just because a product is clean, does not mean that it is sustainably produced.
Clean beauty (or skincare, in this case) is all about avoiding using ingredients that are toxic, allergenic, comedogenic, carcinogenic, or just downright bad for you or your skin. To essentially purge your skin and your skincare collection of the negative. Toxic ingredients you should avoid on your ingredient lists include the famous parabens, phthalates, sulfates, oxybenzone, triclosan, hydroquinone, and artificial fragrance amongst others. If you want to find out more about these harmful ingredients, we’ve written a comprehensive guide (backed by scientific research) for them on our website.
Next up, you need to look out for beauty brands that can back up their claims with factual research, evidence and results. Before a brand can claim that they are cleanical, they need to be able to justify why they have chosen to formulate their products a certain way or use active ingredients that may have a reputation amongst the skincare community. You should be able to trust the cleanical brands you support and be comfortable that they are truly adhering to what they say on their product labels.
You know what they say—small steps go a long way. All it takes is having a motivated mindset to support cleanical and the rest of the journey will be easy. You don’t have to rid your shelf of all non-cleanical products just yet. Trust us, we know that skincare costs a bomb and that would just be a waste of the formulations you’ve already bought. Instead, start replacing them product by product once you’re finished with them.
It also helps to constantly update your skin IQ with relevant knowledge about the skincare you will be using. Our pro tip? Find yourself a good ingredient dictionary online so that you can check ingredient labels on the go the next time you decide to purchase a product. This database of scientific information is especially useful if you’re 100% sure you want to go cleanical.
At IREN Shizen, we have produced quite a number of cleanical products, such as our customizable serums for every skin concern, and have been active in cleanical skincare for quite a while now. As we believe that you don’t have to compromise on quality skincare, science has always been at the forefront of our formulations instead of hearsay. We also have a trusted team of scientists who research on active ingredients and formulate cleanical solutions according to what is deemed as safe on skin.
We are also the first Japanese skincare brand to ban 2000 ingredients that are toxic, comedogenic, or allergenic to your skin; the most notable 7 being SLS/SLES, parabens, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, phthalates, triclosan, drying alcohols, and artificial fragrances, so be rest assured that you’re in safe hands should you choose to go IREN Shizen.
]]>October saw the return of many autumnal staples that we know and love—from Starbucks’ spiced lattes to Halloween (spooky szn!). If you were to scroll through the ‘autumn’ tag on Pinterest, you’d find yourself staring at pumpkin after pumpkin after (yup, you guessed it) pumpkin. Nothing quite dominates fall like the presence of the iconic winter squash.
As we breeze through the transition from summer to autumn, we have to rethink our seasonal diet and skincare routine. Join us as we delve into the wonders of the pumpkin in Japan and America. And say hello to thicker moisturizers, better hydration, and glowing skin this fall!
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With a new season comes a new routine. It’s essential that you look after your skin post-summer to avoid future sun damage. And if you haven’t done so already, it’s time for you to cleanse, hydrate, moisturize, exfoliate, and use SPF, dearie.
It’s practically dry skin galore every Scorpio Season; we’ll welcome back (cue the tears) thirsty, irritated, and sensitive skin into our lives. With summer leaving behind its unwanted footprints of pigmentation, dehydration, and inflammation (not to mention a fragile skin barrier), we have to be especially careful when treating and soothing our skin back to its glowing state.
Byrdie explains that many people will experience “oil over- or under-production” in autumn. As typical summer behavior consists of higher water intake and exercising, our skin has to adjust by seeking moisture from oil production instead. Thus, leading to frequent breakouts, irritation, and weird skin texture in fall. Long story short, switching to products that provide additional hydration is absolutely critical this season!
Meet your best friend this season—the pumpkin. You may be aware of the health benefits of this sweet dish, but did you know of its alter ego as a savior of skincare?
In terms of diet, consuming pumpkin prevents skin disease(s), diabetes, and eye disease(s), regulates blood pressure, reduces cell damage and cancer, and improves immune function. And get this! The pumpkin seed itself is also high in protein, has pharmacological properties, and has antioxidant effects. Amazing, isn’t it?
Now for the most important part, its beauty benefits. Pumpkins are rich in Vitamins A (retinol), C, and E (your go-to acne-fighting vitamin), alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-carotene (the pigment responsible for giving color to your favorite fruits), zinc, and contains high levels of antioxidants like lycopene (your trusty protector of free radical damage).
What exactly does this mean for you? Here’s a quick rundown; get ready.
Vitamin C counters sun damage and free radicals on your skin, prevents aging, wrinkles, and dark spots. Retinol and AHAs gently exfoliate dead skin cells and increase cell turnover. Vitamin E contains acne-fighting properties that help fight inflammation, reduce your pore size, control excess oil, and diminish the appearance of pimples, blackheads, and blemishes. Zinc, coined nature’s best healing agent, contains acne-preventing and skin-healing abilities. Beta-carotene keeps your skin glowing, rids it of dark spots, and reverses UV damage. All of this while nourishing your skin, increasing the absorption of nutrients, and providing antioxidant support to give you a youthful glow!
Whatcha’ think about Kabocha? If you don’t know already, Kabocha’s the Japanese equivalent of your modern-day pumpkin. Harvested in the late summer or early fall, this round squash dons a dark green rind. As a staple food in Japan, you may recognize it in your favorite tempura bento set, served battered and fried.
Not only is Kabocha tasty (imagine a cross between a pumpkin and sweet potato, yum!), it’s also a valuable ingredient in Japanese skincare and makeup products. Which is why it’s one of the special elements we've incorporated into our Glow-Getter Renewal Serum.
Looking to achieve skin with a natural glow? Our pumpkin-infused renewal serum activates the skin resurfacing and repairing process to do just that. Using a gentle but powerful blend of exfoliants, antioxidants, enzymes, and probiotics, the formulation kickstarts your skin renewal mechanism, smooths away roughness, refines pores, and restores dull skin to a vibrant and luminous state that’s to die for!
Pumpkin spice and everything nice—you must be well acquainted with this famous taste! We’re pretty sure most of us already associate autumn with Starbucks’ iconic pumpkin spice lattes (guilty!). Whether you hate it or love it, it’s since become a symbolic flavor this season. And not just for delicious beverages!
Fun fact; Nielson found that just in America alone, nearly half a billion dollars was spent on pumpkin-flavored products over the past year. Pumpkin spice itself has made its presence known for 3,500 years now. Made famous by Starbz (and VSCO girls, “sksksks oop”), there’s now a massive demand for pumpkin and pumpkin spice-flavored products in the market.
From sugar scrubs to deodorant to cleansing butter, there’s no doubt that the pumpkin spice revolution has influenced the beauty industry in fall. If you’re subscribed to mailing lists by Sephora or other beauty brands, you’re sure to find some pumpkin spice related products seeded to you. It’s simply an annual phenomenon that proves the power of pumpkin spice.
When it all comes down to it, we totally understand the pumpkin’s influence on skincare regimes and diets. It’s a powerful active ingredient that does more good than bad, and honestly, who doesn’t want healthy, luminous skin?
]]>We’ve all been there—conflicted about whether or not you should invest in a consultation with a dermatologist for the skincare-related questions that Dr. Google cannot answer. Lucky for you, we’ve consulted our resident dermatologist Mika Watanabe, MD, PhD, to dish all of the secrets dermatologists typically have you pay to ask them.
With over six years of experience in Japan and Italy as a practicing dermatologist, multiple certifications, and publications published, Dr. Watanabe is currently doing a postdoctoral at the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology at the University of Turin.
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I had an interest in beauty since I was in elementary school in Japan. Growing up, I was ashamed of my appearance, particularly my body hair, and I wanted to look for ways to remove it. I also had acne from junior high to university, and suffering with it was the main reason why I wanted to become a dermatologist.
It wasn’t challenging because I was interested in it. I found there to be tons of different aspects to dermatology as compared to medicine. While studying, I needed to know what symptoms belonged to what disease, and it was like a game in which I had to memorize a lot of things. Lots of mysteries also still exist within dermatology that have yet to be uncovered.
I was an amateur before dermatology. I had learned tips before, but going to dermatologist school helped me grow more confident in my knowledge of skincare.
Moisturizer. For skin, it’s the most important.
That’s a difficult question. If you have dry skin as a child, it’s better to see a dermatologist. Even if you have healthy skin and want to maintain it, it’s still better to see a dermatologist. When you become an adult, you should keep going.
If you have a problem with your skin, go twice a year. If you have no issues, go once a year to check for the presence of moles or eczema.
You should start using anti-aging products in your early 20s. If you want to look young and healthy in the future, you should start seeing a dermatologist as a young adult.
No. You can start whenever you want to start. For example, my mum wasn’t interested in skincare until I recommended her some products and helped her. And now her skin has improved. You can definitely start at any age.
It depends on the ingredients. Bigger brands, of course, look better in appearance and have good PR for their products, and sometimes can focus on those more than their ingredients itself. You should check the ingredients list for both carefully. Drugstore skincare can sometimes be better.
I didn’t know about these before; I actually had to do my homework on them. Do be careful—these are good, but sometimes the opinions on such websites are not professionally written. Just be careful with it.
I usually check the ingredients and see if they have been proven effective by tests.
Psoriasis is more persistent and permanent. Eczema is often temporary; it disappears and appears. For both, you’ll need to see a doctor and get a professional opinion. You cannot self-diagnose them.
Unfortunately, there’s no good treatment. If you can afford to take the pills, however, I recommend using tranexamic acid.
You can treat it with a laser or do peeling.
It depends on the kind of laser—it might not be that harsh. You can choose the level of harshness by selecting the depth of the laser to the epidermis. Of course, this cosmetic procedure costs money. Peeling is often cheaper and can reduce pitted scars, although not completely, but to some extent. I personally used peeling a lot.
Your diet does affect your skin. I recommend avoiding oily and junk food like fried chicken, fries, and potato chips. Eating tons of fiber also helps to improve your digestive health and intestine, and in turn, improves your skin health.
It honestly depends on your skin condition. In general, birth control is good for people who suffer from acne-prone skin as it can maintain hormone levels and reduce acne.
Oh, I hate limestone in hot water! I suffered with this when I first settled in Italy.
The presence of limestone on your skin can cause eczema, and when combined with soap residue, it can cause irritation and inflammation. Try to use other types of products like Avène water, bottled water or any kind of soft water instead.
Personally, I like to use different moisturizers for day and night because of the consistency and richness of them.
In the day, most women need to wear makeup and if you use a richer moisturizer (typical of night moisturizers), it’ll disrupt the makeup application process on your skin. A light moisturizer is still the best to use under makeup. Day moisturizers also tend to contain SPF, which is great for preventing sun damage.
If you have dehydrated skin however, it’s better to use a rich moisturizer at all times of the day.
I recommend at least 30. And if you work outside or spend most of your time outside, use sunscreen with an SPF of 50+.
Want Dr. Watanabe to figure out your skin concerns? Consult her via our skin quiz today! |
You probably know a whole lot more about sulfates than you think. Do terms like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) ring a bell? Well, they should—considering they’re in most of your shampoos and skincare products!
But even though they give off the fun, foamy texture we’ve grown to love in them, we’re afraid it comes at a cost. Read on to find out why you should avoid incorporating these ingredients into your skincare regime.
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The most notable of sulfates include SLS and SLES, produced from petroleum and plant sources like coconut, palm kernel, petroleum, and palm oil; most commonly found in your typical cleaning and personal care products for foaming purposes.
What’s the difference between the two, you ask? Well, SLS binds to the proteins on your skin’s surface, proving to be more of an irritant and allergen to your skin than SLES. Essentially, it acts as an anionic surfactant that emulsifies and removes dirt in your hygiene and cosmetic products.
On the other hand, SLES is derived from SLS through ethoxylation and is used as a cleaning agent, emulsifier, stabilizer, and solubilizer. It is also often used as an alternative to SLS due to its additional properties and cheap production cost, which is always favored by corporations.
Cosmetic products that contain sulfates include (and prepare yourself because this list is endless):
The amount of sulfates in skincare products can range from 0.01% to 50%, depending on the manufacturer. With their effective cleaning and emulsifying properties, it is little wonder beauty brands opt to use it for their products.
The main thing you need to know about these ingredients is that they can cause irritation and allergic reactions when in contact with skin. Suppose you have sensitive skin to begin with or have long-term exposure to them—you may experience irritation to your eyes, skin, mouth, and lungs and get clogged pores. That, in turn, causes acne, even with the lowest concentration of sulfates in your skincare products.
If you’re using cleaning products with SLS and SLES in it, the concentration of the sulfates may be higher to tackle tough stains—which means you’ll have a higher risk of skin irritation through skin contact or inhalation. But we digress.
Besides being a skin irritant, SLS also dries out your skin. Scientifically speaking, this compound makes your epidermis thinner, increases its turnover rate and water loss, decreases corneocyte (an essential part of your skin barrier!) maturity and size, and speeds up the inflammatory protease activity in your skin.
In layman’s terms, SLS tightens and strips your skin of its natural oils and causes it to flake, sparking itchy skin and scalp, eczema, and dermatitis. As for some, continuous exposure to this ingredient can cause more significant reactions like oilier skin to overcompensate for the loss of natural oils and trigger acne flare-ups from excess oil production.
Furthermore, if you’re someone who suffers from whiteheads and blackheads on the regular, it could have been caused by prolonged exposure to SLS. Shampoos containing this compound also contribute to weakening hair follicles and hair loss. Unfortunately, SLS lingers on your hair long after it’s been washed off, decreasing the strength of your follicles over time.
Albeit milder, SLES can be perceived as a worse ingredient than SLS. Studies show that SLES increases skin irritation, redness, and damage to the skin barrier. Because of its foaming nature, it can create micro-tears in your skin barrier and allow dirt and bacteria to get trapped underneath it, causing acne (just like SLS).
Not only does it cause skin irritation and dryness, but also acts as a potential carcinogen. The main issue with SLES is ethoxylation. During this manufacturing process, SLES may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which has the possibility of promoting the formation of cancer.
The fact is—SLES has to be vacuum stripped to avoid contamination, but there is no way of knowing whether corporations do this in their manufacturing process. And we’ve got the receipts! A study showed that 1,4-dioxane was found in 82% of the 76 skincare products tested. Talk about risky behavior.
Even though this is not a proven, direct link to cancer, it’s still best to go SLS and SLES-free. You know what they say—it’s better to be safe than sorry!
While there aren’t many regulations in place for SLES, some (and by some, we mean a tiny handful) have been unofficially implemented for SLS. But not by governing authorities.
As assessments have come back calling SLS safe (if used briefly and rinsed from the skin right after), most companies have stuck to limiting SLS concentration to a maximum of 1% in their skincare products.
Some notable alternatives to these sulfates include natural remedies. Try to buy soap and shampoo bars over liquid, or opt for oil-based ones. African black soap and body cleansing oils are also suitable substitutes for the sulfates and produce the same efficacy in ridding your skin and scalp of dirt.
Of course, if you can, try to go sulfate-free when buying future skincare products. Sulfates do not play a big part in cleaning, so it’s totally fine if you eliminate them from your routine.
Ultimately, the best advice we could give you is to support brands that are sulfate-free (like us). Especially so if you suffer from skin concerns like sensitive skin, dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis as sulfates will only make them worse.
As we’ve said before, sulfates are not vital to your cleansing routine. Seriously, all they really do is make your products foam up. If it’s convenient for you, try eliminating products containing sulfates from your skincare stash one by one and see if there’s a notable difference in the way your skin feels. We assure you you’ll experience less irritation on your skin!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
We know you’re no stranger to alcohol in your skincare, but can you tell the difference between the good and the bad?
Like most ingredients, there are pros and cons to everything we put on our skin. While they’re not inherently bad, some types of alcohol do dry out and cause further damage to your skin. Read on to find out more about these drying alcohols and how to tell them apart from the good.
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To give you the blow-by-blow—alcohols are organic compounds that belong to the hydroxyl group (-OH). Their different structures and molecular weights determine the type of alcohol they end up becoming; fatty or drying.
Don’t get us wrong; not all alcohols are bad! Fatty alcohols (otherwise known as good alcohols) are, in fact, the holy grail of skincare ingredients. Derived from fatty acids of plant sources, they are long-chain alcohols that are high in molecular weight and are responsible for making products like moisturizers thick and heavy in texture to attract moisture to the skin.
You can identify these good alcohols by their alter-egos:
Not only are fatty alcohols notable for their moisturizing properties, but they also help target skin concerns like uneven texture, dullness, fine lines, and wrinkles and repair your skin’s barrier. Typically non-irritating and especially advantageous if you suffer from dry skin, they are the go-to alcohols you should look for in skincare.
On the flip side, drying alcohols are not all too good for you compared to their moisturizing counterparts. Instead, they function as short-chain and denatured alcohols that create a dehydrating effect on your skin.
These alcohols are used for a multitude of reasons—(1) as a preservative and organic solvent to increase the solubility of ingredients to create smoother formulations, (2) to improve the skin feel of formulas, (3) to degrease skin, (4) to assist ingredients like retinol and vitamin C for better absorption into your skin, (5) to kill the acne-causing bacteria on your skin, and (6) to provide benefits at a cheap manufacturing cost.
Honorable mentions of drying alcohols include being beneficial when used in particular situations, such as drying up pimples via spot treatments and assisting estheticians in decreasing oil on skin surface before applying chemical peels during sessions.
These chemicals ultimately work as quick-drying liquids that produce a weightless, greaseless, and clean feel on your skin with their volatile and low molecular weight. It’s no wonder people with oilier skin favor drying alcohols in their skincare. But this does come at a cost though!
Think of drying alcohols as short term benefits with adverse long term effects. Don’t worry, we’ll get into this later on in the article.
Where can you find drying alcohols in your skincare products? To put it simply, everywhere. The most notable though, are toners, gel moisturizers, and astringents meant to target oily or acne-prone skin.
You can identify drying alcohols by looking out for their specific names:
So why should you avoid using drying alcohols? Well, it’s stated right there in its name. We know they give off instant gratification (which is always great), but is it really worth the eventual drying out of your skin?
Even though they seem to immediately degrease and help active ingredients better penetrate your skin, they will eventually damage your skin’s barrier and microbiome and weaken its ability to renew and replenish itself.
Why this happens is because such drying alcohols erode your skin’s protective surface and irritates it. Therefore, making it prone to infections, future breakouts, fine lines and wrinkles, and loss of elasticity in your skin. What’s worse, your skin will no longer be able to retain moisture after prolonged exposure to drying alcohols!
Studies have shown that small amounts of alcohol (about 3 % alcohol concentration) are enough to cause increased cell death by 26%. Mind you, the percentage of drying alcohols in skincare tends to range from 5% to 60% (or even more). So you can only imagine just how quickly our skin cells are deteriorating as time goes on.
No skin type is safe, not even those of you who suffer from oily skin. As a matter of fact, using drying alcohols (especially in oil-control products) will only lead to an increase in bumps and enlarged pores in your skin due to your sebaceous glands being put into overdrive.
Your body is essentially tricked into thinking that it is not producing enough sebum, thus triggering your glands to produce more oil to make up for the loss. This increases the oiliness and acne on your face, making it shinier for a longer period of time. Besides, moisturizing products should be your go-to if you are looking to control the oil produced on your skin.
Not only that—drying alcohols are also highly flammable and potentially explosive, adding to the list of risks they already possess.
The good news is that drying alcohols have a relatively low EWG score (of 1-3) and are listed as safe in the skincare industry. Although they affect your health on a surface level, they do not inherently link to severe concerns like cancer. Of course, it is still wise to avoid using these compounds on your skin if you want to have hydrated and healthy skin for life.
Try your best to use skincare products with a low percentage of drying alcohols in them, or if you can, get drying alcohol-free products (like ours). There are many other products out there that contain alternative ingredients that enhance absorption and produce good skin feel in a non-damaging way as well.
At the end of the day, make sure to check the list of ingredients on the products you intend to buy and look for drying alcohols’ alter-egos (as we’ve mentioned above). Your skin is precious, and the faster you reduce the use of harmful chemicals in your skincare, the better!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen 's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
Formaldehyde (CH₂O); we know—it’s a big word. Now you may not be aware of it, but you’ve probably come across this organic compound before. Don’t believe us. Check the ingredient list on your shampoos, conditioners, soaps, or any cosmetic product you own right now. You’re bound to see it appear on at least one.
So why exactly should you avoid formaldehyde if it’s commonly being used in your favorite beauty products? We’ve got the scoop!
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Nicknamed the ‘devil in disguise’ by our team of skincare gurus, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers act as preservatives that do more harm than good. Sure, they prevent bacterial growth in your everyday skincare products but is it really worth the repercussions? We think not.
But before we get into that, we think it’s best to get back to basics. In its purest form, formaldehyde is used in (and brace yourself because this ain’t pretty!) embalming fluid, the production of fertilizer, paper, and plywood. Now, just imagine the liquified version of this on your precious skin (cue shudder). To make matters worse, EWG gave formaldehyde a rating of 10—with one representing the best and ten the worst.
Similarly, formaldehyde releasers are chemical compounds that slowly release formaldehyde due to decomposition under usage conditions and alternatively go by the names—formaldehyde donor or formaldehyde-releasing preservative (FRPs). Categorized by the FDA as allergens, they release aldehydes (a chemical compound) slowly at lower levels. Resultantly, these low cost and fast-acting preservatives are the reason why they’re so prevalent in your cosmetics today.
To reiterate, brands tend to get away with using this pungent, colorless gas in the name of preservation. Dissolved in water to create a solution called formalin, formaldehyde keeps products from spoiling, rids them of bacteria, and prolongs their shelf life for extended use. That's why 87% of skincare consumers still argue that they don’t mind the presence of formaldehyde in their products.
Or rather, the question should be, “what cosmetics DON’T contain formaldehyde?” Just name any beauty product you see; we’re 99.99% sure they contain it. If you can’t find it straight away, try its alter-egos.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde Releasers
Formaldehyde can often be found in (and bear with us because this is a long list):
Insane, isn’t it?
Formaldehyde is the 2015 American Contact Dermatitis Society Contact Allergen of the Year; that should tell you all you need to know about the preservative. With everything we’ve learned so far about the solution, it’s no surprise that one of the most common reactions to formaldehyde is skin irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and skin, as well as allergic contact dermatitis, blisters, scalp burns, and hair loss in more severe cases.
Cosmetics typically carry low levels of formaldehyde that don’t warrant much of a reaction on normal skin compared to those who suffer from sensitive and irritable skin. With that being said, prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can still cause life-altering reactions in the future, from sensory irritation to severe reactions like breathing difficulties, asthma, and in some cases, even the risk of cancer (beware its carcinogenicity!).
Although rare, the effects of formaldehyde do have links to cancer. Lucky for us, only if exposed to high and prolonged levels of formaldehyde (like hairstylists in salons; google ‘Brazilian Blowout’ for good measure) should you need to worry about it. Your daily use of formaldehyde in cosmetics is unlikely to cause this.
Unfortunately for us, there’s no set answer as to just how much formaldehyde is safe to use before it starts to become a hazard. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not prohibit or regulate the use of formaldehyde in cosmetics while the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) recommends that products should not contain such preservatives at amounts greater than 0.2%.
Although the European Union’s policies are better than that of the FDA’s, they still do not wholly restrict allergy-inducing preservatives like formaldehyde. They allow your favorite self-care products to contain up to 2,000 parts per million of formaldehyde, which, FYI, is more than enough to cause dermatitis (yikes).
Back to the point at hand—how long until the preservative becomes too much? A 2015 study shows that longer storage time (of skincare products that contain this additive) in higher temperatures increase the amount of formaldehyde released and can ultimately lead to more severe health concerns.
Consumers such as yourself may also be exposed to multiple formaldehyde containing products over the years, causing your skin to become more sensitive and vulnerable to reactions. The amount of formaldehyde in your cosmetics may be tiny, but that may not be your only source of exposure to the hazardous gas; check your proximity to cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust, and gas stoves. The use of formaldehyde-filled personal care products simply makes an unnecessary contribution to your risk of skin irritation.
Now you must be wondering what you can do now to get rid of formaldehyde from your life. Thankfully, safer alternatives do exist! Preservatives like Phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, Neolone, OptiphenPlus, Hydantoin, Glycacil, Natrulon, and benzethonium chloride are all formaldehyde-free. But for the sake of this article, we’ll pick two main ones to touch on.
Phenoxyethanol (C8H10O2) is by far one of the gentlest preservatives available in the market at the moment and rarely triggers skin irritations or allergies. Although synthetic, this compound excels at ridding your skincare products of Gram-negative bacteria. One setback, however, is that it’s vulnerable to yeast and fungi without the help of other ingredients. You win some; you lose some.
Sodium benzoate (C₆H₅COONa) is another popular alternative to formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, but it acts opposite to phenoxyethanol. This substance is very effective against fungi and yeast, but not so much against bacteria. Be careful not to buy a product that pairs it with low concentrations of vitamin C, though; it forms benzene—a known carcinogen (once again, yikes!).
If you want to play it safe and simply cut formaldehyde out of your life, preservative-free products do exist. One way to this is to buy skincare products that use airless devices (like airless pump bottles) with a quality control system set to avoid microbial contamination. Of course, this does not come cheap. The packaging is (you guessed it!) more expensive than that of standard packaging and would require higher costs in order to profit.
Besides reading labels and avoiding products that contain formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, try to select nail products that are formaldehyde-free or “toxic-trio-free” (formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP) and skip salon-based hair-smoothing products. Additionally, don’t use expired cosmetics in the sun as it can cause more formaldehyde to be released.
As a formaldehyde-free brand, we at IREN Shizen don’t bother with harsh chemicals like this in our formulations. Our recommendation? Just avoid it as much as you can. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
Did you know that there’s more to self-care than just skincare? Sure, that LUSH bath bomb does a great job in calming you down on your most stressful days (trust us, we know!), but the art of personal care goes way beyond that! Ever heard the saying, “your body’s a temple?”
Think of it as a sacred place that you have to treasure for the rest of your life. It takes way more than skincare to pamper it, which brings us to the quest for good holistic health and its essential role in all-rounded wellness. In this article, we discuss the various ways you can incorporate wellness into your daily routine to restore the balance between inner and outer beauty, as well as serenity.
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Ever wondered why so many people (celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, and Ashley Tisdale included!) have taken to preaching holistic wellness nowadays? It’s pretty simple, really—we’re in the era of self-care! Enough of putting toxic things in and on our bodies; it’s time for a good detox, loves!
According to National Research Professor, Dr. Patwardhan, holistic health is an “approach to healing that goes beyond just eliminating symptoms” and “considers the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.” Deriving from the Greek word ‘holos’—meaning ‘whole,’ holism looks at things from a much bigger perspective, which brings us back to our point! Skincare is just a small part of self-care, and it takes more than just that to achieve good holistic health for your body, mind, and spirit to flourish.
With that being said, good holistic health should ease the pressures of our mundane, cosmopolitan lifestyle. How so, you ask? From having a daily skincare regime (one that’s tailored specifically for your skin type, by the way!), healthy lifestyle habits, regular exercise, and stable physical, emotional and mental health, amongst others depending on the individual.
Perhaps the most fundamental aspect of having healthy skin is to have a daily skincare routine that is personalized for it. As our skin is our body’s largest organ and is what anyone first sees when meeting us, it’s important to take good care of it. Almost everything we do in our daily lives can affect the way our skin looks (a domino effect, essentially!), from lifestyle habits to harmful skincare products, which is why you should always invest in quality skincare that can keep your skin glowing.
To do this, you need to identify your skin type and its concerns to find the right products that target said concerns. It is not enough to simply rely on all-in-one products that may not even be suitable for your skin type. What you can do instead is to study what works best for your skin and learn how to decode ingredient lists so that you know for sure the product you choose contains the right actives to treat your skin woes.
Besides the usual skincare tips you need to adhere to (like having a set skincare routine, using sunscreen everyday, and not exfoliating more than twice a week), it is advisable to refrain from using harsh products that can strip your skin of its natural moisture. Additionally, investing in products that have vital ingredients like vitamins and antioxidants will also help ensure your skin is pumped full of healthy actives in the long run.
Lastly, make sure to take the time to pamper yourself when doing your skincare regime. Pampering yourself allows you to de-stress, reduce anxiety, and trigger happy hormones such as serotonin and oxytocin! Remember, skincare shouldn’t be seen as a chore, but more as a self-care sesh to allow your body and mind relax.
Just like your physical health, eating and drinking healthy will benefit your skin and your complexion over time. Tons of research have proven that a balanced diet is key to treating your acne and inflammation, as well as boosting your skin’s immunity (what’s not to like?).
As nutrition is such a broad topic and we cannot go further into detail about it in this article, here’s a summary of Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ complete list of recommended foods that you should consider when planning your next meal.
If you wish to maintain your blood sugar levels, try to avoid foods like sugar, white bread, processed food, and sodas as they can worsen your acne, break down collagen (shivers in fear), and cause inflammation to your skin. Alternatively, try to eat whole grains and vegetables instead.
Additionally, you should consume vitamins from the source (like raw vegetables and fruits), antioxidant-rich foods (dark green vegetables and nuts amongst others), fiber (beans and chia seeds), and healthy fats (fish, avocado, and nuts). This is so that your skin can help fight off free radicals that may attack your cells, lower your cholesterol and boost your immune system.
At the end of the day, it is all about moderation and balancing the good and the bad. Like they say, “too much of a good thing.” Don’t go overboard with unhealthy foods or go to the extremes of solely eating healthy foods. Food is meant to be enjoyed at the end of the day!
Thinking about taking up that Zumba class? Or perhaps spin? Well, this is your sign to do so. You’d be happy to know that exercise equates to better health and skin. According to board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Hartman, “exercise has innumerable benefits for the body overall and especially for our skin.” And she’s not wrong. Besides making your complexion look more vibrant and glowy, regular exercise has been proven to help with wound healing and providing anti-aging properties to your skin.
As discussed previously in our article 'How to Age Gracefully as a Woman,’ working out releases feel-good hormones like endorphins that help reduce stress and get your heart pumping. In turn, exercise improves your blood circulation, delivers oxygen and nutrients to your skin, and improves your quality of sleep (which we will go into in our next point).
Now listen up because this is important—your skin will be unlikely to glow if you neglect proper sleep. Yeah, you heard us! And trust us when we say this is something we struggle with as well.
Sleep deprivation often comes in the form of visible and mental consequences. The visual includes dark eye circles, puffy eyes, dull and saggy skin. At the same time, mental ones can come in the form of lethargy, the inability to perform well in work or school, distractedness, and many others. Sadly, these factors can also result in higher cortisol levels (your body’s primary stress hormone), leading to inflammation of your skin and worsened skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis flare-ups.
Sleep allows for your body to rejuvenate itself and restore its natural balance once again, which is why you should create a regular sleep schedule for yourself. If you’re feeling fancy, you can also pamper yourself with sleep-friendly accessories such as a diffuser infused with lavender essential oil and a silk sleep mask to allow your body to relax into it. Trust us, it works!
Live your life in a little bit of color! Unfortunately, not many people understand the correlation between the creative arts and holistic health. If you haven’t heard about the health effects of music and visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression, and expressive writing, allow us to enlighten you!
It’s not brand new information that mental health is not as stressed upon as physical health, and that’s a shame. Stress from traumas, childhood, or just overwhelming lifestyle factors varying on different individuals’ experiences all lead to an impacted mental well-being and stressed skin. As touched on above, stress can cause your skin to have acne flare-ups, rashes, hair loss, and worsening skin conditions.
Not to mention, telling someone not to worry and “stress less” may not always be the best advice to give, especially if said person already suffers from mental disorders like anxiety. So where does art come in?
Artistic engagement has been known to be connected with the psychosocial and biological needs of individuals. Evidence suggests that any engagement with artistic-like activities (be it as an observer or creator) can enhance your mood, emotions, and overall psychological well-being.
So open yourself up to the creative world; who knows what it might do for you!
Yes, we know—it’s easier said than done. We are living in the digital age, after all. However, a social media cleanse may be just what you need should you feel overwhelmed by society’s expectations via what is presented on social media.
With our dependence on social media, our minds are constantly bombarded with depressing news while our feeds are flooded with what is meant to be the ‘ideal life’ through other people’s posts, with a never-ending barrage of opinions circulated on said platforms.
They say social media is toxic, and we wholeheartedly agree. Honestly, with the amount of time you spend on such platforms, you lose more time to truly spend time with yourself and find yourself fixated on how others live their lives instead.
Should you ever feel drained by the outcomes of the digital, it may be time to consider a digital detox. Maybe try it for a week or two, and see how it goes? One thing’s for sure though; your mind will thank you for its much-needed me-time.
]]>2020 saw many of us favoring hand sanitizers and antibacterial hand soaps, but did you know that they may not be as good for you as you think? Now we hate to be the ones to burst your bubble, but these products are actually making you more susceptible to bacteria—all thanks to one pesky agent called triclosan (C12H7Cl3O2).
Read on as we tell you everything you need to know about the synthetic chemical and why we suggest you avoid it.
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Before triclosan’s involvement in personal care products, the broad-spectrum antimicrobial was used as a pesticide (red flag alert!) in the 1960s and a hospital scrub to eradicate micro-organisms like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on patients prior to surgery in the 1970s.
The triclosan we know of today has not changed but is now being used in the everyday household products we own and regularly use. And if you really think about it, what was once (and is still) used as a pesticide is now being put on our precious skin! Yeah, it’s scary, alright.
You would assume that the market for triclosan would be decreasing, but that’s not the case. A study conducted by Market Watch anticipates triclosan use to rise at a considerable rate between 2020 and 2026. 85% of the total volume of triclosan is currently being used in personal care and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products; a very high ratio as compared to specialized applications like textiles (5%) and plastics and food contact materials (10%).
Due to its aseptic properties, various products utilize triclosan to rid skin or surfaces of bacteria, ranging from antibacterial soaps to kitchenware.
Interested in the full list? We've got you covered:
Personal Care Products
Household Products
Given, the intention of triclosan is to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination, the chemical does wreak tons of havoc on our health and the environment.
It’s hardly surprising that the risk of damages triclosan can produce is high because of its prominence in personal care and household products. That’s not all. As consumers, most of us have been exposed to the chemical from an early age, graduating from toys to personal care products to kitchenware.
So when it comes to potential health hazards, brace yourself as the list is practically endless. Here’s all we know so far:
Triclosan is not just bad for our health, but detrimental to the environment as well. Already detectable in 58% of US waterways, this chemical’s mission for destruction doesn’t just stop at humans. Triclosan affects our aquatic and terrestrial organisms, the environment they live in, and bioaccumulation (essentially the accumulation of toxic substances in organisms) as it does not break down quickly and retains its nature long after it’s washed down our drains.
How does it do so? Let’s get into the details. High doses of triclosan contamination influence the decrease in thyroid hormones of animals that live in the water and drink from it. Fish, especially, suffer the most from triclosan because it contains a lipophilic substance. Once absorbed into their fatty tissues and internal organs, it interferes with their hormonal and reproductive systems. And yes, you guessed it! This inadvertently affects us when we consume said fish, and the cycle goes on.
Various plant species are also impacted by triclosan, the most notable being the Scenedesmus subspicatus algae that are vital for aquatic ecosystems. The chemical is exceptionally toxic to the algae and may disrupt marine ecosystems once introduced to the water. Once again, affecting us!
Additionally, water treatment plants are not able to thoroughly remove triclosan during their treatment process. What this suggests is that we’ll never get the chemical out of our water systems and our drinking water, leaving us in a state of constant array for the foreseeable future should we choose to continue using triclosan.
And the last repercussion is perhaps the most important one of all. Triclosan may undergo degradation and produce chemicals such as Methyl Triclosan, Dioxin, Chlorophenol, and Chloroform that are more harmful than triclosan itself.
Because of its potential adverse effects, triclosan is regulated in many countries. Fortunately for us, governing bodies do recognize triclosan as a potentially hazardous and risky substance, with some setting restrictions or banning the chemical from personal care products completely.
In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a rule regarding over-the-counter healthcare products that prevent companies from using triclosan without premarket review. However, they do allow dental brands to continue using the chemical in toothpaste as they do help to prevent tooth decay, plaque, and gingivitis.
Currently, the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products advises triclosan to be typically used at a concentration of 0.1 to 0.3% in personal care products, stating that the use of triclosan in toothpaste, soap, deodorant, face powder, and concealer is considered safe.
In the USA (with the exception of Minnesota), corporations are not allowed to market triclosan as an ingredient in any of their OTC products due to the uncertainty in their side effects. Their neighbors in Canada, however, have put their foot down and classified triclosan as a risk to the environment.
The good news is that there are substitutes for triclosan in the products you may already be using. When it comes to washing your hands, try to use regular soap instead of antibacterial ones. Yes, we know it seems weird to ask this of you mid-pandemic, but we promise you there is no difference in terms of efficacy.
According to research, triclosan’s antimicrobial effects do not provide any additional protection against bacteria than regular soap. But if you’re still adamant about having antibacterial properties in your soap, natural antibacterial hand soaps are good alternatives. We recommend looking for those that contain tea tree, grapefruit, and pine essential oils.
You can also stick with alcohol-based hand sanitizers over those that have powerful antibacterial agents like triclosan. However, if that’s too drying for you, triclosan-free hand sanitizers that contain thyme essential oil, fennel extract, and other essential plant oils would work just as well.
As for substitutes for fluoride toothpaste, buy organic ones that contain natural antibacterial ingredients like spearmint and peppermint oils instead. They’re generally healthier, less harsh on your teeth, and safer for children as kids do tend to have tooth or allergy sensitivities at a developmental age. Organic toothpaste also minimizes the number of chemicals you put in your health that could weaken your oral health.
To replace triclosan in deodorant, baking soda works wonders. It may seem strange at first, but we can assure you this cooking ingredient gets rid of odor and reduces the moisture emitting from your underarms well. If that’s not your cup of tea, opt for natural deodorants that are triclosan-free. Bonus points; they typically smell better too!
We know it’s hard to go cold turkey. Trust us; we’re right there with you. We recommend taking the time to read up more about triclosan and figure out what works best for you when trying to eliminate the chemical from your life.
You can take baby steps in reducing the number of products containing triclosan from your skincare regime and replace them with the triclosan-free alternatives we advised. As more and more countries are actively trying to restrict or ban the additive from personal care products, it should be easier for us to buy suitable substitutes in the future.
As for now, try to steer clear of triclosan as much as you can. We believe in you!
Want to find out more about IREN Shizen's 6 other no-no ingredients? You can read all about them here: |
So we’ve got a question—ever walk into a store and notice an ‘FSC-Certified’ stamp on paper packaging? If you haven’t, allow us to jog your memory! This distinguishable stamp features a combination of a check mark and a Christmas tree with the words ‘FSC’ written in caps directly underneath it (see picture above). Sound familiar now?
But what exactly is FSC-certified paper, and how is it different from your everyday paper? You might say it’s one of the top two most environmentally-friendly papers available around the world, vying for the top spot with recycled paper itself. Read on as we go further into the origins of FSC paper and get an insight into how we, as a beauty brand, utilize it for our products!
Do you know that 420 million tons of paper and cardboard are produced annually? That’s equivalent to everyone on Earth using two pieces of paper per hour (we did the math)! Coupled with the fact that it takes 10 liters of water to produce just one sheet of A4 paper, you can only imagine how detrimental paper production and waste are to our environment. Hint, it's not good.
With forests making up about 30% of the world and 24 million hectares of trees already cut down or burned this year for logging (a fancy term for wood and paper production), farming, and mining practices, it makes you wonder how the act of deforestation has become commonplace amongst society. Seriously though, how are we letting this happen?
Currently, the two main consequences of deforestation are climate change and the impact of such practices on animals. To put things into perspective, the devastation of climate change is already up and coming. The more carbon dioxide we exhale, the more heat-trapping greenhouse gases we emit (global warming says hello).
Plus, it’s also no secret that animals depend on their habitat to survive. 80% of all land animals populate our forests in total, and that’s a hefty figure! The removal of trees forcefully eliminates birds and land animals from solitude, deprives the forest of its canopy, and creates harmful temperature mood swings for plants and animals. All just to make paper for us!
Short for Forest Stewardship Council, FSC is the pioneer of forest certification. In their own words (and get ready for this because they do a whole lot), they’re an “independent, not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization” that “supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.” Pretty impressive, right?
Think of them as the defenders of forests, if you will! Ever since the unfortunate rise of deforestation and forest degradation, FSC has stepped in to prevent more of our forestry from being harmed for the sake of our material possessions.
At large, FSC sets the standard for forest products, certifies brands that fit this merit, and ensures that such criteria are continued to be met past-certification (no one’s off the hook!).
With FSC comes the conception of green printing and FSC-certified paper; paper harvested in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Rest assured, you’re supporting a sustainable manufacturing process with FSC's 4-step 'chain of custody'. It’s that credible!
It has also garnered itself a positive reputation amongst demographics. Don’t believe us? 50% of the UK recognizes its iconic stamp, with 72% of its demographic being very or fairly likely to buy FSC-certified products over others.
Now you must be wondering, how does FSC paper create a positive impact on the environment? Realistically speaking, humans rely on paper a lot. To give you a ballpark figure, the U.S. consumes 100 million tons of paper annually. That’s why FSC paper is so significant in reducing paper waste and forest degradation, purely by dealing with the demand in a sustainable manner.
With 5,000 FSC certificate holders out there using FSC paper for the packaging of their goods, it begs the question; how can you tell the different levels of FSC certification standards apart? To put it simply, their labels.
There are three types of FSC certification labels—FSC 100%, FSC Recycled, and FSC Mix. It says it all in their names; FSC 100% refers to products made of wood that originated from FSC-managed forests, FSC recycled to goods made from reclaimed materials, and FSC mix to merchandise made from FSC-certified forests, recycled materials, or controlled wood.
As consumers ourselves, we’re naturally curious about what goes into the products we purchase. We’re sure you are too, which is where the three FSC labels come in handy. You’ll know exactly what your favorite products consist of and just how sustainable they are.
Envelopes, packaging, furniture—you name it; these materials can all be classified as FSC-certified. FSC paper, specifically, can be a great alternative to your typical rough, recycled paper.
Contrary to popular belief, FSC paper is not as expensive as you’d think. It's even comparable in price with other forms of paper that may not have been sourced via unsustainable forests! We also tend to have a common misconception that recycled paper is 100% sustainable, which is simply not true.
Don’t get us wrong. Both FSC and recycled paper are eco-friendly, but only FSC paper recycles continuously over and over again. Recycled paper (shredded paper, newspapers, etc.) automatically rules out as paper fiber only breaks down several times before it completely degrades.
On the other hand, FSC paper composes of virgin tree fibers from FSC-certified well-managed forests. What's best? You can trust that you're actively helping to save the forests for generations to come with FSC's strict set of standards and credibility.
Additionally, the intricate process of recycling has more environmental implications than you’d typically expect. Do you know just how much recycled material actually goes into recycled paper? If your answer is no, it’s best to check the post-consumer waste paper percentage before buying your next stack.
Since 2015, more and more retailers have gotten FSC-approved, with the number of partners growing on average by 18% every year. To break it down demographically, partners of FSC are 77% European, 15% Asian Pacific (us included!), and 4% North American.
At IREN Shizen, we try our best to make a conscious effort to be sustainable in our practices and products, using FSC paper to make up our exterior packaging.
Reducing our carbon footprint remains one of our top priorities here. Besides investing in FSC-certified packaging, we also source and work with local suppliers—shipping our products to Singapore and other parts of the world for final assembly and filling before sending them out to you.
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