James Dean, Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl, Tom Hardy in, well, pretty much anything… there’s something about the handsome bad boy we all just can’t get enough of. You know the one - the guy who would sneak through your bedroom window when you were in high school, or the dude who only ever texts you at 2am on a Saturday night with ‘sup?’ But as much as they may get our hearts a-fluttering, we all know deep down they’re no good for us.
But did you know that a bad boy could actually be lurking in your bathroom cabinet right now? No, he hasn’t snuck through your window again. We’re talking about the bad boys of the skincare world - the toxic ingredients that hide in your products. Like those dashing delinquents, they often come wrapped up in pretty packaging. But don’t let that fool you - they spell serious trouble for your skin, the environment and even your overall health.
So that you can dump those bad exes for Mr. Right, we’ve rounded up the clean beauty swaps you can make using natural ingredients. Read on for the 5 skincare bad boys to look out for and their clean alternatives.
Bad boy #1: Parabens
What is it: Parabens are preservatives often used in skincare products to stop the growth of fungus, bacteria and other microbes. While this may sound like a good thing, the downside is that nowadays we may expose to parabens more than we should, not only in skincare but also in food (the processed and canned food that we eat) and even in nature (some fruits, such as berries, contain natural parabens as part of their anti-bacterial mechanism)! Some research suggested high level of exposure to parabens may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer. Sensitive Belles may find parabens to be quite harsh, they can also cause red and irritated skin.
Can be found in: Pretty much any skincare product that contains water - from cleansers and creams, to serums and toners.
The solution: The good news is, you don’t have to resort to using skincare products with parabens to get super hydrated skin. You can ditch the bad boy in favour of the white knights: all natural, oil-based skincare products. Our Seed Face Oil uses plant and botanical oils to give you dewy, glowing skin. Our Flower Face Cream, while providing similar benefits, is carefully formulated with natural preservative to keep nasty bacteria at bay!
Bad boy #2: SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfates)
What is it: SLS? More like, SOS! Sodium Lauryl Sulfates are often added to skincare products to help them foam up and cleanse the skin. However, they also trip your natural sebum and are linked to inflamed and irritated skin.
Can be found in: Most cleansers.
The solution: Just as you don’t need the bad boy to have a good time, you don’t need a foaming cleanser to get a good cleanse. Switch to cleansers that contain only natural ingredients, like Tea Cleanser. Not only does it contain corn and coconut derivatives for a deep cleanse, it also includes aloe vera, cucumber and green tea extracts to soothe your skin.
Bad boy #3: Microbeads
What is it: Unlike the other bad boys on this list, you can actually see microbeads. They’re those minuscule plastic balls used to scrub your skin in exfoliant products. They also happen to be bad news! Not only are they incredibly rough on your skin, they can also cause long-term ripping and damage. They’re also terrible for the environment, as they often end up in our oceans where marine life mistake them for food and swallow the poisonous balls.
Can be found in: Exfoliating products and scrubs.
The solution: Microbeads are often used in exfoliating products because they’re cheap to produce but girl, you’ve got more class than that! Kick that bad boy to the curb and instead pick up our Smooth & Glow Exfoliator, which uses Japanese Adzuki beans and fruit extracts to gently remove dead skin cells and leave you with soft, radiant skin.
Bad boy #4: Synthetic colours
What is it: Synthetic colours are the perfect example of how good looks can be deceiving. These are artificial dyes that serve no other purpose than to give your skincare products a pretty colour - but they’ve been identified as a carcinogen (potentially cancer-causing) and skin irritant.
Can be found in: Any skincare product.
The solution: Natural oils and extracts are abundant in colours! Our products use only the purest, most powerful and soothing natural ingredients to give them their vibrant colours - like calendula oil in our Flower Face Cream and buriti oil, rosehip oil and seabuckthorn extract in our Seed Face Oil. They're good for your skin, gentle and look beautiful!
Bad boy #5: Mineral oil
What is it: While mineral oil may sound harmless, it’s actually a colourless and odorless oil made from petroleum. Just as that bad boy in your life is known to break your heart, mineral oil can clog your pores, leading to blackheads and breakouts. Not fun!
Can be found in: Lotions, creams and ointments.
The solution: Start a Be Fraîche journey with us! We may be humble and not well-known, but we’re gentle, hard-working and are genuinely committed to making your skin (and your life!) happier than ever! Not sure where to start? We've made these cute and compact Starter Sets just for you:
- by Emma .
