4 Widely Used Natural Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid and Why

When it comes to skin care ingredients you may be pretty proud of yourself for being able to identify the really bad ones, like parabens and phthalates, harmful chemicals added to conventional skin care products that can put your health at risk.

But what happens when the “good guys,” the ingredients you thought were actually good for your skin turn out to be anything but?

Well, I’m glad you came upon this article, because I will help you identify the ingredients that you may have thought were great, but weren’t really doing much for your skin after all!

These are are the four ingredients you will never find in my skin care products. Keep on reading to find out why.

Grapeseed Oil

This one might have you scratching your head, because you may have always thought of grapeseed oil as a superstar ingredient!

While cold-pressed grapeseed oil is usually a healthier option, it’s a sad fact that the majority of grapeseed oils used in most skincare products are extracted in factories using toxic solvents, which very quickly turn this oil into one that is not pure and something you don’t want to put on your face or in your body.

In fact, grapeseed oil isn’t all that fantastic for you anyway; it’s high in omega 6 fats, which may cause inflammation in the body and the only impressive antioxidant it really boasts is Vitamin E. Because grapeseed oil is high in polyunsaturated fats, it’s recommended that you don’t cook with this one, rather use it on salads or to make mayonnaise instead of heating it up.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is one ingredient I adore for its rich concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, nutrients and amino acids.

So why don’t I use this excellent ingredient in my products?

Unless aloe vera is used straight from the plant itself, it’s not going to benefit your skin or your health. The reason for this is because aloe vera is high in water content and when water or a water based ingredient is added to a product, it requires loads of preservatives to ensure it’s safe to use and to prevent mold from forming.

Often products that contain this ingredient need to be refrigerated and constantly kept in a cool place, which can be difficult during transportation.

Safflower, Corn and Soy Oils

I never cook with these oils so why would I put them in my products?

Vegetable oils (which are not exactly vegetables) are highly processed oils extracted from soybeans, corn, rapeseed (the source of canola oil), cottonseed, and safflower seed. They extracted in unnatural ways, using toxic solvents that make them an ingredient that can never be labeled as organic or natural, no matter what a company may try and tell you. They are high in pro-inflammatory fats and usually derived from genetically modified crops.

Witch Hazel

The witch hazel plant itself is fine and it has astringent properties making it popular in various acne products.

Unfortunately, it all comes down to processing in factories, once again. The products they clean the machines with is a little too questionable, in my opinion, so I would rather avoid it completely.

I hope this clears things up for you! It can be disappointing to learn that ingredients you thought were great are actually not all that wonderful, but the good news is that there are an array of other excellent and all natural ingredients that more than make up for the bad ones!