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Not all beauty products are created equal. We learned today that some anti-aging products actually cause fine lines and wrinkles. And now comes news that some drugstore moisturizer ingredients are actually really bad for your skin because they’re toxic, cause acne, or a variety of other skin issues. Say it ain’t so!
READ MORE: The One Product You Should NEVER Use Because It Causes Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Worst Moisturizer Ingredients
You've likely purchased moisturizer to improve the quality of your skin, but what if the ingredients in your drugstore product of choice do more harm than good? According to the board certified dermatologist we spoke to, certain moisturizer ingredients should never be used because of the toxic ingredients they contain.
Most Toxic: Formaldehyde Releasing Preservatives
Dr. Craig Kraffert, Board Certified Dermatologist explains that preservatives are required to ensure the shelf life of skin care products--but that doesn't make them safe.
“Moisturizers preserved with formaldehyde releasing ingredients are potentially toxic and carcinogenic and should be avoided," he warns.
"Formaldehyde releasing preservatives include DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, quaternium 15, bronopol, 5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3 dioxane, and hydroxymethylglycinate all release toxic formaldehyde as they break down." This is your daily reminder to check your beauty labels!
So, what's a girl to use instead? "Look for moisturizers preserved with phenoxyethanol, a safe and environmentally sound preservative ingredient, such as Amarte Aqua Cream," he advises.
For Acne: Isopropyl Palmitate
A close runner up is this is a fatty acid commonly used in tinted moisturizers. Why is it so bad? It's extremely comedogenic, which means it's likely to clog pores.
So, there you have it: two new ingredients to check for in your moisturizers. If you see them on your products--run, don't WALK to the trash can.
Let us know in the comments below: what moisturizers do you swear by for flawless skin?
