Proper skin care is the key to healthy, glowing skin. But one skin care expert says there are some ingredients to avoid.
"You have to be careful with the ingredients. It is very important. Some ingredients can be very harmful to your skin. Cancer also causes cancer,” says plastic surgeon and skin care expert Dr. Pablo Pritchard.
Here is a list of ingredients to avoid:
1. Aluminum
"Everybody loves aluminum because it's an antiperspirant," he said.
Aluminum is in many things.
"Eye make-up as a means of long-term sweating. In sunscreen. People like it a lot because it is sweat resistant. And then in deodorants.
Although aluminum helps stop sweating, aluminum has been linked to some types of skin cancer. She said she chose aluminum-free sunscreens and aluminum-free deodorants. But keep in mind that some of these deodorants work better than others.
“That's why it's a bit of trial and error. Does it work for you and your body chemistry?” she said.
2. Parabens
“Parabens are one of the preservatives that people add to cosmetics to make them last longer. The problem with parabens is that they are absorbed into the body very quickly and also mimic the estrogen molecule. "C" is a problem especially for women. This affects the reproductive endocrine cycle,” says Dr. Pritchard. They are also so called "endocrine disruptors". Endocrine disruptors have been shown to increase the incidence of breast cancer."
Instead, use pure cosmetics that are free of parabens and preservatives.
"I'm stuck with the freezer because if you freeze it, it actually lasts longer," he said.
3. Coconut oil (for face)
"Everybody wants that dewy look, that dewy glow, just gorgeous," says Dr. Pritchard.
But she said that putting coconut oil on your face to make it look like this is bad for your skin.
"It's what we call a comedogenic compound, so it clogs pores and can cause breakouts."
She said it's best to keep coconut oil on the body just to moisturize the skin. For the face, she recommends hyaluronic acid. She said it gives the same dewy glow, moisturizes and doesn't clog pores.