News flash: Relationships aren’t the only things that can have red flags. You can find that in your skincare ingredients too. Ever wonder why some skincare products work for you and some don’t? It could carry buzzwords like “natural,” “holy grail,” and “sustainable” but it might still contain toxic chemicals — skincare red flags — that build up into serious health risks for your body, your family, and the environment.

Looking for the right skincare products is pretty much like looking for your right match (free from red flags, of course!). To help you find your “The One”, here are the top most common harmful ingredients to keep an eye out for in product labels, and their natural counterparts.

Red Flag #1: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS/SLES)

Don’t you just love it when your face wash, soap, or shampoo creates a foamy lather? While it sounds fun, what’s sad is that SLS usually causes these suds. This harsh chemical may strip your skin and hair of essential moisture, cause irritation, and dry them.

✅ Natural counterparts: Gentler, non-stripping surfactants like sodium cocoyl isethionate (coconut-oil-derived) and decyl glucoside (coconut-derived). Try products like Nourishing Facial Wash and Strengthening Shampoo.

Red Flag #2: Parabens

Preserving a toxic, long-term relationship is not worth it if it puts you at serious risk. Just like how parabens prolong the shelf life of common skincare and cosmetic products but may cause irritation and allergic reactions. They are also known as endocrine disruptors and may weaken the immune system.

✅ Natural counterparts: Plant-derived preservatives like rosemary essential oil, gluconolactone (from corn), and glyceryl caprylate (coco, palm, and glycerin derived). Try our Cooling Body Cleanser and Feminine Wash Bar.

Red Flag #3: Mineral oil

Another red flag is mineral oil used in lotions, moisturizers, and makeup removers. While it’s known to lock in moisture to heal dry or irritated skin, it can also clog pores, suffocate the skin, and damage the skin barrier.

✅ Natural counterparts: Cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, passion fruit oil, and castor oil. Consider products like Sunflower Beauty Oil, Natural Healthy Lotion, and Marine Caviar HydroMiracle Moisturizer.

Red Flag #4: Silicone

Usually found in conditioners and hair styling products, silicone is also a no-no in skin and hair care. While it can make your hair look silky and healthy, this harmful ingredient coats skin and hair like plastic, which may lead to clogged pores as well as speed up skin aging.

✅ Natural counterparts: Cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, passion fruit oil, and castor oil. Opt for silicone-free creams like Radiant Grace Night Cream, Moisturizing Conditioner, and Hair Revival Coco Mask.

Red Flag #5: Lake dyes/FD&C colors

A product looks natural but has striking colors? It most likely contains an added synthetic dye! Lake dyes in personal care products may contain contaminants that may be neurotoxic, possibly carcinogenic, and may cause skin irritations.

✅ Natural counterparts: Mineral oxide pigments. Opt for natural and nourishing makeup like Blush & Bloom Color Cream and Made to Bloom.

Choose products that make you glow, girl!

To help Filipinos combat disinformation and make wise choices as consumers, Human Nature, the pioneer brand of effective, safe, and affordable genuinely natural products, encourages the habit of doing the 3Rs—READ the label, REPLACE unsafe products with Philippines’ genuinely natural ones, and RAISE AWARENESS—one step at a time.

Why risk it when you can choose beauty, safety, and health at the same time? Start choosing products that promise you more than just beauty! All it takes is for you to read the label, replace unsafe products with natural alternatives, and raise awareness.

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