THEto skin healthas we know, also depends on the choices you make in everyday life, including those that concern the cosmetics to be usedin the shower as during skincare. The problem? If the desire to use only the best products is more than legitimate, in reality the choices we make are often dictated by many false beliefs. To reveal some of them Maddalena D’Agostini, chemist, cosmetologist and popularizer known on social media as @madd.aliena, who recently published ‘Inside cosmetics. Journey between skincare, make-up and false myths’ (Hoepli). The book deals with the functioning of the main everyday cosmetics from a scientific perspective, analyzing its chemical composition and the mechanisms of action on the skin. But above all by questioning, in light of the available chemical and dermatological evidence, some widespread clichés in the sector. Objective: to make more the information on the labels is understandable And in marketing claims.
Paraben-free: what does it mean?
Any examples? A very widespread claim, the classic one ‘without parabens and silicones’, that we usually read on the labels of shampoo. «Let’s start by saying that these two terms are often combined as if they were connected to each other, when they are not at all”, explains the author of the book. «Parabens are gods preservatives with antibacterial and antifungal action. They therefore play an important role in keeping the formula safe for skin health, avoiding the formation of mold in the product. The belief that they are dangerous comes from a study published in 2004which linked them to breast cancer, one correlation which was not confirmed by any of the subsequent studiesi but which ended up creating alarmism. Many companies chose to specify ‘paraben-free’ on the label, effectively fueling an unfounded fear.”
Skin and cosmetic safety
«What we should remember is that all the ingredients contained in cosmetics are considered safe because they are approved by a very rigid European regulation”, explains Maddalena D’Agostini. «If we find a certain ingredient in a product, it means that in certain concentrations, that ingredient is safe. The possibility of specifying on the labels that the product does not contain a certain substance is one much debated topic, because in fact, when an ingredient is permitted by law, write ‘without…’ creates confusion for the consumer.”
And silicone-free shampoo?
How to deal with silicones instead? «Again, many people think to silicone as an ingredient which can occlude and therefore harm your hair» explains the expert. «A substance which, instead of nourishing the hair, coats it, ‘suffocating’ it. This is another false myth, since hair is actually a fiber which, unlike skin, does not need to be nourished. Contrary to popular belief, to have shiny hair, it is really useful to apply an ingredient that coats its structure, creating a film able to close the cuticles, allowing the hair to reflect light better. And therefore be brighter. That this product is a silicone of synthetic origin rather than a vegetable oil, like coconut or flaxseed, it doesn’t make that big of a difference. The only caution, if you have hair that gets dirty easilycould be to use a conditioner with silicone and a shampoo without, since it comes into contact with the skin.”
Is hypoallergenic better?
Raise your hand if you’ve never found yourself choosing a soap or a detergent that was strictly ‘hypoallergenic’. «In this case it is a product formulated to minimize the risk of allergic reactions, eliminating or limiting known allergens, according to a list drawn up by the European Union”, explains Maddalena D’Agostini. «However, it does not mean that it is a product that cannot cause allergies but just that has a lower probability of triggering them. It must be considered that each skin can react differently and that in any case the list of known allergens is constantly updated».
‘Nickel Tested’: what does it really mean?
In the book, we also talk about ‘nickel tested’ cosmetics, very popular today…
«The fundamental premise in this case is that the products cannot be Nickel free which is a ubiquitous metal and therefore it is found everywhere”, explains Maddalena D’Agostini. «Cosmetics may contain, for example, raw materials which in turn contain Nickel, or may have been produced with laboratory instruments which contain Nickel inside them… Therefore the wording ‘nickel tested’ does not mean that the cosmetic does not contain this metal but that it has a minimum concentration tested in the laboratory».
These products may be more suitable for those with a known nickel allergy, but be careful. «That doesn’t mean that a product that does not have this wording on the label is necessarily full of nickel», warns the expert. «Maybe it just hasn’t been tested, given that the test is not mandatory for companies and it’s also quite expensive.”
Natural is not synonymous with better
And then there’s the big one chapter of natural cosmeticswhich – in the collective imagination – is often considered the best choice to respect skin health.
«Actually, sometimes the natural extracts and essential oils can cause even more irritation» explains Maddalena D’Agostini. «Even if we tend to underestimate it, there are many poisonous plants in nature. Natural products are often chosen because they fear ‘chemical’ or rather synthetic ones: however it is useful to remember that there are molecules specially created in the laboratory to be more effective, penetrate better into the skin and therefore be more functional.”
Skin and cosmetics: how to read the label (well).
In short, reading labels is useful but you have to know how to do it to avoid mistakes…
«Another classic mistake? If a product bears the wording ‘based on Vitamin C, an ingredient with well-known antioxidant properties’, it does not necessarily mean that that product has been recognized as having antioxidant properties but only that it contains Vitamin C, perhaps in concentrations that are not sufficient to ensure that property in the cosmetic”, explains the expert. «The writing, however, is different ‘antioxidant serum’ it means that precisely that serum has been recognized, due to its formulation, as having antioxidant properties… they seem like nuances, but if we want to be on the safe side it is better to know how to correctly interpret the various claims».
Every skin has its own needs
The golden rules for choosing cosmetics in an informed way?
«Always start from minimal skincare, with few products and few main steps, which I am cleansing, hydration and sun protection”, concludes Maddalena D’Agostini. «And remember that there is no good or bad cosmetic absolutely but only suitable and not suitable for our specific needs: that’s why it is It’s good to understand what exactly our skin needswithout relying on the fashions of the moment.”
