This page includes terms that you might run across in the beauty world, as well as some tips you might not have heard before! I hope that you will find it useful!
I'm still working on the list, so please don't mind. If you would like any information on a term you cannot find here, please let me know!
Ceteareth-20: this is added to beauty products to make the ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin for it to be more effective. It is carcinogenic. Caution
Cocoa Butter: this is made from the nuts of the cocoa tree, it looks like shea butter and it's easy to confuse them but they are different. It's a good moisturizer, especially if you go out in the sun a lot. It has natural protective ingredients in it and it smells chocolaty! It's actually one of the ingredients in chocolate!
Emulsion: a combination of two substances where one is disbursed through the other. It can either be an 'oil in water' emulsion or a 'water in oil' emulsion. Oil in water means the oil is surrounded by water and water in oil means that the water is surrounded by oil. It also has an emulsifier which keeps the two substances together (think oil & vinegar). Most creams are water in oil emulsions.
Isopropyl: another name for alcohol or rubbing alcohol. It's a really common ingredient in many of our beauty products. It's an antiseptic and absorbed by our skin easily. Experts don't know about side-effects yet.
Isopropyl myristate: a synthetic lubricant/oil used as a base in cosmetics to make them feel sheer and smooth without the greasiness. It's absorbed easily by the skin. If you use a lot of face products which have this, it will clog pores. It's not recommended for people who have acne-prone oily skin. Potential allergen. There are at least 15 other scientific names for it that different companies use.
Isopropyl palmitate: this is a moisturizer which is also referred to as an 'emmolient' to be fancy and 'grease' for the candid that is used in products to make the skin soft. It's made from palm oil and alcohol and is especially recommended for dry skin because it is so dense. There is a risk for clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads if you have combination to oily skin. (Some people are against the use of palm oil in cosmetics (or anything else) because rainforests are being cleared out to make room for palm plantations. So in a way, use of these products does contribute to diminishing earth's rainforests and the animals which live in it, particularly the orangutan which is at risk for extinction right now.)
Jojoba Oil: the wax of the jojoba (pronounced ho-Ho-ba) plant which has moisturizing and hydrating qualities.When used alone as a moisturizer, you only need a few drops. It is very good for dry flaky skin, stretch marks, wrinkles. It may or may not be good for oily skin, different people react to it differently. Some claim that it helps control sebum and acne.
Lanolin: a thick and dense moisturizer made from sheeps' sebaceous glands
Mineral oil aka Baby oil aka Petroleum Jelly: baby oil sounds so innocent! but it's actually liquid petrolatum which is made from petroleum! This is used to moisturize the skin but is not recommended because it basically doesn't allow the skin to do anything. It doesn't allow the skin to breathe, absorb any moisture or get rid of any toxins.There are studies being done on it and it might be carcinogenic. Avoid! Caution
Parabens: this is added to products to prolong their shelf life, to make them last longer than they usually would. There are claims that it is a carcinogen. I personally feel that it's best to avoid it but that is difficult since it is practically in everything. I would recommend using high quality products for your skin, especially if it is something that the skin will absorb. Although these quality products will have parabens as well, the amounts will be much less than what is found in cheaper, less quality ones. High quality products have to pass more lab testing to be approved, so the dangers associated with that product should be less. Caution
Shea Butter: this is a moisturizer which has fatty acids, vitamin A and UVB absorbing agents. If you buy the all natural kind, it will not have any preservatives, artificial ingredients, chemicals or fragrances, so it can be a great choice as a body lotion. If it is white in color or odorless, that means it has been refined a lot by the manufacturer, so it is not natural.You can use shea butter for your skin and as a hair treatment as well.
Triethanolamin: this is a petroleum by-product used in products to either balance out their PH level or act as an emulsifier (bond). It is said to be a carcinogen which also damages the liver. Please avoid products which have this. Caution
Vitamin E: an antioxidant recommended for healthy skin. If you want to use products with vitamin E, try and get oil-based ones because apparently vitamin E dissolves better in oil, so it will work better in those products.
Avocado Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Stearic Acid
Cetyl Esters
Dimethicone
Glyceryl Stearate
Water
Glycerin
Calendula Extract
Aloe Vera Gel
Tetrasodium EDTA
Castor Oil
Cetyl palmitate
Cedarwood
Clary sage
Geranium
Lavender
Sandalwood
Tea Tree
Ylang Ylang
Grapeseed oil
Lemon oil
List of comedogenic ingredients in cosmetics: http://www.dermaxime.com/acne-comedogenic-ingredients.htm
