How to be a beauty detective

With so many beauty brands out there, it’s important to see through the marketing blather to discover the truth. Learn the six nasty ingredients to avoid, what greenwashing” means, how to read labels and how to choose clean skincare.

- EMA TAYLOR

Many beauty brands are stepping up their game when it comes to offering organic, sustainable products that are non-harmful to humans and Mother Earth. While this is encouraging, there are many cosmetics that still contain harmful ingredients along with brands using misleading information, "greenwashing" to entice consumers to purchase their products. Research shows that there are certain ingredients still commonly used in many cosmetics that could negatively impact hormones and the endocrine system, a woman's ability to conceive, the nervous and immune systems, topically irritate eyes and skin and even have detrimental effects on the health of a developing baby. While this may seem worrying, beauty brands need to step it up when it comes to minimising the footprint they are leaving. From excessive plastic packaging to chemical runoff that enters waterways and impacts flora and fauna, choosing sustainable brands is a must if you want to protect the planet. Learning how to decipher labels and become your own beauty detective will give you the confidence you need when purchasing beauty products, knowing that they are in support of both yours and the precious planet's health.

6 known nasties to avoid

Often beauty products are applied daily meaning the exposure to potentially harmful ingredients is high and cumulative. The first place to start with your detective work is knowing which ingredients are in your products and which to certainly avoid. Here are six known nasties that should be avoided.

Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic more flexible and are commonly found in body wash, hair care products, nail polish, colognes, perfumes, soaps, shampoos and even in the coatings of particular medications.