Are you looking to take charge of your health and improve your skincare routine, but don’t know where to start? Are you surprised that your inner health and skincare products are even related?

Well, Kaia Earth is here to help. 

Ingredients are the place to start when it comes to figuring out whether your skincare products are safe for your skin and your overall health. We’ve compiled a list of ingredients to avoid putting on your skin--and why you should avoid them. Note: This list is designed to be a starting point and is not conclusive of every harmful ingredient found in skincare products. 

Ingredients to avoid in skincare products: 

1. MDM hydantoin & Imidazolidinyl urea: These are preservatives that you’ve probably never heard of, but they have been found to release formaldehyde, which can cause joint pain, skin allergies, headaches and loss of sleep. According to the American Cancer Society, studies have shown a link between formaldehyde and cancer. In one study, researchers found that applying a 10% solution of formaldehyde to the skin of mice was linked to quicker development of cancers caused by another chemical.
2. Fragrance/parfum: Fragrance is a fancy term for a mix of chemicals, without specifying exactly which chemicals. Without the disclosure of which chemicals are used, people suffering from issues like asthma, migraines or allergies will have a hard time discerning what is causing or heightening their symptoms. 
3. Parabens & Phthalates: Butyl, propyl and ethyl parabens have all been linked to hormone disruption. Phthalates are another hormone disruptor, and in some cases can cause early puberty in girls and boys, as well as reduced sperm count in men. Parabens & phthalates are used for preserving a product’s shelf life, and can also be used as fragrance ingredients--which you will never see explicitly stated on a product. 
4. Mineral oils: Mineral oils act as a shield that coats the skin like plastic, which clogs pores and traps toxins. 
5. PEG (Polyethylene glycol): PEGs often contain significant amounts of ethylene oxide, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified as a known human carcinogen. 
6. DEA (Diethanolamine): DEA and DEA-related compounds are used to make products creamy or sudsy, and can cause mild skin or eye irritation. According to lab studies, exposure to high doses of DEA and its compounds have been shown to cause liver cancers and precancerous changes in skin and thyroid.
7. Siloxanes: When looking at an ingredient list, look for “-siloxane” or “-methicone.” Siloxanes are used in various skincare products to smooth, soften and moisten, and have been found to be a toxic, endocrine disruptor.

If you don’t know where to start, look no further. Kaia Earth’s Pure Moisturizer Serum and Intensive Botanical Night Cream are both made of organic, plant-based ingredients that are ethically sourced. In fact, all of our ingredients and the purpose behind each ingredient is explicitly outlined on our website under the tab labeled “Our ingredients.”

This list isn’t made to scare you or instill fear. The point of this list is to give you knowledge to make smart choices about what you’re putting on your skin and, ultimately, in your body.  

As my dance teacher once used to tell us every week on our way out of class: Make good choices; good choices lead to good things.