When choosing a body wash, how many of us actually take the time to read the ingredients label? Most of us simply choose the products based on their scent. However, it is a little-known fact that harmful body wash ingredients actually do exist in your favorite brands.

Nada Ward, the founder of solid soap bar brand, Beauty Kin, is back, and this time she’s sharing some insight into the harmful body wash ingredients that we should be looking out for on product labels and explains why natural and active ingredients are kinder to our skin.

According to Nada, it is so, so important to make sure that you’re aware of what exactly is in the products that you are using to wash with. You’re going to be putting this stuff on your skin; therefore, it’s always worthwhile taking that bit of extra time to read and research ingredients before you buy a product, rather than choosing it just because you like the scent.

“There are many ingredients which can be found in your everyday body washes and soaps that typically, people have no idea just how harmful these chemicals have the potential to do.”

Harmful Body Wash Ingredients You Should Avoid

Here is a list of harmful body wash ingredients, the damage they can cause, and why you should be avoiding them as part of your washing and beauty routine.”

Sulfates

If you look at any bottle of shower gel on the supermarket shelves, it’s pretty likely that you’ll find that it contains some form of sulfates. Sulfates are commonly used as a foaming agent when you’re lathering up the product on your skin.

So if most shower gels contain sulfates, surely it can’t be bad for you, right? Unfortunately, sulfates are actually not great for your skin at all. Sulfates are a very common irritant for the skin, and people who have sensitive skin are particularly more prone to irritation from this ingredient. Skin can become dry, cracked, itchy, and in some cases, can actually become rather painful.

Triclosan

Triclosan is another common ingredient that is added to household items such as soaps, body washes, and toothpaste to prevent the growth of bacteria. Studies have found that overexposure to Triclosan is associated with the reduction of some of the hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland.

Studies have also concluded that increased exposure to Triclosan can be damaging to gut health, following tests on mice which showed a link between the chemical and inflammation of the colon in the mice. Due to these studies, Triclosan was banned from being used in products in America; however, the product is not banned in other places like the UK.

Phthalates

Commonly found in plastics and food packaging to increase their flexibility and longevity. Phthalates can also be found in an array of personal care products and studies have linked them to causing hormonal changes and imbalances in the body. These hormonal imbalances have also been linked to potentially causing reproductive and fertility issues later in life.

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Parabens

Many perishable items contain preservatives to increase their shelf life by preventing the growth of bacteria, and this is the case for most of your common cosmetic and beauty products.

However, the particular type of preservative used, called Parabens, can be particularly harmful to your skin. The use of products containing Parabens can interfere with hormones in the body and can cause skin sensitivity, which in some cases may eventually lead to allergic reactions and irritation.

But it’s not just the skin that Parabens can harm, they also have the potential to cause longer-lasting damage ‘below the surface’. Studies have shown there to be a link between certain Parabens elevating the cellular level damage that is caused by the skin being exposed to UV (i.e. the sun and sunbeds), showing a link between Parabens and skin cancer.

What type of not-so harmful body wash ingredients should you be using?

Nada explains: “With many of your everyday products containing these potentially harmful body wash ingredients, I’d always recommend looking out for products which contain natural ingredients. As well as natural, active ingredients are also highly beneficial when it comes to caring for your skin, and for treating specific skin problems such as dry skin, blemishes, acne, etc.

I’d recommend always opting to buy from brands that are completely transparent with consumers on the ingredients that are used in their products, not just from a personal care perspective and to keep yourself safe, but also from an ethical perspective too.

That said, which of these harmful body wash ingredients might you have overlooked while shopping for your favorite beauty products?