Who would want to use skincare with a high risk of side effects? Well, that’s the danger of using mostly synthetic chemical-based products. That’s also why Serenitree strongly adheres to the mission of natural skincare. So all of its products are safe for sensitive skinned people, children as well as pregnant and nursing mothers. One of Serenitree’s claims reads “No Phthalates”, meaning that each of our skincare products is free of the ingredient.
What are the dangers of phthalates? Why are they found in so many skincare products in the market today? To know more about this ingredient, let’s take a look at the explanation first!
Phthalates, The Multifunctional Chemical
Phthalates or phthalic acid esters are considered “multifunctional” because we can use them for various purposes in beauty and skincare products. The 4 main functions include:
- Preservative: Phthalates are useful as preservatives to increase the stability and durability of skincare products.
- Binders: Phthalates also serve as binders to control the consistency and texture of skincare products.
- Solvents: This ingredient often functions as a solvent to facilitate the mixing of ingredients in skincare products.
- Stabilizers: Product formulas can be stabilized well by these chemicals, preventing other ingredients in skincare products from separating.
No wonder why this ingredient is the mainstay of skincare manufacturers! In fact, not only skincare, this multifunctional chemical is also found in many household products (plastic, paint), clothing products and many more!
In skincare products, phthalates can usually be found in:
- Shampoo products: Helps keep hair moisturized and soft.
- Perfume products: Helps stabilize and make the scent last longer, as well as disperse it evenly.
- Powder/lotion products: To penetrate the skin layer more easily and help keep the skin moisturized and soft.
- Lip balm products: Helps keep lips moisturized and soft.
Phthalates can also be found in other skincare products such as nail polish, soap, deodorant, facial cleanser and eyelash glue. That’s a lot of products! But, what are the possible dangers of using these products?
Risks of Using Phthalates-Based Skincare
Despite having a million functions, Serenitree does not recommend these chemical-based skincare products. The reason is because according to some studies there are dangers lurking. Especially for people with sensitive skin, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
There are concerns over the body’s exposure to phthalates as they have been detected in the bloodstream, amniotic fluid and human breast milk in many countries. Even skincare and cosmetics under the European Union have banned the use of this ingredient. Possible risks include:
- Reproductive problems: May cause reproductive problems in men, including interference with spermatogenesis (the process of making sperm) and decreased sperm quality.
- Hormonal problems: Causes hormonal problems in humans, including decreased levels of testosterone and increased risk of sexual dysfunction.
- Cancer risk: Several studies have shown that phthalates are carcinogens. Carcinogen means that they can increase the risk of cancer, especially breast and testicular cancer.
- Immune problems: Risk of lowering and damaging the immune system which can increase the chance of infections.
- Developmental problems in children: There are some cases where phthalates are at risk of causing early puberty in children.
Wow, what a terrible risk! The way of exposure is also not only by use (absorption from the skin), it can also be from ingestion or inhalation of the product. This makes it very risky for people to be exposed.
As an awareness to avoid, we can read the skincare content label first. Generally, there are 8 chemical phthalates on the market such as: DEP (diethyl phthalate); DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate); BBP (butyl benzyl phthalate); DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate); DiDP (di-isodecyl phthalate); DiNP (di-isononyl phthalate); DnHP (di-n- hexyl phthalate); and DnOP (di-n-octyl phthalate).
Most of us do not realize and know how our skin condition is. Therefore, we should avoid chemicals that have the potential to give negative side effects. After all, prevention is better than cure, right?
Phthalates Solutions & Alternatives From Serenitree
Serenitree cares about the health of its users and the environment. So we provide some solutions and alternatives so that you can still use the best skincare without phthalates.
You can follow the steps below:
- Always check the skincare content label before purchase and use
Try to find products with the Clean Skincare Formulation label. This label indicates that the skincare has a formulation of safe and clean ingredients. So of course there are no harmful chemicals such as phthalates!
- Avoid skincare with fragrance.
Usually, the fragrance recipe of a skincare is considered a trade secret, so manufacturers are not obliged to disclose the fragrance ingredients they use. This is risky because we don’t know what it contains! It is safer if the ingredients are listed on the label so that we can be sure that the fragrance ingredients do not contain phthalates.
As another solution, you can also look for alternative products that use natural ingredients as fragrances, such as Serenitree. We use essential oils as fragrance ingredients that provide therapeutic effects for users.
The last option is to find a brand that is transparent about every ingredient contained and listed on the skincare. It’s not easy, but there are brands that really care about the health of their users!
- Choose a natural brand like Serenitree
To avoid all risks, you can choose a skincare brand that is proven to be natural. Nowadays, there are many trusted natural skincare brands that produce high-quality products for skincare. One of the ways to check is through BPOM.
Serenitree is one of them. We use natural and safe ingredients, not forgetting to pay attention to environmental and social aspects in the production process. We also offer a variety of skincare products to suit different skin needs! Aren’t you curious to try?
Why Choose Local Natural Skincare Products?
There are many good quality imported skincare products out there. But you know what, you can get the same quality as local products! Not to mention the price is relatively cheaper than imported products. This is because Indonesia is rich in natural resources and abundant with natural ingredients. In addition, by using these products, we as consumers can also help support local industries and strengthen the country’s economy!
Wow, there are so many benefits that we can get! Not only for ourselves, but also for many parties. So, let’s start switching to local natural skincare from Serenitree. Start taking care of your skin with the best!