Hi Amber Babies,

I’m here to remind you to be good to your skin. Not just for beauty’s sake, but your health, too.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. What you put on it, whether it is good or bad, gets absorbed into your body. That’s why the ingredients in your skincare matter. I formulate my products with natural, organic ingredients free of fragrances that can cause irritation and sensitivity. Read about my philosophy to clean beauty.

One of the most common bad ingredients in skincare is fragrance. Unfortunately, many companies add fragrance to their products to make them more appealing. But beware. Fragrances are not necessary for skincare and do not make your them better. Instead, they may be harming your skin.

There’s plenty of research showing that fragrance is sensitizing and is the leading cause of contact dermatitis, an inflamed red rash.

Artificial fragrances are made up of many chemicals, including preservatives, that can irritate your skin. These chemicals have even been shown to cause skin problems like eczema and psoriasis that may require treatment from a dermatologist.

All skin types–not just sensitive skin–can react adversely to fragrance.

Skin can become sensitive at any time. For example, you may not show any reactions to fragrance for years, and then one day you may break out in hives. Skin can develop a sensitivity at any point—so it’s best to stay away.

Are essential oils okay to use? Unfortunately, they are not. While essential oils have natural fragrant ingredients and may have beneficial properties for the skin, they are still considered to have fragrance. Some of the most common essential oils found in skincare include lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint oils.

Don’t just rely on your sense of smell to find fragrance in your products. Make sure to read the ingredients on product labels. Often, companies will use fragrance to mask the bad smell of product formulations and may not be easily spotted. Stay clear of anything that has fragrance, parfum, perfume, and aroma listed.

Fragrances are not the only irritants to the skin. Dyes are commonly used to tint skin products to disguise the undesirable color of an ingredient or to increase their appeal. Don’t be fooled by popular brand name products. Many well-known companies use artificial colors in their products to make them look better to consumers.

Why should you pay attention? Synthetic dyes are made from coal tar or petroleum which can be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. If they are used in products like moisturizers they can be absorbed by the skin and make their way into your body. Much like fragrances, dyes have no real purpose in skincare. Examples of irritating dyes include:

• D&C Yellow #11
• FD&C Blue #1
• FD&C Yellow #5 (also known as tartrazine)

Remember that you can look your best without sacrificing your health. Now more than ever, you can find cleaner better skincare to keep you healthy inside and out. Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest for more tips and information about looking your best.