Many of us, especially through our adolescence will suffer from pimples and acne... some of us will have it worse than others,... which gives us even more reason to often want to just cover up behind a
mask of foundation! The thicker the better! But most doctors and dermatologists will advise us to keep our skin clean, and that often means, NO MAKEUP!
Experts have studied cosmetics and the effects of cosmetics, and what most of us consumers probably never realise is just how bad for us some of the ingredients really are.
Comodogenic Ingredients
If you’ve been looking around for foundations that are supposedly safe, and beneficial for acne prone skins, you will probably be familiar with the phrase ’’non-comodogenic’’. What these words mean, is that ’’this foundation will not clog your pores’’. Some even say the formula will help keep pores clean. I have seen so many advertising this, yet they DO contain comodogenic ingredients, that is ingredients which have been tested, and are actually found to clog pores!
So when looking for a foundation, it is important to make sure the ingredients are ALL safe, and there isn’t any that will clog your pores, or this will only make your acne problem worse.
So which ingredients are comodogenic?
There are a great many number of ingredients which have been found to irritate skin and clog pores. Here are some below:
Acetone
Acetylated Lanolin
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Algae Extract
Algin
Almond Oil
Anhydrous Lanolin
Apricot Kernel Oil
Arachidic Acid
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Avocado Oil
Azulene
Antioxidant BHA
Beeswax
Benzaldehyde
Benzoic Acid
Butyl Stearate
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
This is only a list of comodogenic ingredients with letters starting A-B. I won’t go and put them all down as it will take up alot of room, however for a complete list, you can get it from http://www.sageskincare.com/Articles/acne_detective/article6.htm#inglist
This list tells you all the ingredients which are bad for you, and rates them as well in terms of how comodogenic they are, and how much they will irritate your skin.
Choosing your foundation
It is extremely important for those with problem skin to check out ALL the ingredients of the foundation before buying. Do not simply trust the product because it says ’’non-comodogenic’’ as often, it is not the case.
Once I switched to these safe cosmetics, I no longer have to worry about piling on the makeup! Because it no longer causes, or worsens my skin condition.
Some safe foundations
I have found some examples of foundations which have been checked out in accordance with the ingredients listed above, and these have been found to be safe for acne prone skin:
Almay Clear Complexion Compact Makeup
Cover Girl Simply Powder Foundation
Estee Lauder Impeccable
L’Oreal Colour Endure Light Stay-On Makeup Oil Free
L’Oreal Quick Stick foundation
Maybelline Shine Free Liquid Foundation
Maybelline True Illusion Oil-Free Foundation
Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin liquid foundation oil free SPF 20
Ultima II Beautiful Nutrient
There are many more foundations which have safe ingredients, but these are just a few examples which have been checked out.
Changing Ingredients
It is important to keep checking the ingredients, because many Brands re introduce lines of make up with improved formulations, so it is important to make sure these newer ones also do not have comodogenic ingredients.
Checking Ingredients
Probably the easiest way when shopping for foundations and other cosmetics, is to print yourself a copy of the list of comodogenic ingredients.
The list is rather large, but I have found it is possible to reduce the size to a piece of paper that is small enough to carry around, without looking obviously weird or strange!!
Or, some Brands have websites, which may contain information on foundations, including their ingredients, so it is often a good idea to check them out online before you hit the store.
Once you are sure your foundation has all safe ingredients, there is no reason why acne suffers can’t enjoy the benefits of makeup too, without worrying what it will do to our skin!!