I have recently developed an interest in reading about the ingredients present in various products. This made me realize that the ingredients present in similar products are almost the same.
By knowing more about these chemical compounds, you can pin-point if your skin is reacting or getting better by the use of a certain product.
Let us talk about a chemical compound- Propylene Glycol.
Pick up your face washes, oil-free moisturizers, mouthwashes and toothpastes and go through their ingredients. You will most definitely find propylene glycol on this list.
The primary function of propylene glycol is to act as a humectant that is, it absorbs moisture.
While propylene glycol is good when it comes to absorbing moisture, when applied on the skin, it will draw out moisture from the inner layers of your skin thereby, leaving it dehydrated and prone to wrinkling.
Repeated or prolonged use of propylene glycol can affect the central nervous system and lead to organ damage. It may cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects (teratogenic) based on animal test data.
Just like Propylene Glycol, several chemical compounds which are commonly used in cosmetic products can be very harmful to the body if used for a prolonged period of time.
This is where Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) come into the picture.
MSDS contain information about chemical compounds, their effects on human health on short term and long term exposure, first-aid measures to be taken in case the compound is inhaled, ingested or if it comes in contact with your skin.
Although, MSDs are based on contact with the chemical compound having a composition of 100% by weight, repeated and long term use of a chemical compound having a lower concentration can lead to the same effects in our body.
According to the World Health Organization, the acceptable intake of propylene glycol by ingestion is 25 mg per kg of body weight. That is, a person weighing 50 kgs can ingest 1.25 grams of propylene glycol. Applying it topically would have a lower absorption of it into your bloodstream.
The bottom line is that you should be more aware about what you put in and on your body. Use of products containing propylene glycol is safe only if you use it within the exposure limits.
You can view the MSDS of several chemical compounds here: www.sciencelab.com/msdsList.php
Sources:
[1] Sciencelab.com
[2] http://www.roberti.net/important-practices-for-beautiful-skin-understanding-wrinkles/
[3] http://thebeautybrains.com/2014/10/whats-so-terrible-about-propylene-glycol/
[4] http://www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-watch-list-propylene-glycol%E2%80%94it-penetrates-skin-only-to-dry-it-out/
PS: You can ask questions about the working of various things, analysis of the ingredients of a product, about skincare and we would be glad to help you. If your question is interesting enough, we could write a post about it!
By knowing more about these chemical compounds, you can pin-point if your skin is reacting or getting better by the use of a certain product.
Let us talk about a chemical compound- Propylene Glycol.
Pick up your face washes, oil-free moisturizers, mouthwashes and toothpastes and go through their ingredients. You will most definitely find propylene glycol on this list.
The primary function of propylene glycol is to act as a humectant that is, it absorbs moisture.
While propylene glycol is good when it comes to absorbing moisture, when applied on the skin, it will draw out moisture from the inner layers of your skin thereby, leaving it dehydrated and prone to wrinkling.
Repeated or prolonged use of propylene glycol can affect the central nervous system and lead to organ damage. It may cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects (teratogenic) based on animal test data.
Just like Propylene Glycol, several chemical compounds which are commonly used in cosmetic products can be very harmful to the body if used for a prolonged period of time.
This is where Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) come into the picture.
MSDS contain information about chemical compounds, their effects on human health on short term and long term exposure, first-aid measures to be taken in case the compound is inhaled, ingested or if it comes in contact with your skin.
Although, MSDs are based on contact with the chemical compound having a composition of 100% by weight, repeated and long term use of a chemical compound having a lower concentration can lead to the same effects in our body.
According to the World Health Organization, the acceptable intake of propylene glycol by ingestion is 25 mg per kg of body weight. That is, a person weighing 50 kgs can ingest 1.25 grams of propylene glycol. Applying it topically would have a lower absorption of it into your bloodstream.
The bottom line is that you should be more aware about what you put in and on your body. Use of products containing propylene glycol is safe only if you use it within the exposure limits.
You can view the MSDS of several chemical compounds here: www.sciencelab.com/msdsList.php
Sources:
[1] Sciencelab.com
[2] http://www.roberti.net/important-practices-for-beautiful-skin-understanding-wrinkles/
[3] http://thebeautybrains.com/2014/10/whats-so-terrible-about-propylene-glycol/
[4] http://www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-watch-list-propylene-glycol%E2%80%94it-penetrates-skin-only-to-dry-it-out/
PS: You can ask questions about the working of various things, analysis of the ingredients of a product, about skincare and we would be glad to help you. If your question is interesting enough, we could write a post about it!
Interesting :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post..... Poor knowledge of MSDS will contribute to devastating accidents.
ReplyDeletePharma Engineering