You deserve the best beauty products, so there’s no place for toxic chemicals, harmful items, and harsh ingredients in your cosmetics. Look at the five ingredients to avoid when making lip gloss at home to steer clear of bad things!

Parabens

Parabens are chemicals that manufacturers use as artificial preservatives in cosmetic products. Unfortunately, parabens can make your skin brittle, cracked, and dry. High doses of parabens can also lead to hormone dysfunction, dermatitis, and other health conditions. Look out for ingredients such as “propylparaben,” “isobutyl paraben,” “methylparaben,” and “butylparaben.” Ultimately, be aware of any ingredient that ends with “paraben.”

Petroleum Jelly or Mineral Oil

Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are ingredients to avoid when making lip gloss at home. Both ingredients come from refining petroleum, which involves synthetic chemicals and harsh products. Another concern with petroleum jelly and mineral oil is their air-tight barrier. Both products aren’t breathable, and they can block your lips from oxygen.

Menthol and Phenol

Menthol and phenol have a cooling/tingling effect on lip products. However, the ingredients dry out the skin and create chapped lips. Glosses should nourish and moisturize lips, so drying agents don’t belong in formulas. To achieve a cool-like effect, use Mint or Spearmint Lip Gloss Flavor Oils. They enhance lip products without adding harmful ingredients!

PEG-8

Polyethylene glycol, PEG-8, is an ingredient that supports moisture retention. It also helps products penetrate into the skin layers. Although this is a “seemingly” harmless ingredient, impurities frequently contaminate the polymer. Things like 1,4-dioxane is a toxic contaminant that increases the risk of respiratory system damage, kidney problems, and other health concerns. Therefore, it’s best to leave PEG-8 out of your lip glosses.

Synthetic Colors

Synthetic colors are common in glosses and lip balms because they add visual appeal. However, synthetic dyes are a hard pass because many come from heavy metals, coal tar, or petroleum products. Furthermore, specific colors, like red dye, come from crushed bugs! Leave creepy crawlers off your lips and opt for non-toxic ingredients like beetroot, cocoa, and hibiscus powder. The ingredients naturally tint the gloss and add a great aroma to your products.