The Difference Between Harmful Chemicals and Plant Chemicals

Posted on January 17th, 2023.

The beauty industry is heavily saturated, making it hard for consumers to determine which skincare products best fits their individual needs. Right now, the most popular skincare type is chemical-free and cruelty-free, due to the uprooted facts on parabens, dyes, talc and other harmful chemicals in many skincare lines. Although chemical-free products can be a healthier option for everyone, many consumers aren’t fully educated enough on the difference between harmful chemicals and plant chemical compounds also known as phytochemical. In fact, many consumers are mis lead into believing that if you cannot pronounce the ingredients than most likely the product must be harmful and therefore, you should look for other options. 

When in fact, in many cases, this belief couldn’t be farther from the truth. Being a medical professional, licensed cosmetologist for over 11 years and having a sister who is a microbiologist/plant scientist, I’ve come across a wealth of information regarding chemicals used in skincare products. I found that plants also create chemical compounds that help them grow and survive in their environment. Interesting enough, I have also found that some plants develop toxic defense chemical compounds that create a bitter taste or even poison, making them unhealthy when eaten by predators. These chemicals can be harmful if digested or absorbed into our skin. 

On the other hand, many plant-derived chemicals can also be healthy for us to use for medicinal and healing purposes, cleansing, natural scents, oils to help with hydration and many other reasons. Unfortunately, many plant-derived chemicals are listed with their scientific term and hard-to-pronounce. As a result, they are quickly mistaken for harmful chemicals and disregarded. I say that to say this, don’t pass up on the perfect skincare solution for your individual skin challenges because you can’t pronounce the ingredient. You can utilize many different apps that will help you identify harmful ingredients in hair, nail and skin products. Take the 1-3 minutes to scan or research the ingredients before you disregard a skincare product.