Product recall , no one wants to be concerned!
Very recently, a large distribution group was forced to recall three hygiene and care products for babies, which contained methyl salicylate, a carcinogenic substance that can be used as an odorant, but prohibited for children under 6 years old!
No one would want to have this on the edge of the tub to wash their baby. So how to avoid it without being a cosmetics specialist? How to make informed choices? We tell you everything!
1) Read the composition! Yes, it's not easy to decipher the obscure language of "INCI" standard labels, with words in Latin (for plant extracts) and in English, but a few clues should put you off. ear :
- the length of the list: the more ingredients there are, the more you have to be wary.
- order: the ingredients in the first places on the label are the most present.
- some brands play the game of transparency and translate the "INCI" composition into French, this can only reassure!
2) Applications allow you to scan the barcode to get the list of controversial ingredients: INCI beauty, Yuka for example. You will see the share of ingredients without health risks and that of ingredients to avoid (carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic, etc.). But be careful, this will not tell you the usefulness of the ingredients, the presence or not of preservatives, if the ingredients are natural, organic, etc.
3) Opt for organic labels, but again with vigilance. Already, because not all labels are equal: the "Nature & Progrès" or "DEMETER" specifications are much more demanding than the COSMEBIO specifications. Then, because "organic" does not mean "natural", and you can find synthetic molecules and perfumes in organic products. Finally, because even labeled organic, we mainly find refined ingredients in cosmetics, such as deodorized, esterified oils, etc. And that most cosmetics, organic or not, are in plastic bottles because it's cheaper, while glass is an inert material (no contamination of the product) and infinitely recyclable...
4) Go to those who manufacture their own products . Many cosmetic brands do not manufacture themselves and go through "a white label" which establishes the recipe, which finds the raw materials and the bottles, which ensures the toxicological validation and which manufactures the product on demand. Saving time for the brand, which almost only has to add its logo, but when you don't control its production, it's much more complicated to know what the product contains! A brand that controls the entire chain, from the development of formulations, to the search for suppliers (local and in a short circuit if possible), through production and marketing, it is a guarantee of traceability, transparency and therefore quality.
5) Choose simplicity and quality over quantity. A few hygiene and care products, but good products, should be enough for the whole family. Don't fall into the advertising traps that lead us to believe that you need a cleansing gel for the baby, a shower gel with a synthetic fragrance for the teenager, a "soap-free" cleansing gel for mum's personal hygiene, etc. And a day cream, a night cream, a hand cream, one for the feet, one for the gentleman, etc. It's not very Slow Cosmetics...
We all have the same needs and here are the 2 main ones:
- wash gently without drying the skin and to do this nothing better than a superfatted cold saponified soap with only a few raw and organic vegetable fats
- help our hydrolipidic film to regenerate so that it fulfills its role as a barrier against external aggressions (dry air, water, pollution, etc.), And yes, a well-formulated 100% natural and organic oil is best able to fulfill this mission whether for the face or the body.
A few 100% natural, organic, allergen-free, preservative-free products are enough in the bathroom. Simplicity, quality, efficiency, and savings!
It is by following these principles and values that we have designed our
minimalist routine from birth . 4 products to meet the different needs of the skin with 100% super good all useful ingredients and concentrated formulas, without preservatives. We make it fresh in our laboratory in Cantal and can guarantee perfect traceability.
And you know what? It's just as good for baby as it is for the rest of the family! 🫶
Perrine on Jul 26, 2023
Très clair et instructif. Merci !
Lilian on Apr 03, 2023
Super explications !
Elisa on Apr 03, 2023
Nous on s en sert tous ! Un seul regret : que les petits savonneurs n aient pas existé avant !!! On aurait gagné moins de toxines sur la peau et des économies en crèmes, gels de toutes sortes !
Claire on Mar 31, 2023
Bel article, très clair, merci :)