The meaning of ingredients in your make up

Your makeup is a strange concoction of carcinogens and toxic substances, some harmless ingredients, and a few elements added just for color or fragrance. There also some unidentifiable chemicals in your makeup that are protected as trade secrets by manufacturers.
Some of these ingredients are outright revolting while others are plain surprising. We have subjected them to a safety test before giving the verdict. Keep reading to understand what goes into making your makeup! 

Active vs. Inactive ingredients

The first thing you are faced with when seeing your makeup product’s label is a list of ingredients divided into ‘active’ and ‘inactive’. Active products are those that have a ‘pharmacological effect’. What that means is that they influence your cells and their biochemistry. The skin lightening, acne fighting, and sun-blocking ingredients are the active ingredients. All the other ingredients are inactive.
Your makeup labels may contain the following ingredients. Understanding what these ingredients don’t need a doctorate. This guide to understanding makeup is enough! Read on to understand what it means! 

1. Rust

Your calamine lotion actually contains rust. It might be listed as ‘ferrous oxide’, but that’s just scientific jargon for -rust. It is also labeled as ‘pigment brown 6’ or ‘pigment red 101’. Rust is added to Calamine lotion to give it its characteristic pink color.
Found in: Calamine lotion as ferrous oxide, pigment brown 6, pigment red 101.
The verdict: So, rust sounds like something bad, but it is actually innocuous- provided you have no allergies to it. So we give it a go ahead.

2. Dead bugs

Carmine in your makeup is actually extracted from dead beetle shells! Carmine has been used as a natural dye since ancient times. It can be present in your makeup as cochineal, carminic acid, E 120, or C.I 75470. Be wary around products that have a red or pink color to them.
Found in: Rouge, red lipsticks, nail polishes and also foodstuffs to give them their distinctive red colour. 

Soaps

       3. Dimethicone

Skin, hair, and makeup products often contain dimethicone as it helps to even out discoloration and treats fine lines. It is a type of silicone oil which forms a protective layer on your skin and thus is used in cosmetics. It also moisturizes skin.
Found in: Moisturisers, primers, foundations
The verdict: The FDA has approved dimethicone for use. Watch out for signs such as dryness, irritation, or rashes upon application.

4. Petroleum

One of the most common products to contain petroleum is the humble Vaseline or petroleum jelly! Petroleum jelly is derived from gasoline and it acts as a wonderful skin smoothening agent. It also rehydrates your skin and can heal cracked lips.
Found in: Petroleum jelly
The verdict: Safe. And if you have dry skin, go for products that contain petrolatum or its derivatives.

5. Hyaluronic acid

Due to its effects in plumping and softening skin, it is widely used in skin softening creams and moisturizers. In a very creepy twist, hyaluronic acid is also the gooey substance that lubricates your eyes!
Found in: Lip fillers, moisturizing serums,
The verdict: Hyaluronic acid isn’t inherently bad for you and so we give it a thumbs up.

What to steer clear from

If any product contains formaldehyde, it is a strict no-no. It can cause skin irritation. Also present in the form of DD hydration, Diazolidinyl Urea, methenamine, and quart Nerium-1, it is best avoided.
Another culprit is sulfate. These can dry your skin and are often found in face washes. It is best to get sulfate free face washes.

Wacky makeup ingredients

And then there are the outright outrageous ones. Read on to find how semen and vomit can be a part of your makeup!
Bull semen
Yes, you read that right. Bull semen is an active ingredient in many a creams and lotions. Big companies
realized that semen contains an antioxidant called spermine. It is also being used by some top end hair salons to add extra shine to your locks.
Sheep wax
One of the beauty industry’s most loved products, lanolin is present in almost all products from baby lotions to nipple creams. But lanolin is actually taken out from raw wool and wrung out in mechanical rollers.
Now that you are better informed with regard to the ingredients that are present in your fantastic makeup kit, do utilize this knowledge to the best of your abilities!  You can make better choices when buying products for yourself.
Happy makeup shopping!