Your Beauty Products are Made with Fossil Fuels

I recently looked at the ingredients list of a lip gloss I was using. The first ingredient listed was polyisobutene. Driven by curiosity, I looked up what that was. And it turns out that polyisobutene is an ingredient derived from petroleum. Which shocked me because I was unaware that makeup products contained ingredients derived from petroleum. With this in mind, I decided to research more about the fossil fuel derived ingredients used by the makeup industry. As a consumer who cares about the environment, I want to make conscious choices when purchasing products. I have looked into some beauty brands which avoid fossil fuel derived ingredients. This article will explore unsustainable ingredients and provide recommendations for sustainable alternatives. I hope you keep this information in mind, the next time you decide to purchase a new beauty product!

Petroleum Based Ingredients

As previously mentioned, polyisobutene which is used in lip gloss, is derived from petroleum. But lip gloss is not the only product that contains a petroleum based ingredient. Many products like moisturizers, lip balms, hair products, cleansers, serums contain similar ingredients. These ingredients include mineral oil, petrolatum and paraffin wax. These ingredients are used to create a smooth texture to help products glide on smoothly. There are many alternatives which can be used to provide that same texture. When looking at a label look for products that contain plant-based oils, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil and argan oil. Brands like Burt’s Bees, Pacifica and Lush offer products made with these types of natural oils.

Silicones

Silicones are commonly used in cosmetic products due to their ability to create a silky texture and ability to help products adhere to the skin. The manufacturing process of silicones involves reacting silicon with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and other elements. These elements are often derived from petroleum and/or natural gas. Some common silicones to look out for in beauty products include dimethicone, cylopentasiloxane and phenyl trimenthicone.You can typically find silicones in primers, foundation, concealer, powder, blush, bronzer, lip products and hair products. To avoid silicones, look for products that use natural thickeners and emulsifiers, such as beeswax, shea butter or vegetable glycerin. Brands like RMS Beauty, Ilia, and Kjaer Weis are committed to sustainability and use these sustainable alternatives.

Another ingredient I’d like to highlight is b-silk protein. B-silk protein is a new ingredient invented by the Bolt Threads team. The ingredient is not yet being used by many brands. The only commercially available products with this ingredient is Vegamour’s GRO Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner. You could also sign up to be a Beta Tester of products using b-silk protein through Bolt Thread’s Beebe Lab.

Fossil Fuel Derived Synthetic Preservatives

Synthetic preservatives are a type of ingredient used to prevent the products from spoiling. These preservatives are chemically created and are typically derived from fossil fuels. Some examples of synthetic preservatives used in beauty products include parabens, phthalates, diazolidnyl urea, and imidazolidinyl urea. Parabens are typically used in skincare, hair care and make up products. Phthalates, diazolidynl urea and imidazolidinyl urea are all commonly used in hair care and nail care products. While these ingredients do extend the shelf life of beauty products, they have also been linked to health issues such as hormone disruption and allergic reactions.

To avoid these unsustainable preservatives look out for natural preservatives or look for synthetic preservatives derived from natural substances. Some examples of natural preservatives include vitamin E, rosemary extract and grapefruit seed extract. Brands such as Dr. Hauschka, Beautycounter, and Indie Lee have products that use natural preservatives. Some examples of synthetic preservatives derived from natural substances include leucidal liquid, geogard ECT, and gluconolactone. Brands such as Juice Beauty, Biossance and Alima Pure use those naturally derived preservatives in some of their products.

Concluding Thoughts

Being a conscious consumer takes work and you have to keep yourself educated. But hopefully with the information in this article, you have a clearer idea of how to make more sustainable choices. Something I’m going to do is look at the ingredients list on the packaging of my current products. Once I know which ones are using unsustainably sourced ingredients, I can make a plan to buy a sustainable alternative after I run out of my current product. I encourage you to do the same and to encourage others to do the same. Share this article with your friends and family to create awareness of fossil fuels in beauty products.