So here’s the thing… I like Sephora. I’ve shopped at Sephora countless times, online and in store. However, during my many trips to their store and website, I’ve noticed something about the standards of Sephora’s natural seal: they aren’t very high. Today I’ll be discussing a few questionable brands that Sephora sells and has deemed “natural.” Now, in ignorance, I’m sure I’ve used my fair share of hazardous products in the past. I’ve probably even reviewed several of them (possibly positively), but I’m trying my best to remain informed and turn over a new leaf. As I’m sure many of you know, this can be a real challenge when you’re shopping at Sephora.
First up is Ole Henriksen. They’ve been given Sephora’s natural seal, but many of their products contain Fragrance, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, and Retinyl Palmitate. The last ingredient, which can be found in the day creme above, is especially alarming since it has been shown to speed the development of skin tumors and lesions when exposed to sunlight. That seems like an ingredient you might want to leave out of a day creme, don’t you think?
Korres is another brand that has Sephora’s natural seal. Believe it or not, in addition to fragrance, their body butters all contain Imidazolidinyl Urea, a formaldehyde-releasing preservative. That’s not all, though. Their body washes contain Cocamidopropyl Betaine, a synthetic surfactant.
Boscia might’ve been deemed natural by Sephora, but their products still contain Barium Sulfate and Octinoxate. The former has been linked to neurotoxicity and developmental/reproductive toxicity, and the latter mimics estrogen and has been linked to endocrine disruption.
I hate to be a buzzkill guys, but if we don’t wise up and start demanding higher standards for our health and beauty products (especially the ones that claim to be natural), then I fear the formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and probable carcinogens might be here to stay.
Image Sources: Ole Henriksen, Korres, Boscia.
Filed under: health and beauty, not quite natural
Tags: boscia, formaldehyde, korres, not quite natural, ole henriksen, questionable ingredients, retinyl palmitate, sephora, surfactant
