CHECK Magazin - Gesundheitsmagazin für Männer No.15

Foto: ©SILVER & GELATIN, Andrew Putschoegl
On the label...
INCI is the international nomenclature
for cosmetic ingredients. Although it is
not compulsory to name the quantities,
the ingredients are listed in decreasing
order by weight up to a concentration
of 1 %.
The CI number stands for Colour Index
Number. “Perfume”, “Fragrance” or
“Aroma” are the terms used for the
combined declaration of fragrances
and aromas or their raw materials if
they contain more than 10 parts per
million (ppm). In position one, there is
usually water (aqua) so that a cream or
lotion can be created from the proportionate
fat (usually with the help of an
emulsifier).
Purified paraffin is needed to introduce
active substances into the skin, whereby
the product should only be applied to the
corresponding skin area and only for a
short period of time. Vaseline forms a
protective film against cold and wetness,
but it prevents the skin from “breathing”,
like a plastic film, which is also made from
mineral oil. It also obstructs water leakage,
which can lead to pimples and redness. For
long stays in the cold, it can be used on the
face, including on lips and hands, but should
be washed off afterwards.
Plastic Fantastic: Silicones
Silicone oils (“dimethicones” or words
ending in -cone or -xane) have also been
used for several decades. These are half
organic, half inorganic plastic compounds
made of silicon, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen.
Among the first cosmetic products
to use silicone were hair-tip fluids designed
to repair split ends. How the silicone knows
whether it is bringing a split hair or two thin
strands together is still a mystery to me.
In any case, the roughened hair is given a
“plastic coating” that makes it shine. It is
similar to skin care creams, which plump up
wrinkles and thus make the skin smoother,
but have no skin care effect.
By the way, there are no water-soluble
silicones. They do not dissolve in water and
are among the plastic compounds that are
difficult to biodegrade.
Viva Vegan: Vegetable fats
The natural alternatives from seeds and
fruits or waxes such as shea butter and
cocoa butter also offer equally valuable fatty
acids. They are formed in heat and light and
have a composition similar to the human lipid
film, making them real food for the skin.
Many amino and unsaturated fatty acids
are found in varying amounts in the seeds
of wheat, flax, evening primrose, sunflower,
sea buckthorn and olive. In addition,
vitamins A, C and E as well as the vitamins
of the B series and biotin, which can also
be absorbed and metabolised by the skin.
Animal fats from creatures that are still
alive, such as bees or wool wax obtained
from the wool of sheep, are specially incorporated
into care products as moisture or
cold protection, for example in tasty lip balm.
Stirred, not shaken: Emulsifiers
Cosmetics
In order for fat and water to form a lasting
bond, an emulsifier is needed, otherwise it’s
like homemade salad dressing: the oil floats
on top. In the INCI designation, one often
finds the emulsifiers Hydrogenated Lecithin,
Cetearyl Glucoside and Glyceryl Stearate
(Citrate). Lecithin is found in many plants
as well as in sheep’s wool. For ecological
reasons, preparations made from palm
oil (Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides) are
increasingly being dispensed with. Natural
cosmetics also use beeswax and lanolin,
which are active ingredients at the same
time. The conventional beauty industry, on
the other hand, usually works with synthetic
emulsifiers that have a high binding
power: PEGs (polyethylene glycol). These are
chemical molecular compounds made from
the extremely toxic petroleum derivative
ethylene oxide, which is considered carcinogenic
and mutagenic. They also attack the
23 CHECK MAG #15