This post is a collab with my fellow scientists @theecowell @themelaninchemist @skinchemy @labmuffinbeautyscience @skinperspective 💥With this post series and collaboration we aim to clear up the misconception and fear mongering around powerful and important ingredients used in cosmetic products. The sentence quoted in this post is from Trevor Evans (director of research and institute fellow at TRI Princeton). Sulphates, silicones and preservatives gained a bad reputation when ‘clean’ beauty brands became mainstream. This has led to fearmongering and the spread of misinformation regarding these important and functional ingredients. Such clean beauty brands use the fear behind these ingredients as a form of marketing. These ingredients got a bad reputation without actually looking at how they work, their benefits and why they are essential in cosmetic products. Their fear mongering and misinformation is based on the misinterpretation of scientific concepts/studies around these ingredients. Things go viral instantly, especially on social media where anyone can express an uneducated opinion.It is time to stop spreading nonsense and misinformation around important ingredients and talk about the true efficacy of cosmetic products, which is based on the underlying science. As a scientist I feel it’s my responsibility to offer (unbiased) scientific evidence on the use of ingredients in cosmetic products, and get the true info to you with backed up resources. Let’s take the example of a shampoo: You can add all sorts of glamorous ingredients to a shampoo, but a shampoo will not clean your hair unless a sufficient concentration of surfactant is added. Sulfates are one of the most powerful and widely used surfactants. Without preservatives in your shampoo, harmful bacteria and mold will start to grow which can cause skin irritation. Leave out the silicones, and you won’t have this smooth and soft feeling hair after shampooing (personally, I specifically look for shampoos with silicones). Do you avoid/look for these ingredients?