WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: Things to look out for in your everyday beauty products
Not every beauty care products are made equal as some contain harmful ingredients which could be harmful to your skin. Our beauty contributor Rynah Qhaba shares what some of these are.
For most of us, part of our morning and evening routines involve a skincare regimen of cleansing, toning, and, moisturizing which involves applying various products.
We do this primarily to combat the signs of aging and to maintain our youthful, lustrous looks and beautiful skin. I’m going out on a limb here and take a safe bet that most women don’t put much thought into what is in the actual products that they are using.
Believe it or not, there are some unscrupulous beauty product manufacturers who flaunt the ‘vegan’ label, simply to attract unsuspecting customers.
– Rynah Qhaba, FOUNDER SUNFLOWER COSTMETICS
It is most important that we read the label on each and every product. Just because it says “vegan” does not necessarily mean that it is.
Believe it or not, there are some unscrupulous beauty product manufacturers who flaunt the ‘vegan’ label, simply to attract unsuspecting customers.
Another reason why careful attention should be given to product labels is the amount of sun we are exposed to. Although the winter sun doesn’t hit as harshly as it does in summer we are still exposed to harmful UV rays; making it necessary for us to be cognizant of products that offer considerable UV protection.
Aim to use products that are paraben-free
– rynah qhaba, FOUNDER SUNFLOWER COSTMETICS
That may come as a surprise to some but it is vital to continue using a generous amount of sun protection all through winter. Look for products loaded with Vitamin C as it assists to restore damaged skin and even works to renew skin health while you sleep.
Lastly, aim to use products that are paraben-free. Parabens are synthetic chemical preservatives that are commonly used in personal care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, make-up, facial masks, skin lotions, creams, and deodorants. Parabens are also customarily found in many foods, pharmaceutical products as well as skin-care products for babies, infants, and children.
As a result, an increasing number of research reports indicate that parabens also appear in benign and malignant human breast tumours. While some studies have challenged their toxicity in many products and question their long-term effect on humans, using products that are paraben free can eliminate the risk of exposure to this harmful chemical.
ABOUT RYNAH QHABA
Rynah Qhaba, born in Qwa Qwa, Rynah is a businesswoman and founder of Sunflower Cosmetics, an emerging organics brand.
She has been inexplicably obsessed with the colour yellow since her first Christmas, which pretty much sums up the name and corporate identity of her brand. And if branding her business yellow wasn’t enough, you should see the colour of her car!
Unsurprisingly, Rynah is all about a gluten-free lifestyle but has also known to devour anything covered with a healthy quality cheese.
When she’s not at work at a salon in Northern Johannesburg experimenting with make-up looks and natural products, Rynah can be found operating either the projector or sound desk at her church.
Emphatically passionate about giving back, Rynah is a Director of an NGO called A Million Reasons To Do and is part the Monontsha Community Group where her focus is aimed at contributing to the eradication of unemployment in Qwa Qwa.
