The movie "THE TOXIC BEAUTY" has appeared on cinema screens and talks about how many harmful substances can actually be present in skin care products. Researchers note that many cosmetics contain more than 1,000 harmful substances that can cause hormonal changes, developmental disorders and increase the risk of male infertility. Other risks listed included diabetes, cancer, infertility, obesity, and skin diseases.
How to understand which product is safe and which products should be avoided?
We asked these questions to professional skin care product manufacturers GMT BEAUTY - certified cosmetologist Teresa Belkova and production manager Jan Graudis.
After the presentation of the film on the screens, our team felt a huge interest in the composition of our products and skin care products. We have received calls and endless questions about whether our products contain any of the harmful substances mentioned in the film or whether our products are safe at all. Beauticians who work with our professional products in beauty salons on a daily basis are well aware that our products are safe. Knowing the efficiency and safety of our products, many of them have decided to sell GMT BEAUTY products for home use to their customers as demand grows rapidly. We really felt the resonance.
Is it really that bad? Based on our experience, we can make a few comments.
From day one, GMT BEAUTY emphasized the ingredients, effectiveness and proper use of cosmetics.
Current European and US laws do not guarantee that the market is completely protected from the penetration of low-quality and sometimes even dangerous cosmetics.
As a result, we always tell our customers - please read the labels and familiarize yourself with the ingredients, and you will be more protected from the effects of various hazardous substances. Of course, the customer may not know all the ingredients and their names, but they should know at least the basic names with which they should be careful when buying and using skin care products.
There are several ways to check the safety of a product:
1. To understand what ingredients are in a skin care product and what percentage, you need to know that the list is in descending order from highest to lowest. Usually at the top of the list is water. The ingredients with the lowest percentage in the product are listed at the end. For example, if you see that natural oils or active ingredients are listed after perfumes (perfume, aroma), then it usually means that the concentration of these ingredients in the product is so low that it is very difficult to expect significant efficacy from them.
2. There are some materials that should not be in the 21st century skin care products. The legislation does not prohibit the use of those substances, but there are new, natural and more skin-friendly substitutes that manufacturers could use. If you see names such as parabens (various phthalates), BHT, BHA, PEG, paraffin liquid (petrolatum), silicone (cyclomethicone), triclosan, DEA, sodium lauryl sulfate (various), aluminum, talc, formaldehyde and others, you should seriously consider or not to use such cosmetics at all.
3. Presence of certificates and quality marks on the product packaging. If the product is certified, for example, by Ecocert, it gives you extra confidence that the product is safe to use and does not contain harmful substances. However, some certificates are often used only as a marketing tool. There are many different certification institutions today, and the authenticity of their marks cannot always be verified. We therefore recommend that you check the validity of the mark / certificate and familiarize yourself with the ingredients in the product.
4. If the product description promises that wrinkles will disappear within a week, make sure what methods will be used to achieve this result, as a quick or direct effect can only be achieved by aggressively affecting the skin surface. This approach does not have a long-term effect and does not solve the problem, but often deepens it. The effects of a skin care product can be assessed after four to six weeks. This is one cycle of skin rejuvenation. Thus, GMT BEAUTY uses only proven natural active ingredients that have been scientifically developed using biotechnology and, of course, clinically proven. For example, plant extracts that act as Botox, deep and natural moisturizers, ingredients that are a natural alternative to fillers, and a substance that can lift the breasts. It’s not a miracle, it’s just a science.
5. Percentage of natural ingredients in skin care product. There is nothing unusual about achieving a 100% natural composition in a skin care product, and only by understanding the composition can you be sure that this product is truly 100% natural. The composition of natural ingredients in GMT BEAUTY products ranges from 98.5% to 100%. Because we use electrolytes in our products, we use synthetic cosmetic bases to improve the electrical conductivity of our products. The basics of the natural materials formula do not yet provide the required electrical conductivity stability. Nevertheless, we are constantly experimenting with the latest scientific advances in this field to find the right natural foundation.
6. Product price level. If a product promises a miracle to the consumer for €5, it would be foolish to expect the product to contain effective, high-quality natural ingredients.
7. From day one, GMT BEAUTY has emphasized the composition, effectiveness and proper use of cosmetics. Read the label and you will understand if there is anything else in this product other than an irresistible odor. All GMT BEAUTY products have a natural aroma. Instead of an artificial aroma, we use combinations of lemongrass and grapefruit essential oils, which are absolutely safe for the skin and do not affect the formula of the product. They are volatile and harmless.
8. Bubble masks and other cosmetic miracles. A variety of cosmetics with different effects, such as bubble or magnetic masks, appear on the market on a regular basis. Be careful with them! The effects of natural ingredients are often out of reach and can be harmful to your skin.
9. Manufacturer. Pay attention to the cosmetics manufacturers as well. How reliable and transparent are they? Would it be possible to contact the manufacturer to visit them, or are they hiding behind a mailbox address? It’s not uncommon for cosmetics to be made in an unfamiliar place, somewhere in the basement of a house, or, at best, in the kitchen, and it’s probably neither safe nor hygienic.
10. Professional skin care products - this type of skin care products is used by certified beauty professionals and doctors. Therefore, this level of skin care products are generally effective and at the same time safe, harmless, non-allergenic, and also suitable for sensitive skin. Professional skin care products require a high level of quality and safety. GMT BEAUTY As a manufacturer of professional skin care products, we cannot afford to produce low quality products that are dangerous to our health. Our customers and their clients deserve the best skin care products. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing self-confidence. However, we cherish the trust of our customers.
11. Health Inspectorate. If in doubt about skin care products, you can contact the State Health Inspectorate for an inspection. The Health Inspectorate regularly monitors the manufacturers of cosmetic products according to the products they produce and their compliance with the Law on the Production of Cosmetic Products. Our company is no exception and the Health Inspectorate visits us regularly.
12. There is a lot of information on the Internet about the assessment of a cosmetic product and its safety. But again, be careful. Don’t believe everything you read and remember that the information gained must be critically evaluated.
The safety and effectiveness of GMT BEAUTY professional skin care products have been confirmed by hundreds of certified beauty care professionals who have been working with us for a decade.
If you are still unsure which cosmetic products to choose, you should try GMT BEAUTY professional skin care products made in Latvia, which guarantee quality, safety and effectiveness.
