Showering acts as an escape from modern life. It allows you to relax and either get ready for the day ahead, or wash the day away. For some, showering can be problematic with various toxins and chemicals hiding in your shower gels, shampoos and even shaving products. Learning more about what products are helpful and which are a hinderance can really change your showering experience. Harmful Ingredients to Avoid You may not think twice when picking up your favourite high-street body wash, but studies show links between toxins and chemicals and skin irritation. Every bottle must contain an ingredients list so it’s time to get clued up on what these ingredients really mean… Alcohol Finding alcohol in your shower gel my sound odd but in fact it is a very common ingredient. There are two sides to the alcohol ingredient, you may have heard that alcohol is extremely drying to skin and that is true, however there are different types of alcohol – some are good and some should be avoided. Ethyl Alcohol is made denatured, meaning it is unsafe to drink, and then is used in some cosmetic products. We highly suggest you steer clear of this type as it strips skin of moisture, leaving your skin dry and damaged. Don’t be totally put off by alcohol as some fatty alcohols like Cetearyl Alcohol work as emollients meaning the help keep skin hydrated. We recommend checking which alcohol product is used and do some research before picking up your normal shower gel as it may do more harm than good. Propylene Glycol Used to increase moisture levels in skin, Propylene Glycol is commonly found in cosmetics like shampoos and body washes. While the ingredient itself doesn’t tend to cause irritation, the aftereffects of using it might. Propylene Glycol allows other products to penetrate your skin, which means if you use other products with harmful ingredients, they may be able to permeate the skin where they wouldn’t normally. For this reason alone, we recommend avoiding this ingredient completely, especially for those with sensitive skin. Benzophenone-3 The past year has seen a rise in popularity for products containing SPF as it protects the skin from harmful UV-rays. Benzophenone-3 is commonly found in cosmetic products due to its sunscreening abilities, products such as moisturisters, body lotions, toothpastes, shower gels and many more. Those with sensitive skin should look out for this ingredient as it is a known cause of photocontact and allergic contact dermatitis1 so can cause more damage than good. Parabens Commonly used to keep your shower gel last longer, these preservatives are great at preventing the growth of bacteria and mold so you may think this means it’s a great ingredient but you should be wary. Parabens have links to dermatitis, leading to rashes and skin irritation meaning those with sensitive skin need to be very careful with these ingredients. Ingredients from ARRAN to Make You Smile At ARRAN Sense of Scotland, we think showering should be an experience, rather than a necessity. With our range of products we can help you find the Shower Gel that will give you a one way ticket to paradise. We take extra care in our formulations and ingredient choices to make sure everyone’s skin enjoys our bath & body products as much as the next person. Want to know our favourite ingredients in our products? Pro-Vitamin B5 At ARRAN, we class pro-vitamin B5 as an essential ingredient in our luxurious Shower Gels. The list of benefits seems never-ending but our favourites are its anti-ageing properties. Known for keeping skin hydrated, maintaining skin’s elasticity and rejuvenating sun-damaged skin – keep skin looking healthier from top to toe with our Shower Gels. Essential Oils Not only are essential oils one of the best ways to fragrance bath and body products, they also provide anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties – making them ideal for use in the cosmetics industry. Alongside this, many essential oils have mood-boosting properties such as uplifting citrus-based oils which can be found in our Glenashdale Grapefruit Shower Gel; stress reducing clary sage which is found in our Apothecary Seaweed & Sage Shower Gel and calming lavender oil in our Glen Iorsa Lavender Shower Gel. Natural Ingredients We aim to use the most natural ingredients available where possible and our main ingredient is as natural as it gets. We use water from our own freshwater spring on the Isle of Arran in each and every products, connecting us all to our beautiful island home. Shop our luxurious Bath & Shower Gels 1 Elments, C.A (2014) Benzophenone-3: A Potential Cause in Individuals with Undiagnosed Dermatitis. Journal Watch. Available at: https://www.jwatch.org/na33976/2014/03/21/benzophenone-3-potential-cause-individuals-with
