Our Commitment To Clean Skin Care
Vitaderm is committed to upholding the highest standards in ethical skin care. That is why we exclude all ingredients that are suspected of being harmful or that are not beneficial to the skin.
Mineral Oil
Skin care formulations containing mineral oil, a by-product of the petrol refining process, tend to cause dehydration of the skin with long term use. Both mineral oil and liquid paraffin are found in the vast majority of mass-market skin care products.
Parabens
There are four commonly used paraben preservatives that are used in varying combinations, namely methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- and butyl-paraben. Less commonly used forms include isobutyl paraben and isopropyl paraben. Of these, methyl paraben is causing the most concern amongst scientists and are considered to be hormone disruptors.
Cyclomethicone
Cyclomethicone and cyclo-pentasiloxane are volatile silicones that are commonly incorporated into cosmetic formulations for the silky after-feel they impart. This ingredient is believed to penetrate deeper into the skin than what is considered acceptable. It is also believed to result in environmental toxicity during its manufacture and is highly toxic to aquatic life.
Glycerin
Although it is a proven humectant, Vitaderm makes limited use of this ingredient due to the fact that it has limited benefits in a dry climate. Vitaderm only utilises glycerine to dissolve active ingredients during the manufacturing process. Therefore, the Glycerin content accounts for an extremely low percentage in the final product.
Artificial Fragrance
Fragrance, or parfum as it is listed in cosmetics, is often linked to skin allergies. Furthermore, dibutyl phthalate, a chemical often found in fragrance, has been linked to serious hormonal disruption, by more than one university study.
Diazolidinyl Urea
Some preservatives give off formaldehyde once incorporated into formulations. These include Imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, quaternium -15 and DMDM hydrantoin.
Triethanolamine
This ingredient is commonly used as a pH adjuster to activate thickeners. It is also often contaminated with nitrosamines, which are compounds suspected of causing cancer.
Lanolin
This ingredient has been excluded from the range due to the fact that we exclude animal-derived ingredients from our formulations. Derived from sheep wool fat, Lanolin is often laced with pesticides.
Butylated Hydroxy Toluene
BHT effectively prevents oxidative rancidity in oil-based ingredients, such as tissue oils and oil-based serums. The toluene component of this compound is suspected of being a carcinogen. Instead, Vitaderm incorporates natural tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E) to protect our oil-based formulations from oxidative rancidity.
Isopropyl Myristate
This ingredient is commonly used as a thickener in skin care products. It is suspected of being comedogenic and is therefore excluded from Vitaderm’s formulations.
Triclosan
This ingredient is frequently incorporated into antiseptic handwashes, gel cleansers and deodorants. Many countries are considering the banning of this substance.
Formaldehyde
This substance was banned more than 30 years ago, but is still found in cosmetic formulations. Formaldehyde is a proven carcinogen.
