7 Skincare Ingredients to Avoid (And What to Use Instead)

"Clean beauty" is mostly a marketing label. But there are a few ingredients with enough research behind them that skipping them is genuinely worth it. Here are the seven we avoid in every PetalGlow product, and why.

1. Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butylparaben)

Used as preservatives. Linked in multiple studies to estrogen-mimicking activity in lab settings. The science isn't fully settled but the EU restricts several of them in cosmetics — that's signal enough for us.

Use instead: phenoxyethanol or natural preservation systems.

2. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (SLS, SLES)

The bubble-makers in foaming cleansers. Strip the skin barrier. If your face feels tight or "squeaky" after washing, this is usually why.

Use instead: glucosides, amino-acid surfactants (look for "coco-glucoside" or "sodium cocoyl isethionate").

3. Synthetic Fragrance ("parfum")

The single most common cause of cosmetic skin irritation in clinical research. "Fragrance" can legally hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals.

Use instead: essential oils used at low concentrations, or fragrance-free formulas.

4. Phthalates (DEP, DBP)

Found in synthetic fragrance and plasticizers. Hormone disruptors with strong research behind them. Banned from kids' products in many countries.

Use instead: any product that says "phthalate-free" — most clean brands do.

5. Mineral Oil / Petrolatum (in moisturizers)

Cheap, occlusive, doesn't absorb. Sits on top of your skin. Not "dangerous," but does almost nothing for actual skin health and clogs pores in many people.

Use instead: plant oils — squalane, jojoba, rosehip — or hyaluronic acid serums.

6. Drying Alcohols (alcohol denat, isopropyl alcohol high in the list)

Kills your barrier, dehydrates skin, triggers oil rebound.

Use instead: glycerin-based hydrators. Note: "fatty alcohols" like cetyl/stearyl alcohol are good — they're moisturizing.

7. Triclosan / Triclocarban

Antibacterial agents now banned in soaps in the US. Still appear in some skincare. Linked to thyroid disruption.

Use instead: any product without these — they're rare now but worth scanning your labels.

What we put in every PetalGlow formula

Botanical extracts, peptides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides — the ingredients with three decades of research behind them. Cruelty-free, vegan, and no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, or synthetic fragrance — ever.

Want a starting point? Our cleansing balm is the easiest swap because that's where the worst offenders usually live.