Just when I thought I had found my perfect moisturizer, I decide to read the ingredients. This stuff works and you don't need much. I even sprung for the pump which costs a small fortune when you're talking about lotions.
It's like giving a kid a toy they've been wanting for so long then taking it away again. Talk about frustrating.
So. I'm not going to go into rave reviews (there are plenty), or the fact that the product works (because it does, it really does).
The problem with Kiehl's products is that they don't list all their ingredients on their website. Check out the Kiehl's Canada website and you'll see "Key ingredients" You'll need to go to their store, email Kiehl's, or stay in-store to read all the ingredients on their labels or you actually buy the product then read it. And by the way, Kiehl's products sorely missing from the EWG's Skin Deep Database.
This is what's in Kiehl's Creme de Corps according to the label:
Water, Squalene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, PEG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame Seed) Oil Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ozokerite, Benzophenone-3, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Methylparaben, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterol, Sodium PCA, Propylparaben, Allantoin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa Seed) Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Tocopherol, BHT, Lecithin, Butylparaben, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Beta Carotene
I've decided to stay away from Parabens. There is a lot of literature out there which is neither here nor there. I'd personally like to err on the side of caution; why risk it when there are alternatives available?
In sum:
- Parabens are a common preservative in cosmetics because they're cheap and effective (from: Wikipedia)
- Health concerns: Endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity (from: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics)
You can read more here:
- Alternative Journal: The Problems with Parabens
- The Good Human: What are Parabens and Why You Should Avoid Them
- Cosmetics Info: Parabens
- Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Parabens
- Best Health: Parabens: What are they, and are they really that bad?
