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“I don’t recognize myself anymore”: content creator warns about the dangers of certain beauty products

“By Sunday morning I no longer recognized myself in the mirror.” Content creator Emma Artvest wants to warn about certain cosmetic substances and mixtures that can cause severe reactions such as burning. Last January, she had a bitter experience after applying several products to her skin, including a cleansing gel that she recently added to her beauty routine. “I apply it once in the evening as a second cleanse and once in the morning,” she explains.

“In the evening, I noticed that the skin on my face was drier than usual, but from the next day I began to experience increasingly red spots and swelling,” she continues. The situation only got worse, despite the fact that the pharmacy was dispensing medications. Since then, Emma Artvest has been documenting the stages of her recovery on social media.

“First degree burn all over the face with swelling”

On Monday, January 15, a young woman turned to her general practitioner because she could not quickly find a dermatologist near her home. She has “first-degree burns all over her face with swelling of the eyelids and cheeks and a second-degree lesion on her left cheek,” her certificate reads.

The lesions on her skin force her to put her life on hold until the situation improves. “I was interviewing at the time, I had to stop,” she regrets. The content creator also had to stop certain activities, such as sports, due to pain on her face from sweat.

Emma Artvest takes a photo of herself on January 15 before going to the doctor. /Emma Artvest

For Emma Astrvest, the cause of her burns lies in her new Ultra Facial Cleanser from Kielh’s. “The other products I usually use have never done anything for me,” she explains. Among the substances present in this product is sodium laureth sulfate. A name that “came up a lot in the comments,” she adds.

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is an anionic surfactant used in cosmetics, found in shower gels and shampoos, particularly for its cleansing properties, and is detailed in the INCI Beauty supplement to help you decipher cosmetic ingredients. It allows products containing it to foam upon contact with water.

When asked by Le Parisien, dermatologist Marc Perroussel explains that this substance is less irritating than sodium lauryl sulfate, which was previously used more often. “But it remains a surfactant, so by its nature it is removed,” he explains. Depending on use, it can cause irritant dermatitis, meaning the skin will dry out and may experience a burning sensation, the dermatologist continues. Very rarely, allergic manifestations may occur with reactions such as eczema with swelling and redness. This substance is usually quite well tolerated. »

Nadine Pomared, dermatologist and founder of DermoMedicalCenter, confirms that sodium laureth sulfate can cause “eye or skin irritation.” These doctors, who did not visit Emma Artvest for consultation, cannot, however, comment on the causes of the young woman’s burns.

“I just want my skin back”

Kiehl’s contacted Emma Artvest. “After receiving the used product, our scientific experts conducted an analysis that confirmed its full compliance,” we are confident. The reasons for the situation could not be identified due to the lack of examination results provided to our experts. » The cosmetics brand, which says it conducts a “rigorous and systematic assessment of the safety of products and the ingredients they contain,” also says it offered the young woman an appointment with a dermatologist and allergist.

The content creator has not filed a complaint and is awaiting information about the long-term damage to her skin, as well as the full cost of treatment. “It will all depend on the evolution of my skin (sensitivity, dark spots, rosacea, need for laser),” she explains. I just want my skin back and for the brand to question the ingredients in these products because it’s not just me that’s bothering me. She wants side effects to be better reported because “the consequences are too serious, sometimes even lifelong.”

Emma Artvest, April 11, 2024 /Emma Artvest
Emma Artvest, April 11, 2024 /Emma Artvest

Emma Artvest reported side effects associated with the use of this product on a dedicated government website. The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM), which is responsible for processing requests, “may be required to take preventive or corrective measures tailored to the situation,” such as defining conditions for storing or withdrawing the product.

Source: Le Parisien

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