It’s not the first thing you think about, but cancer treatment also affects your skin. Chemotherapy and medication can make it drier, more sensitive, itchy and dull. The right skincare and beauty routine can really help. But how do you choose the best products tailored to you – preferably without harsh chemicals? These are the four things we always look for!
1. Go for products that don’t dry out your skin
Chemotherapy, cortisone and other medication can leave your skin drier, more sensitive and fragile. Extra nourishing and protective products to the rescue! Take a critical look at your beauty shelf and put aside products that are too harsh, such as nail polish removers or BB creams.
Most nail polish removers contain acetone: not ideal if your nails are already brittle and fragile after chemotherapy. Acetone only dries them out more. That’s why we choose a nourishing remover with 100% natural ingredients, without acetone or acetone derivatives. One of our favorites comes from Même, France’s best-known skincare brand for people with cancer.
Another hidden culprit that dries out your skin more than you might think: your BB cream or tinted day cream. Replace it with the BB cream by Même. It doesn’t dry out your skin, won’t clog your pores and is made of 97% natural ingredients such as organic oat extract, vitamin E and mineral pigments.
2. Avoid chemical clutter
Cancer is often a wake-up call in many ways. For us, it also marked the start of a search for the most natural care products possible. Many cosmetics contain chemical ingredients. And while they may be approved and technically safe to use, we find it troubling that they later end up in the environment, where they can do harm.
That’s why we deliberately selected care products with mostly natural ingredients. For example, we stock a natural, unisex deodorant without alcohol, aluminum or parabens. The possible link between aluminum in deodorants and breast cancer has been studied for years, with no proven connection. But why use a chemical-laden deodorant when there’s a natural one that actually works, keeps odors away and is kind to your skin?
The same with lip balm: we carefully selected a nourishing lip balm with natural, organic ingredients such as almond oil, shea butter and mimosa flower wax. That way, even if you unconsciously lick your lips, you won’t be ingesting chemical junk.
3. Choose subtle scents during chemo
Chemotherapy can affect your sense of smell. Some people notice a reduced sense of smell, but more often you become extra sensitive to scents. That’s why it’s best to choose skincare products with a subtle fragrance.
This is especially important for facial care products, since you literally apply them on, under and next to your nose. The light fragrance of Même’s face cream and cleansing gel is pleasant and never overpowering.
4. Avoid hormone-disrupting substances
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are substances that can interfere with your body’s hormonal system. They have been linked to reduced fertility, developmental issues in teenagers, obesity, diabetes and various cancers. These substances – such as parabens and phthalates – are found in many cosmetics and care products.
What their exact impact is still remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: we’d rather keep them out of our beauty routine. That’s why, in our webshop, we confidently choose Même. This French brand excludes all hormone disruptors and even substances that are under debate. Better safe than sorry!
