If I were to guess, this is about the 30th Lotus Herbals product that I am going to review. If you are a regular reader, you’ll know that Lotus Herbals and I have a difficult, hate-filled relationship. I can’t stand the cheap preservatives that Lotus Herbals principally uses in its products. But there is absolutely no denying, that consumers care about the price.
I keep reviewing Lotus Herbals’ because numerous readers have written to me along the lines of, “I don’t care about the preservatives or harmful chemicals. Is this product any good?”
Today’s product review is of one such Lotus Herbal product. In part one, I only consider the “detanning” potential of this product. And in part 2 of this blog, I am reviewing the actual ingredient list
PART ONE
I refuse to test this product on my face and my guinea pig is my hand today. I apply a relatively thick layer of what can only de described as condensed Lactocalamine lotion (minus the smell). From the ingredients, I can tell its a clay mask and it contains Glycyrrhiza Glabra (a skin lightener: see this blog). Instructions are to leave the mask to dry – which I did – this took approximately 10 minutes.
My verdict
I will be honest with you, there is some skin-lightening around my fingers. Its a marginal amount. The mask has left my hand dry and a few hours later its itchy. I am hoping the itchiness is because of the dryness (and not anything more sinister). I wouldn’t use this product again, because there are better skin-lightening clay masks. Kama Ayurveda Survana Haldi Chandan clay mask strikes me as a superior face mask. It is more expensive than Lotus Herbals detan face pack, but you should get more uses out of it AND at the same time, its not full of cheap preservatives.
PART TWO: the ingredient list
The main noteworthy ingredients are: water, kaolin, glycerin, zinc oxide, light liquid paraffin, wax, glycyrrhiza glabra, bentonite, acacia senegal gum extract, polysorbate 80, lactic acid, daucus carota sativa, xanthan gum, horse chestnut seed extract, methylparaben, propylparaben, methylcholoroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone
This is an ingredient list for a basic clay mask – it has clay (kaolin, bentonite), glycerin (a humectant that prevents the product from drying out), gelling agent (acacia senegal gum, xanathan gum and wax) and preservatives (methylparaben, propylparaben, methylcholoroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone)
Where does the detanning action come from?
Only one ingredient is a proper skin lightener: glycyrrhiza glabara.
My problem with the product
The product has two types of parabens and methylcholoroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone)
Parabens – are cheap and effective preservatives that are endocrine system disruptors (estrogen mimickers). Other manufacturers manage to avoid parabens, so I don’t see why any manufacturer needs to use them (See also Chemicals to Avoid – Parabens).
Methylisothiazolinone: I am going with the EU, which bans MI from leave-on cosmetic products based on actual clinical data that it is a contact allergen that can at the very minimum, cause allergic contact dermatitis. (See also: Methylisothiazolinone)
Would I buy this product again?
Over my dead body. Available for sale at Lotus Herbals online. Retail price is iNR 325.
Consider buying Kama Ayurveda Survana Haldi Chandan clay mask instead of this.