Hayley asks (via Facebook)…Please please can you do a review on the skin line ‘Seacret‘? It’s newer and there’s not a lot of Info out there.
The Beauty Brains respond:
I got worried as soon as I saw Seacret’s audacious tagline : “Nature’s richest mineral treasure.” That’s right, this is another product line based on ingredients from the Dead Sea.
Are Dead Sea salts good for skin?
We’ve written before about the lack of proof that Dead Sea minerals provide any skin care benefits. The only documented benefit that we could find is that soaking in a solution of Dead Sea salts can reduce symptoms of psoriasis. After soaking for 20 minutes the Dead Sea salts reduced the symptoms a little bit better than regular salts. We’ve haven’t been able to find ANY data showing that adding these salts to cosmetics provides any benefit.
Seacret claims
Here’s a quick summary of some of the claims made by Seacret:
“Let the honest, pure and potent power of the Dead Sea bring out your natural beauty. SEACRET’s collection of skincare and spa products are extracted from the ancient, and some say mystical, muds, salts and minerals found only in one place on earth, the Dead Sea.”
“In a cosmetic world that often relies on half-truths and hype, and temporary solutions we believe everything we do must embody and reflect the same purity that originates from the Dead Sea, not only in our products, but also in our ongoing relationship with our customers.”
“SEACRET products are manufactured in Israel with supreme care, using the latest technology and best chemists. We offer our products with the promise that they will enhance your own unique beauty.”
Are the products really different?
As you can see from the ingredient lists below these products use standard ingredients to which they add some Dead Sea goodies.
Facial cleansing milk ($45)
WATER/AQUA, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, STEARIC ACID, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, DISODIUM COCOAMPHODIACETATE, DIMETHICONE, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL, GLUCONOLACTONE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SESAMUM INDICUM (SESAME) SEED OIL, SODIUM BENZOATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRAGRANCE/PARFUM, DEHYDROACETIC ACID, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) PEEL OIL, ROSA CANINA FRUIT OIL, SEA SALT/MARIS SAL (DEAD SEA MINERALS).
Essential moisture face cream ($65)
WATER/AQUA, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE , PROPYLENE GLYCOL, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, ALCOHOL DENAT., AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERIN, DIMETHICONOL, TRIETHANOLAMINE, GLUCONOLACTONE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, SODIUM BENZOATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, ALLANTOIN, ROSA CENTIFOLIA FLOWER EXTRACT, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT (GREEN TEA), SEA SALT/MARIS SAL (EAD SEA MINERALS), XANTHAN GUM, SALICYLIC ACID, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), , PANTHENOL (PRO VITAMIN B5), DEHYDROACETIC ACID, FRAGRANCE/PARFUM , DISODIUM EDTA, MAGNESIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE (VITAMIN C), CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, SORBITOL, LACTIC ACID, SERINE, SODIUM LACTATE, UREA, HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) EXTRACT, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) EXTRACT, RETINYL PALMITATE (VITAMIN A), ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, GLYCINE, GLUCOSE.
Deep cleansing facial wash ($40)
WATER/AQUA, DISODIUM COCOAMPHODIACETATE, GLYCERINE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, CETETH-20, PHENOXYETHANOL, SALICYLIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE, ALLANTOIN, FRAGRANCE/PARFUM, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN,SEA SALT/MARIS SAL (DEAD SEA MINERALS), TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), CHENOPODIUM QUINOA SEED EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA FRUIT EXTRACT, EDTA, BISABOLOL, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES (Sea Buckthorn) OIL, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE
The Beauty Brains bottom line
We see no evidence that these products work any better than similar products which are MUCH cheaper. Of course if the company has any data proving that their products are better than less expensive alternstives we’ll be happy to revise our opinion.