Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in your Skincare
A FEW KEY INGREDIENTS TO AVOID
When buying products you really should read the ingredients list carefully, just like you do with food. Choose preparations free from:
Petroleum is a white sticky chemical that is extracted from the outside of an oil rig. Its primary use is for gasoline. It has no healing properties, especially not for nappy rash…
Mineral oil is a by-product of petroleum, sometimes called paraffin oil. One of its most common uses is in Baby Oil preparation! Mineral and petroleum oils clog the pores and prevent skin from breathing.
Instead, choose Botanical oils such as Sweet Almond oil, Avocado oil, Olive oil, Grapeseed oil, Hempseed oil, Wheatgerm oil. ‘Castile based’ soap means ‘Olive oil based’ soap. These oils are rich in nutrients and are closely related to the sebum in our skin. They are easily absorbed, less likely to irritate and will allow the skin to breathe.
Pure Essential Oils are not only used to make a product smell good, but they have known benefits to the nervous system and skin such as relaxing, uplifting, comforting.
REMEMBER – CHEAP OILS HAVE NO BENEFITS!
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLEC) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to “foam up “. Both are easily absorbed into the skin and can destroy skin proteins, and dry out your skin, allowing environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of skin.Reports of effects of SLS include eye irritation, scalp irritation, tangled hair, swelling of the hands, face and arms and split and fuzzy hair. Once absorbed, one of the main effects of SLS is to mimic the activity of the hormone oestrogen, with research suggesting links to many cancers and lower fertility. SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen.
REMEMBER – BUBBLES ARE BAD NEWS & DON’T MAKE YOU CLEANER!
Parabens are used as preservatives to prolong the shelf-life of products once opened. Some research suggests they could be carcinogenic and have oestrogenic activity in the body. Research is still ongoing as to the proof of harm, but – why risk it?
REMEMBER – JUST USE YOUR PRODUCTS UP! Who wants to keep stuff for ever anyway?!
Synthetic Fragrances usually called ‘parfum’, ‘perfume’ ‘fragrance’ or ‘masking agent; and are used to scent a product. A synthetic fragrance is made up of chemicals – sometimes up to 100 – many of them toxic like toluene and phthalates. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, fragrances cause 30% of all allergic reactions, and 70% of all asthmatics develop respiratory symptoms when exposed to perfumes.
REMEMBER – STRONG PERFUME CAN MEAN TOXIC COCKTAIL!
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in the making of plastics. They are added to cosmetic products to stabilise fragrances. They are known as “endocrine disruptors” because they mimic the body’s hormones and have, in laboratory animal tests, been shown to cause reproductive and neurological damage. (California will ban the use of phthalates in toys and baby products as of 2009.) Unfortunately, it’s not particularly easy to avoid phthalates as you’ll rarely find the word “phthalates” on a label . Look for DBP , DEP, DEHP , DMP. As mentioned already, “fragrance,” can include phthatates.
REMEMBER – PHTHALATES ARE LINKED TO FRAGRANCE! They may be in your product but not listed…
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