How to avoid toxic ingredients in skin care products
The modern array of personal care products can provide a toxic
soup of ingredients...
There
are some key points to look for and I will assist you, your friends
and family in making safe choices when shopping.
Ideally use certified organic skin care but even so it is still wise to become an ingredient detective and learn what to look out for and avoid. Fortunately some brands out there are making genuinely organic, certified organic skin care which is USDA certified to food grade standards.
Learn to be an ingredient detective
Please do your best to avoid using these synthetic chemicals on your skin!
Methyl- ethyl- butyl isoproply
parabens. Whilst a very small study,
into the correlation between parabens and breast cancer, I
personally to do not wish to be a cosmetic guinea pig.
Diethanolamine (DEA) -These chemicals are already
restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects. Dr. Samuel
Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of
Illinois) says that repeated skin applications . . . of DEA-based
detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of liver
and kidney cancer.
Triethanolamine (TEA) - see DEA above
PEG which is Polyethylene Glycol - Can be
contaminated with carcinogen 1,4-dioxane. Potentially
carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the
skin's natural moisture factor. This could increase the appearance
of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria. Used in
cleansers to dissolve oil and grease. It adjusts the melting point
and thickens products. Also used in caustic spray-on oven
cleaners!! Immunotoxicity, skin and eye
irritations.
Propylene glycol- this is, unbelievably, a weak
form of antifreeze! Propylene glycol (PG) is a petroleum
derivative. It penetrates the skin and can weaken protein and
cellular structure. Commonly used to make extracts from herbs. PG
is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats! The EPA
considers PG so toxic that it requires workers to wear protective
gloves, clothing and goggles and to dispose of any PG solutions by
burying them in the ground. Because PG penetrates the skin so
quickly, the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences
such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. But there isn't
even a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where
the concentration is greater than in most industrial
applications.
Learn about
ingredients to be a true "Ingredient Detective"!
Download our Questionable Ingredients in Skincare card- you can print & have in your wallet when shopping- never be duped again by 'natural' claims and greenwashing!
Isopropyl alcohol - associated with skin irritation, neurotoxicity, kidney & respiratory issues. The Chemical Maze.
Isopropyl Myristate - May significantly increase the absorbtion of carcinogen NDELA. May promote acne. The Chemical Maze.
Phenoxyethanol -
filler in some vaccines, mild allergic rashes in sensitive people,
concentrated solutions can cause headaches, nausea, renal
failure. The Chemical Maze
Imadazolindinyl Urea - The trade name for this
chemical is Germall 115. Releases formaldehyde, a carcinogenic
chemical, into cosmetics at over 10C.
1,4-Dioxane- won't be listed on the label, see video A simple way of looking for 1,4-Dioxane is to avoid PEGs, TEA,MEA,DEA or ETH in an ingredient name!
Age of products can increase Formaldehyde
Interesting is that the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry found that nitrosamine levels in some products had more than doubled four months after the product was opened, and increased by more than four-fold over 17 months (DTI 1998).
Mineral oils, petroleum
jelly - which is from crude oil essentially.
Fragrance/Parfum- this can be up to 200
ingredients of which none have to be listed on the bottle, no one
has tested for the synergistic (cocktail) effect. We are the
guinea pigs if we use fragrances other than genuinely certified
organic perfumes.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate -SLS is used in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers - and in 90% of products that foam. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is frequently disguised in semi-natural cosmetics with the explanation "comes from coconut". [3]
VODKA or POTATOES?
We might let a child eat mashed potatoes but few parents would let their child drink vodka. So if you see on a label 'comes from coconut' or derived from 'coconut' then remember vodka and potatoes. Vodka comes from potatoes but it isn't safe for children! [1]
The Vodka and potatoes analagy is the example that Narelle Chenery uses to explain why Miessence organic skin care is different. Miessence uses cold formulated ingredients that are organically grown and have more potency. Sadly many companies use inviting labels like 'organic' or 'natural' when in fact the ingredients have been "derived from" (or come from) coconut which has been through a synthetic process. Some of these processes have nasty side effects such as 1,4-Dioxane forms going through a synthetic process. The video discusses more about 1,4-Dioxane.
Why avoid these ingredients?
There are a heap of reasons, some are skin irritants, some are carcinogens and all are not worthy of being on your precious skin! Many feel that the FDA or authorities will protect us from harmful ingredients, yet these ingredients are, sadly, quite legal and until more of us write to the very companies that are producing these toxic skin care, and personal care products, these products will continue to be manufactured. Put pen to paper... we vote with each tube of skin cream we buy!
Awareness is key. As consumers we hold the power, every dollar we spend is a vote and therefore that works both ways, if we stop buying the polluting products the companies will have no choice (if they want to make money by selling products) to tweak formulas and make them healthy and less polluting to our environment.
Did you know that there are two formulas of many main brand face creams? One for North America and another for Europe. The laws in North America are less stringent than in Europe.
We can make a difference, imagine what would
happen if we all phoned up, or wrote to, the leading cosmetic
manufacturers? They would have to
change!
A natural alternative is to buy real, organic skin care!
[1] Narelle Chenery, founder of Miessence, ONEGroup Pty Ltd.
[2] The Chemical Maze by Bill Stratham. Learn more
[3] Cosmetics Database: website
©Actual Organics 2009