How These Chemicals Affect Your Skin

According to a recent interview with Stacy Malkan, the co-founder of The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, young women use around 12 or more products a day and in doing so, are exposing themselves to hundreds of potentially toxic chemicals.

Depending on the products you use, you are exposing yourself to several carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and irritants. According to a study published by the Mayo Clinic, these chemicals are one of the most common causes of dermatitis and similar skin problems.

Here are some of the well known problem chemicals commonly use in skin and personal care products:

Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and/or Ethyl Paraben

Used as preservatives to extend the shelf life of skin and personal care products. Parabens have been reported to have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Studies have shown that they are weakly estrogenic and can be absorbed by the body through the skin. Widely used even though they are potentially toxic.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde, used as a preservative, is a known carcinogen (causes cancer). Causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapor is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes).


Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA)

DEA and TEA are often used in cosmetics and shampoos as emulsifiers and/or foaming agents. They can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and dryness of hair and skin. DEA and TEA are "amines" (ammonia compounds) and can form cancer-causing nitrosamines when they come in contact with nitrates. They are toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea

These are widely used preservatives. The American Academy of Dermatology has found them to be a primary cause of contact dermatitis. Two trade names for these chemicals are Germall II and Germall 115. Neither of the Germall chemicals contains a good antifungal agent, and they must be combined with other preservatives. Both these chemicals release formaldehyde, which can be toxic.

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate

A cheap, harsh detergent used in shampoos, bubble baths, hand and body wash products for its cleansing and foam-building properties. Often derived from petroleum, it is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the phrase "comes from coconuts." It causes eye irritation, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, skin rashes and other allergic reactions. Avoid at all cost.

Methylisothiazoline (MIT)

Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is a biocide widely used in industrial and cosmetic products and has been shown to pose a potential risk to unborn babies. It is widely used in shampoos and there very well could be neuro-developmental consequences from Mit. It is of particularly concerned to women with occupational exposure to MIT during pregnancy as there is a possibility of risk to the foetus. Avoid at all cost.

Petrolatum

Also known as petroleum jelly, this mineral oil derivative is used for its emollient properties in cosmetics. It has no nutrient value for the skin and can interfere with the body's own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dryness and chapping. It often creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap. Most Petro-chemicals are carcinogens and are to be avoided.

Propylene Glycol

Ideally this is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural. Usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant. It has been known to cause allergic reactions, hives and eczema. When you see PEG (polyethylene glycol) or PPG (polypropylene glycol) on labels, beware—these are related synthetics. The natural versions are fine and perfectly safe, not so their synthetic counter parts.

PVP/VA Copolymer

A petroleum-derived chemical used in hairsprays, styling aids and other cosmetics. It can be considered toxic, since inhaled particles can damage the lungs of sensitive persons. Most Petro-chemicals are carcinogens.

Stearalkonium Chloride

A plant-derived ingredient, it reduces static electricity by neutralizing electrical charges on hair, and is a good conditioning agent. It is a quaternary ammonium compound also used in hair conditioners and creams. Developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener, it is a lot cheaper and easier to use in hair conditioning formulas than proteins or herbals, which are beneficial to the hair. Causes allergic reactions. Potentially toxic.

Synthetic Colors

Used to make cosmetics "pretty," synthetic colors, along with synthetic hair dyes, should be avoided at all costs. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number. Example: FD&C Red No. 3 / D&C Green No. 6. Many synthetic colors can be carcinogenic. If a cosmetic contains them, don't use it.

Synthetic Fragrances

The synthetic fragrances used in cosmetics can have as many as 200 ingredients. There is no way to know what the chemicals are, since on the label it will simply read "fragrance." Some problems caused by these chemicals include headaches, dizziness, rash, hyperpigmentation, violent coughing, vomiting, skin irritation—the list goes on. Synthetic fragrances should be avoided. Be careful when looking at these because often the lable may say "fragrance of Lavender", or fragrance of "Rose" or similarly popular essential oils. Fragrance of = Synthetic, NOT the real essential oil.

You can check this for yourself by simply doing a search using the terms in bold in the list and adding the following MSDS. MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet, which are tests done on chemicals to establish their ‘safety’.


How do you avoid these dangerous chemicals?

Simple, switch to 100% pure natural skin care products and you will eliminate the risk of being exposed to these chemicals through your skin and personal care products.

The benefits are not just that you eliminate these dangerous chemicals, but using truly natural products that contain herbs, essential oils and other natural ingredients will benefit your overall health as well.

There are also other benefits. Formaldehyde, for example, is very harmful to our natural environment. By eliminating products that contain this, and other toxic chemical, you are indeed not just benefiting your own health but that of the environment as well.

So make the switch. Change over to using natural skin and personal care productsand you’ll not just benefit your health but help the environment as well.

What is it that Women really want from their skin care products?

Why is it often difficult to find the right skin care products?

So just why is it so hard to find good quality, safe, and effective skin care products? The answer is quite simple, it’s called marketing. Marketing is the problem here. Why, I hear you ask? What does Marketing have to do with the quality of skin care products?

Well, it’s because most highly visible skincare companies are trying to out-do each other by adding obscure ingredients to their products and then marketing them as if they were the latest and best ingredient to have in your skin care products.

We, the consumers, looking to find something that actually works, ‘fall’ for the slogans and are thus quickly parted with our money, only to find that the products we thought were going to be good quality, safe and effective do not live up to the promises and are probably not that safe either.

So how can you tell what’s good and what’s not?

There are basically two types of products on the market. One group is safe, the other is not. What do I mean by safe?

Safe skin care products are products that do not contain any potentially harmful ingredients what so ever. They do contain natural ingredients and these too are safe. Remember that not every thing that's natural is necessarily safe.

Not safe are many of the products that do contain highly manipulated chemicals that are synthetic or artificial and have been shown to cause potential health problems. Now, just because a chemical is not natural also does not mean it is therefore potentially toxic. There are man-made chemicals that are indeed safe to consume or use in personal care products, however, these are few and far between.

More often than not, highly processed plant material or synthetically made chemicals do have a tendency to cause problems. (If you want to read more about this topic, please see: These Articles)

Now just because a products is Safe, does not mean it is effective either. Many natural skin care products have safe ingredients, but are almost useless and at best not very effective. But they are a good place to start looking.

Natural Skin Care Products can be a Good Solution

Natural skin care products manufactured by small companies are a good place to start looking for good quality, safe and effective products. Why? Because companies like Wildcrafted Herbal Products, Elysian Dream, Clare Le Dor and others pride themselves on only using the purest, safest and most effective ingredients in their range of products.

Small boutique skin care companies do not have the marketing budgets of large companies and as a result, their products have to live up to their claims if these companies hope to be able to sell their products repeatedly to the same customers. You see, finding new customers all the time is much more expensive than providing the same satisfied customers with products over and over again.

Let’s face it; if you know a product works for you, you’re not likely to change the brand and try something different, are you? No, once you are happy with the results you are getting from a range of skincare products, you’re not very likely to change. In fact, you’ll probably go out of your way to locate the brand’s product you’ve become to like and trust, and are even happy to spend a little more money to get it.

Another reason why natural skin care products are preferable and more likely to give you the results you want, is because some of the companies that make these products are run by medical herbalists and Aromatherapist that have a sound knowledge and understanding of what ingredients are safe and effective. They make their batches in small numbers and this means you get a much fresher product when you buy it because it has not been sitting on shelves in warehouses and in containers on the wharfs. That in it self has to be a bonus.

Also take a close look at the ingredients list on the product label or the Product’s web site.
Check each of the ingredients and Google them, or you can have a look at this list of potentially toxic chemical ingredients commonly used in skin care products and their side-effects.
So when next you look at your skin care products, think about what the ingredients are. Are they safe? Are they actually doing what the manufacturer’s advertisement said they were going to do? Do they actually make your skin feel good?

These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself and if the answer is no, than it’s time to start looking for some good quality, safe and effective natural skin care products.

Skin Care: Going Back-to-Basics

What We Are Told

Almost daily we are bombarded with a new skin care product and are told that if we use this product, our skin will look younger, smoother, more attractive and so on. We are presented with pictures of young, attractive women who have probably never used the products their faces are associated with and probably never will.

We are lead to believe that 'the active ingredient' in these products are a new discovery (usually they also get some sort of pseuo-scientific name) and if we use the product that has this 'magical' ingredient we will end up with 20 year young skin - Sure !

The Truth About Skin Care

Skin care is just that - taking care of one’s skin, nothing more, nothing less. How you do this can depend on many things. The health of your skin, money, time, knowledge and probably a number of other factors will determine how much care you give to your skin.

Let’s review what your skin does for a moment. Firstly, it protects the inside of you body from the outside. That is, the skin forms a barrier between our external environment and our body’s insides. It is water proof and at the same time acts as a defence from pollution, microbes and other potentially harmful factors. In addition, it is partly responsible for eliminating toxins from our body in the form of perspiration, and your skin assists the body in temperature regulation. These and other functions are preformed by our skin on a continuous basis.

So how do we take care of our skin, to ensure that it can continue to perform at its optimal level?

Back-to-Basics of Skin Care

There are 3 basic principles that come together in good skin care.

1. Drinking enough water on a daily basis to keep the skin well hydrated. This involves drinking at least 2 litres of water each and every day, because the body’s metabolism will require this amount of water to function properly. More water is required if we engage in strenuous physical activity or work in a physically demanding environment. You can use the most expensive moisturisers you like, if you don’t drink enough water, your skin will become dehydrated and no moisturiser or beauty treatment will stop this in the long term.




2. Eating good quality, unprocessed foods such as fruits, grains, vegetables, some dairy and lean meat, will help you to provide the skin with the nutrients it requires to keep performing its vital functions. Your skin needs vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, etc., to function properly and while some natural skin care products do provide many of these nutrients, there is no substitute for nutrients gained from high quality food.



3. A daily skin care regime that will unclog pores, remove dirt and dead skin cells, as well as provide nourishment to the underlying, living skin cells, is an essential step to good skin care. Now this regime can be quite simple or more involved.

At its most basic, skin care can involve as little as using a loofah on a daily basis when showering or bathing, to remove the dead cells from your body’s outermost layer of skin. Using a loofah not only removes the dead skin cells, but also promotes blood circulation to the outer layers of your skin, providing it with nutrients and oxygen.

In addition, use a mild, natural, pH-balanced (slightly acidic) soap to keep your skin clean and you’re done.

Let’s face it, many people don’t even use a loofah, and couldn’t care less about what sort of soap they use to wash their face and body with. However, more concerned folk, who have an interest in maintaining the health and look of their skin for as long as possible, may be prepared to go a few steps further than that by implementing a good, daily skin care regime utilising natural skin care products.

Implementing a Good Skin Care Regime

A sound, basic skin care regime is more than enough for most people. Using a loofah for their body’s skin, a cleanser, toner and moisturiser for the face, plus an all-over body moisturiser is all that’s required most of the time. In addition, using a clay mask once or twice a week will help to remove dead skin cells and deeply imbedded dirt from the facial skin and pores. An exfoliant can also be used, probably 2-3 times a week, if you’re not using a loofah.

Increasingly, consumers are becoming aware of the potential health risks presented by artificial and other non-natural ingredients in beauty products. We all, well most of us, avoid foods and beverages which contain artificial preservatives, flavours, emulsifiers, etc., for sound health reasons. These days, we’ve extended this concern to other areas of products we use on our body and in our home.

Making use of natural skin care products that contain as many organically grown ingredients such as essential oils, herbal extracts, cosmetic butters and the like, are a preferred option for discerning customers. There are positive health benefits associated with using holistic natural ingredients rather than isolated active compounds, because the body is able to better utilise natural substances and the chance of negative side-effects is reduced.

Choosing the right skin care system for your skin type is the final aspect to good skin care. Most people have two different facial skin types, for example, the forehead, nose and sometimes chin may be slightly oily, while the remaining areas of the face and neck may be slightly dry. It is important to identify your skin type before buying your skin care products, because the ingredients in the products should benefit the skin type you are trying to normalise. You may need to purchase two different skin care systems to accommodate your different skin types, however, more often than not, especially if the skin types differ only marginally from ‘normal’, you may be able to just aim between the two skin types for your choice of toner, and buy a second cleanser and moisturiser to accommodate the two skin types.

Let me give you an example. Let’s stick to the example above, where you may have an oily T-zone with otherwise dry facial skin.

If you have a close look at Wildcrafted’s systems for oily and normal skin types, you’ll discover, that the two systems only differ in one product - that is, the facial clay mask for the oily system is our Green Earth Medicine Facial Clay, while the Yellow Clay Mask is used in the system for Normal skin. Now, the system for dry skin, is somewhat different and there are actually two systems - one for primarily dry skin, the other for dry and sensitive skin.

The key here is to identify whether the oily or dry facial skin is the primary problem. That is, which is giving you more trouble? If it’s the oily part of your skin, than use the system for oily skin and use the Papaya day cream on the dry areas of the face rather than the Avocado cream, although, the Avocado Day Crème is okay to use even on slightly dry skin. If on the other hand the dry facial skin is more problematic and there are areas where your facial skin is not just dry but also sensitive, use the Hydrating Cleanser and Rose Day Cream to cleanse and moisturise instead of the Lemon Cleanser and Avocado Day Crème. Choose the Green Clay mask for the T-Zone and the Red Clay mask for the dry and sensitive areas of your skin.

By mixing and matching the different products you can ‘make’ a system that will suit your skin types and you do not have to purchase two entirely different systems, which of course is another option and you don’t have to think about it too much.

Back-to-Basics of skin care is really about applying common sense, a little knowledge and making the right choice of products. By providing your body with sufficient amounts of water, quality, unprocessed food, and using natural skin care products you can’t go wrong and the health of your skin is likely to stay with you a lot longer.