The whole purpose of skincare products is for the lotions and potions to be
absorbed by your skin. Simply put, if you're putting it on, it's going in.
And that means your body will be soaking up all the ingredients in your
skincare products - whether they are synthetic or natural.
It may shock you to learn that there are many chemical ingredients in skin
care products that are banned from being taken orally, but given the green
light for inclusion in skin preparations. These toxic chemicals are absorbed
into the blood stream through your skin and some doctors believe they are the
source of eczema, asthma and even cancer.
But not all chemicals are bad. Unless you are willing to keep your skincare
products in the fridge, they need some chemicals in them to preserve them and
give them a shelf life. What you need to do is to find skin care products
that ideally omit or use the lowest concentration of potentially harmful
chemicals.
The list of chemicals used by skincare manufacturers is extremely lengthy.
Pick up any product on your bathroom shelf and you are likely to be baffled
by the long, complicated names of ingredients. However it is possible to
highlight a few ingredients that may be worthwhile avoiding, as they are
recognised as the possible cause of health problems.
1. Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl etc): Widely used as preservatives,
Parabens have been linked to hormone function imbalance and have been
detected in breast tumours. They have also been linked to asthma and eczema.
2. PEGs: Otherwise known as Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in cleaners
and even some oven cleaners to dissolve oil and grease. They may also be
contaminated with Dioxane, a carcinogen. PEGs are found in many personal care
products.
3. Phthalates: These are found in so many products, from plastics to shampoo.
They are believed to be hormone disrupting and can cause damage to vital
organs. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is found in fragrances but it has been linked
to infertility and birth defects. Unfortunately manufacturers are not
required to list phthalates on labels, so they are difficult to avoid.
4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: SLS is used in thousands of cosmetic and health
care products, including most toothpastes. It is used to create lather. It's
a strong degreaser that dries skin and hair and can cause eczema in some
people. It took me twenty years to realise that it was the SLS in my
toothpaste that was causing my miserable battle with mouth ulcers.
5. Propylene Glycol: This is recognised as a neurotoxin and is known to
cause dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Even so it is widely
used as a moisture-carrying ingredient (humectant) instead of glycerine
because it is cheaper and absorbs well. It is used in antifreeze and
hydraulic brake fluid and some manufacturers use it just to keep their
machinery well oiled - it has no function in the product itself!
6. Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA) and Monoethanolamine (MEA):
These are known to be hormone disrupters and can combine with nitrates to
cause cancer. Unfortunately these ingredients do not need to be listed on
product labels.
7. Synthetic Fragrance: This is a term used by manufacturers to hide a
plethora of ingredients, many of which you may wish to avoid.
8. Alcohol: (Isopropyl Alcohol, SD Alcohol 40, Ethyl Alcohol): Alcohol is
drying; it dissolves the body's natural moisture and strips the skin of its
natural protection. Although it has been used traditionally to help spot-
sufferers, in fact it simply encourages the skin to produce more oil,
exacerbating the problem. Alcohol can destroy the skin's natural pH balance
and even speed up wrinkling.
