Gasoline, tar, formaldehyde, silicone, plastics – all the things we wouldn’t even think of eating and putting inside your body but have you taken a moment to think about what’s actually hiding in cosmetic products you are using on your skin daily?
On average, we use about 5-10 cosmetic products on a daily basis, exposing us to about 100 toxins or even more every day. That’s 100+ toxins on your skin before even leaving the house. For your better understanding, let’s take a look at a few products commonly used daily:
Deodorants: 32 chemicals
WATCH OUT FOR: Aluminium, BHA, BHT, siloxanes POSSIBLE EFFECTS: hormone disruption
Foundation: 24 chemicals
WATCH OUT FOR: Polymethyl methacrylate POSSIBLE EFFECTS: Immune system disruption, allergies, links to cancer.
Shampoo: 15 chemicals
WATCH OUT FOR: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene glycol POSSIBLE EFFECTS: hormone disruption, neurological damage to foetus.
Blush: 16 chemical
WATCH OUT FOR: Parabens
POSSIBLE EFFECTS: Rash, hormone disruption
Nail polish: 31 chemicals
WATCH OUT FOR: Phthalates
POSSIBLE EFFECTS: Fertility issues, links to cancer, problems in baby development.
While more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of a healthy diet and what they are putting inside their body, it seems our biggest organ, the skin, has been neglected. Our skin absorbs a large percentage of what we place on it in just 26 seconds, it could only benefit you to become more aware of what ingredients are in our products.
While shopping can be stressful and labels can be overwhelming, there is a list of ingredients commonly referred to as the dirty dozen, these are highly recommended to watch out for and avoid in your products:
- Triclosan (2,4,4′ –trichloro-2′-hydroxy diphenyl ether) – commonly found in toothpaste and creams.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS, ALS) – commonly found in shampoo, face wash, and shower gels.
- Siloxanes (Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, and cyclomethicone, silicone) – commonly found in moisturizers and conditioners.
- Petrolatum, PAH (petroleum jelly) – sunscreen, moisturizer, conditioner.
- PEG (Polyethylene glycols; usually has a number, eg. PEG-200) – commonly found in moisturizers.
- BHA + BHT (butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene) – commonly found in lipsticks and moisturizers.
- Fragrances – commonly in perfumes.
- Phthalates + Parabens – commonly found in nail polish, hair sprays, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, make-up.
- Formaldehydes (methylene glycol) – commonly found in make-up, shampoo.
- DEA (diethanolamine) – commonly found in sunscreen, moisturize, face cleanser, shampoos.
- Coal Tar (benzene, toluene, naphthalene, anthracene, xylene) – commonly found in shampoo.
- Dibutyl Phthalates (DBP) – commonly found in nail products.
These are only a few of the toxins. There are many more out there. I encourage you to do more research into it and become more aware of the ingredients in the products we use daily. Start by making small changes, and just being more aware when you shop the next time. These sites are extremely helpful when searching for non-toxic products:
Written by Katja Toms.