over the years i've tried to be more cautious about what products i use in my every day life. everything from household cleaning products, to beauty products. even if it hits your skin, it still is absorbed into your body. hard to believe that it could REALLY cause much damage, but unfortunately most products create a stockpile of harsh chemicals made by these products we purchase and eventually can lead to some pretty yucky health problems, like cancer. also, these chemicals can be passed to the fetus' of pregnant women.
"According to a 2005 survey of 2,300 adults by the Environmental Working Group, the average woman encounters 168 chemical ingredients in her beauty regimen everyday. And let's not forget about the men — they're slathering themselves with an average of 85 chemicals everyday, too."
WHAT?!
168 chemical ingredients? eeesh, that's hard to take in because if you're like me you love trying out a new beauty or skin care product. however, most of the products we use (no matter how expensive they may be) are not required to be tested by the food and drug administration which allows them to use really any type of chemicals or ingredients they want. honestly, when i run out of my perfect shade of red from NARS, i don't think about what harmful chemical they use to produce it. now? NARS i really have loved you throughout the years, but i may have to break it off...
according to the daily green, here are six beauty product ingredients to avoid:
Petrochemicals
Examples include petroleum jelly, isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol, methyl alcohol or methanol, butyl alcohol or butanol, ethyl alcohol or ethanol (often used in skin astringents and perfumes or colognes).
Sodium laureth/lauryl sulfates and other sulfate-based detergents
Examples include sodium lauryl ether sulfate; sodium laureth sulphate; sodium lauryl ether sulphate (most commonly used in shampoos, shower gel, bubble bath)
Propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, along with various ingredients formulated with PEGs and PGs
Examples include ethylene glycol (used in firming lotions) and propylene glycol (found in everything from deodorant, mascara, baby powder, after shave and more).
Formaldehyde & paraben preservatives
Examples include butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben (found in sunscreen, shampoos, shaving gel, toothpaste and more)
Synthetic dyes
Examples include anything with F&DC preceding it, usually followed by a color and a number. (F representing food, D&C representing drugs and cosmetics), other color additives, including caramel, lead acetate, manganese violet, and more.
Artificial fragrances
Avoid most perfumes/colognes, which legally aren't required to list ingredients to protect their trade mark
WHY?
educate yourself more here.
all of the information i've read, blew my mind. this is something i've never, ever thought of.
according to the daily green, here are six beauty product ingredients to avoid:
Examples include petroleum jelly, isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol, methyl alcohol or methanol, butyl alcohol or butanol, ethyl alcohol or ethanol (often used in skin astringents and perfumes or colognes).
Examples include sodium lauryl ether sulfate; sodium laureth sulphate; sodium lauryl ether sulphate (most commonly used in shampoos, shower gel, bubble bath)
Examples include ethylene glycol (used in firming lotions) and propylene glycol (found in everything from deodorant, mascara, baby powder, after shave and more).
Examples include butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben (found in sunscreen, shampoos, shaving gel, toothpaste and more)
Examples include anything with F&DC preceding it, usually followed by a color and a number. (F representing food, D&C representing drugs and cosmetics), other color additives, including caramel, lead acetate, manganese violet, and more.
Avoid most perfumes/colognes, which legally aren't required to list ingredients to protect their trade mark
WHY?
educate yourself more here.
all of the information i've read, blew my mind. this is something i've never, ever thought of.
is it possible to avoid all of those ingredients? probably not, but we can try. once i read all of this information i started to think, okay... now where the heck do i get good quality beauty products that won't possibly affect me in the long run? luckily, a lot of companies have been finding out that people are inquiring into this type of information now and days. that means, bigger companies are also trying to extend their cosmetic lines to provide a more natural approach for their customers. after some research, here are a few companies that i would consider giving a try. over time i'll try to do some product reviews in order to help provide more information :)
are there any of you who can contribute to this research? or have found a natural cosmetic line to be promising? please share!
I'm allergic to sulphates (they take the top layer of my skin out) so my derm told me to never use them. I use cleansers and shampoos without sulphates - Burt's Bees, Body Shop, Nature's Gate and TIGI. I also avoid parabens as far as possible.
ReplyDeleteWould like to see any sulphate-free shampoos/face and body washes you find :)
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