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Toxins in Personal Care Products – 4 Top Chemicals to Avoid and Why

toxins-in-personal-care-products

One way to reduce the toxic load on the body is to be selective about personal care items containing harmful toxins. There are many resources available, here are a few starting points.

 

The beauty industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that, until now, has had little other than cruelty to animals to worry about as a minor obstacle to their marketing campaigns. The safety of beauty products has largely been taken for granted.

The low-down on what you put on your face and body

  • Many beauty products are not well regulated
  • Many use varying mixtures of synthetically produced chemicals
  • Many of these synthetic chemicals have not been approved by regulation authorities, but find their way into product and onto shelves through loop holes in regulations
  • As much as a third of personal care products contain at least 1 chemical linked to cancer
  • Mineral oil and petroleum are the basic ingredients in many over the counter cosmetic products – these have their origins in fossil fuels.

Top 4 chemicals to avoid and why

Sodium Laureth Sulphate – Banned in Europe and Central America

  • It is used because it makes things foam
  • It is found in toothpaste, shampoo, body and shower gels etc.
  • It’s a suspected carcinogen linked to kidney and liver damage, nervous system disruption, eczema and dermatitis

 

Parabens (methyl, propy., butyl & ethyl) – Banned in Japan and Sweden and under review in UK

  • It’s used as a preservative or germicide
  • It’s found in conditioners, hair gels, nail creams, foundations, mascara, facial masks, skin creams, deodorants, sunscreen and hair coloring
  • It’s a hormone disrupter – mimics natural estrogens that lead to cancer; linked to breast cancer, skin rashes

 

Formaldehyde Family – Diazolidinyl urea, 3-diol Imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15, Nitorpropane-1, Formalin, Methanol, Methyl aldehyde, Methylene Oxide etc. banned in Europe.

  • It’s used because it’s a disinfectant, fungicide, germicide, defoamer and preservative
  • It’s found in shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, liquid hand wash, skin lotions, bubble bath, hair care
  • It can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, headaches; it irritates mucous membranes, is linked to joint and chest pain, fatigue, dizziness and immune dysfunction

 

Phthalates – banned in Europe.

  • Used because it makes plastic soft
  • Found in nail polish, hair-straighteners and sprays, body lotions and deodorants
  • It’s a carcinogen linked to birth defects, lowered sperm counts, damage to reproductive organs, lung, liver and kidney cancer

 

For natural clean products, I recommend Young Living, Melaluca and AMG Natually. You can check your products by going to EWG skin deep

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