Chemicals In Skincare, Why Is It Good To Have Chemical Free Skin Products?
Posted by natural_beauty_tips on Nov 11, 2007
You may not be aware of it, but many of the beauty products you rub into your skin are absorbed deep into your body’s system.
Many cosmetic and skincare products contail many different types of chemicals. Recently, there has been growing alarm about the effects these chemicals might have on the body after long term exposure. If you take a closer look at the labelling of the skincare products in your bathroom cabinet, you’ll see that many of them have a huge ingredients list with a bewildering cocktail of chemicals included.
So What Are These Chemicals For?
Largely, the chemicals are artificial replacements for more expensive natural ingredients which have been used in our skincare products for thousands of years. The chemicals act as preservatives, fragrances, texture enhancers, and colourings. Basically, it’s not really necessary to fill skincare products with these substances - it’s just cheaper.
And What Concerns Have There Been About The Use Of These Chemicals in Skincare?
Here are a few commonly used chemicals in skincare with documented and possible side effects: -
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - Can damage hair, eyes, and skin. Commonly used in shampoo and facial wash.
Butylparaben - Is a skin irritant. May cause irritation to eyes and dermatitis. Used commonly as a preservative in many skincare products.
Formaldehyde (no, seriously, they put that in your beauty products!). Also known as Formalin and Formol. - Acutely toxic if inhaled. Will irritate skin, eyes, nose and throat. Causes asthma attacks. Nausea, vomiting, rashes, and headaches. It might be a carcinogen. We rub this into our skin in anti ageing products, shampoos, facial creams, and anti dandruff shampoo.
Lanolin - can cause allergic reaction. This product which is derived from sheeps wool is often contaminated as a result of environmental factors affecting the sheep from which it is extracted. Pesticides and fertilizers can find their way into your skin via products containing this substance.
Methylparaben - Can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis. There are unproven links to breast cancer. Used as a preservative in cosmetics and soaps.
What Can We Do To Avoid Chemical Products?
The good news is that we don’t actually need to have these chemicals in our skin products. They’re only there because its cheap and easy… natural alternatives do exactly the same thing.
All you have to do is make sure that you are buying products free of artificial chemicals. There are a growing number of trusted retailers selling chemical free skincare products, and also products with excellent organic credentials to avoid issues with contamnination by pesticides and fertilisers.
So Where Can We Find These Chemical-Free Companies?